Ex-Atlanta Braves Players Claim US Abandoned Tax Court Defense

Former Atlanta Braves players John Smoltz and Ryan Klesko accused the federal government of abandoning its opposition to their argument that the US Tax Court breached taxpayer confidentiality protections while slashing their charitable contribution tax deduction by $43 million.

Both the IRS and Tax Court violated IRC Section 6103(a) by admitting into the case’s evidentiary record the personal income and largely unredacted tax returns of nonpartners, according to the ex-players’ business, Buckelew Farm LLC. The partnership said the government failed to address its fairness issues on appeal, and has therefore abandoned its opposition to that claim.

Buckelew asked the US ...