O'Donnell Opponent: My Campaign Not Involved in Tax Scandal

Sen. Christopher A. Coons, D-Del., says he played no part in the secret accessing of the personal tax records of Christine O’Donnell, reports the Washington Times.

Coons defeated O’Donnell in the 2010 Senate race to fill Vice President Joe Biden’s seat.

Coons claims neither he nor anyone connected to his campaign had anything to do with the order to make the move and says no one involved with the investigation that is looking into the improper use of Americans’ private tax records has been in touch with him.

“Any political abuse of the government’s power is inappropriate, wrong and ought to be investigated fairly,” said Ian Koski, a spokesman for the senator.

“This particular matter was already subject to a months-long investigation by the Treasury Department — which found no wrongdoing — and no evidence has been presented that indicates that the Treasury investigation was unfair or inadequate.”

In March 2010, O'Donnell’s personal tax records were accessed by David Smith, an investigator with the state’s Division of Revenue.

O'Donnell announced she would challenge Republican Michael Castle in the GOP’s Senate primary that same month.

According to Delaware officials, a state investigator was permitted to access O'Donnell’s tax records at the time due to a newspaper report concerning a lien against her home which later proved to be erroneous.

The mistake was later attributed to an IRS computer error.

Computer files that would reveal when and how often O’Donnell’s records were accessed likely have been deleted, say state officials.

The suspect timing and release of information of O'Donnell’s taxes to the media has prompted the Treasury Department’s inspector general to reopen its investigation of the situation.

O’Donnell believes Coons could play a significant role in getting to the bottom of the matter.

“Since he takes this seriously, will he question his former staff to see who actually filed the lien under his watch?,” O’Donnell asked.

“Contrary to what he says, there is more he can do.

He ran New Castle County when the erroneous lien was filed.”

Coons' camp countered that the New Castle County chief executive would not have been involved with the IRS lien, which was filed in the county recorder of deeds’ office.

“It didn’t even fall under the auspices of the county executive,” Koski said.