VINCENT L. BRICCETTI, District Judge.
Plaintiffs John Vidurek and Kimberly Vidurek, proceeding
Plaintiffs assert claims for violations of various federal criminal statutes, specifically, conspiracy against civil rights (18 U.S.C. § 241), deprivation of civil rights under color of law (
In addition, plaintiffs bring constitutional claims for due process violations and unreasonable seizure pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and for conspiracy to violate civil rights under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1985 and 1986. Plaintiffs also appear to seek civil damages for unauthorized tax collection.
Now pending are four motions: (i) Michael Quinn's motion to dismiss the complaint under Rule 12(b)(6) and for an order enjoining plaintiffs from filing future complaints against him and his employer (Doc. #5); (ii) GuyChiarello's motion to dismiss the complaint under Rules 12(b)(5) and 12(b)(6) (Doc. #8); (iii) Mary Madden's motion to dismiss the complaint under Rule 12(b)(5) and motion for judgment on the pleadings under Rule 12(c) (Doc. #21); and (iv) Federal Defendants' motion to dismiss the complaint under Rules 12(b)(1), 12(b)(5), and 12(b)(6). (Doc. #35).
For the following reasons, the motions of Quinn, Chiarello, and the Federal Defendants to dismiss the complaint, as well as Madden's motion for judgment on the pleadings, are GRANTED. Quinn's motion for a filing injunction is also GRANTED.
The Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331.
The following factual background is drawn from the complaint and the documents attached as exhibits thereto, which the Court may consider in deciding the pending motions.
Plaintiffs assert they are not subject to federal tax assessment or collection by the IRS. Plaintiffs allege "the IRS is a foreign corporate trust created in [the] Philippines" and/or Puerto Rico, and the Internal Revenue Code "is not law," but "only defines a contract between the IRS and an individual," and "applies only to the Philippines, Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, territories, and insular possessions, for such items as narcotics, alcohol, tobacco, and firearms." (Compl. at 34-35).
On March 26, 2012, the IRS sent Vidurek
On July 13, 2012, Vidurek sent the IRS a "Notice and Demand," in which he contested the Notice of Deficiency, demanded the IRS correct its files as to Vidurek, and listed various potential causes of action against the IRS. (Compl. Ex. 3).
By letter dated August 15, 2012, the IRS informed Vidurek it was reviewing his correspondence and would contact him within forty-five days with a reply. Plaintiff received no response.
Vidurek then received an IRS notice dated December 17, 2012, stating he owed $124,762.43 for the 2009 tax year, which he was required to pay by January 2, 2013, to avoid additional penalty and interest charges. In response, on January 11, 2013, Vidurek sent a "Second Notice and Demand" to the IRS, asserting he was not liable for the assessed taxes because the Internal Revenue Code "is not the law" and there is no contract between the IRS and Vidurek, again demanding the IRS correct their files, and again threatening legal action. (Compl. Ex. 6).
Also on January 11, 2013, Vidurek sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the IRS for his individual master files for tax years 2009 through 2012, as well as other documents. On February 5, 2013, Vidurek received a full response to his request. The IRS provided the individual master files, but, plaintiffs allege, not the necessary program or information to decode them.
The IRS sent Vidurek another notice, dated January 21, 2013, stating the amount Vidurek owed for 2009 had increased to $125,528.52. Thereafter, Vidurek sent the IRS a letter and affidavit dated January 25, 2013, stating he never received the $236,911.00 in reported taxable income that was the basis of the Proposed Assessment.
The IRS then sent Vidurek a "Notice of intent to levy" dated April 8, 2013, which indicated that if Vidurek did not call the IRS or pay $127,136.99 by April 18, 2013, the IRS might levy any state tax refund to which Vidurek was entitled and take possession of other property, the proceeds of which would be applied to the amount the IRS stated Vidurek owed. (Compl. Ex. 11). In response, Vidurek sent a "Fo[u]rth Notice to Correct Records," dated April 10, 2013. (Compl. Ex. 12).
The IRS sent Vidurek a "Final Notice" of "Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to a Hearing," dated April 15, 2013. (Compl. Ex. 13). On April 22, 2013, Vidurek responded to the IRS by letter, again asserting the IRS had no authority to tax him. On April 29, 2013, the IRS sent Vidurek notice that the IRS would be in contact with third parties in an attempt to collect the unpaid taxes. Vidurek responded to the IRS, objecting to any attempt to collect taxes from him.
On May 7, 2013, the IRS sent Vidurek a "Notice of Federal Tax Lien Filing and Your Right to a Hearing Under IRC 6320," which indicated a federal tax lien had been filed with the Dutchess County Clerk in the amount of $124,762.43. (Compl. Ex. 20).
On May 15, 2013, the IRS issued a summons to RSB and HVFCU. The summonses required RSB and HVFCU to "[p]rovide copies of all opening account records and bank statements in which John E. Vidurek . . . is listed as a signatory from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2008 and January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012." (Compl. Ex. 21). On May 25, 2013, plaintiffs sent a notice and demand to both RSB and HVFCU, registering plaintiffs' objection and affirmatively withholding plaintiffs' consent for the banks to provide information to the IRS.
On August 7, 2013, the IRS sent Vidurek a determination letter, which stated plaintiffs were not required to file a tax return for the 2009 tax period. On September 2, 2013, the IRS sent plaintiffs a notice that, after eliminating or decreasing most taxes, penalties, interest, and fees previously levied, Vidurek owed $80.64 for the 2009 tax year. In addition, the IRS provided a "Certificate of Release of Lien" dated September 18, 2013, for the amount of $124,762.43. (Compl. Ex. 26).
Approximately one year later, on August 25, 2014, the IRS sent Vidurek an Income Tax Examination Changes form for changes to Vidurek's taxes owed for 2008 and signed by "Tax Examiner — MS 4388."
On November 8, 2014, Vidurek sent defendants Layne Carver, Brenda Dial, and IRS Commissioner John Koskinen a notice and demand. Vidurek's notice asserted the attempt to collect taxes and penalties for 2008 was time-barred, and he would not contest the tax determination in a court because "under the Constitution Article III Section 2[,] Article III courts lack jurisdiction to hear tax cases . . . [and] tax court[s] . . . can provide no remedy for People." (Compl. Ex. 30). Vidurek also contested the $80.64 deficiency for the 2009 tax year. In response, on November 14, 2015, defendant Jonnie Melendez, an intake advocate at the Taxpayer Advocate Service of the IRS, wrote to Vidurek and declined to address each argument raised in the November 8, 2014, letter because they "appear[ed] to be frivolous and have no basis in law." (Compl. Ex. 31).
Several months later, on July 11, 2016, the IRS sent a letter of intent to seize Vidurek's assets as payment for $2,745.05 owed for 2008. The letter warned that the IRS might seize Vidurek's property on or after August 10, 2016, if it did not receive payment. The letter informed Vidurek he could appeal by requesting a Collection Due Process hearing. From November 23, 2016, to August 23, 2017, the IRS intercepted a portion of Vidurek's monthly social security payments and applied them toward Vidurek's taxes owed for 2008. (
On June 13, 2017, defendant Maryellen Benecke, on behalf of the IRS, sent Vidurek a notice, asserting he had not filed a tax return for 2014 and scheduling a meeting to discuss the remaining outstanding tax payment. On June 15, 2017, Vidurek declined the meeting and asserted he was "not a person liable." (Compl. Ex. 35). On August 1, 2017, Vidurek received another letter requesting he meet with the IRS, this time from defendant Linda Piatek. Again, Vidurek declined the meeting, insisting his tax status for 2009 "was the same for 2014." (Compl. Ex. 40).
On August 23, 2017, the IRS issued summonses to defendants RSB and HVFCU, in addition to other institutions. The issuing officer listed on all of the summonses was Linda Piatek and the approving officer was defendant Jeanette Willet. The summonses required the institutions to appear before Piatek, give testimony, and produce books and records relating the Vidureks' tax liability. Plaintiffs allege RSB and HVFCU shared plaintiffs' financial information without informing plaintiffs and without plaintiffs' consent.
Plaintiffs allege the IRS subjected Vidurek to heightened scrutiny in connection with the above tax assessments and collection actions because Vidurek is a Tea Party organizer, and IRS agents "singled [him] out for political reasons, with intent to punish." (Compl. at 3).
Plaintiffs further allege they "never gave consent or jurisdiction to defendants to summons personal information, protected under the [Fourth] Amendment, from any financial institutions or any other third parties. . . . Plaintiff(s) forbad[e] defendants from summonsing information from third parties." (Compl. at 33).
On June 27, 2013, a case plaintiffs filed in New York State Supreme Court, Dutchess County, was removed to federal court and assigned to this Court. (
On March 13, 2015, Vidurek filed a complaint in this district against the Clerk of Court and a John Doe defendant alleging the Clerk of Court, having received a complaint from Vidurek to begin a new action against Koskinen, failed to file the complaint and returned the papers to Vidurek.
Also on March 13, 2015, Vidurek filed a complaint against defendants Koskinen, Dial, Melendez and other IRS employees for claims arising from the same 2008 tax lien described above.
On October 4, 2017, plaintiffs filed an action against all defendants named in the instant case and arising out of the same facts.
"[F]ederal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and lack the power to disregard such limits as have been imposed by the Constitution or Congress."
When, as here, the case is at the pleading stage, in deciding a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(1), the Court "must accept as true all material facts alleged in the complaint and draw all reasonable inferences in the plaintiff's favor."
When a defendant moves for dismissal under Rule 12(b)(5), the Court must first address the preliminary questions of service and personal jurisdiction.
In deciding a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, the Court evaluates the sufficiency of the operative complaint under the "two-pronged approach" articulated by the Supreme Court in
To survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, the allegations in the complaint must meet a standard of "plausibility."
The Court must liberally construe submissions of
At any time after the pleadings close and before trial commences, a party may move for judgment on the pleadings under Rule 12(c).
As to the IRS and the individual Federal Defendants in their official capacities, the Federal Defendants argue the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction on the basis of sovereign immunity.
The Court agrees.
"Sovereign immunity is a jurisdictional bar,"
Moreover, plaintiffs have not shown their claims against the IRS and the individual Federal Defendants in their official capacities, which exclusively relate to tax assessment and collection, fall within any applicable waiver of sovereign immunity.
To the extent plaintiffs assert claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act ("FTCA"), 28 U.S.C. §§ 1346(b), 2671-80, the government's waiver of sovereign immunity under the FTCA is not applicable to "[a]ny claim arising in respect of the assessment or collection of any tax." 28 U.S.C. § 2680(c);
To the extent plaintiffs seek civil damages under the Internal Revenue Code for unauthorized tax collection,
Nor does the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA") provide a waiver applicable to plaintiffs' claims. The APA provides "[a] person suffering legal wrong because of agency action, or adversely affected . . . by agency action . . . is entitled to judicial review thereof." 5 U.S.C. § 702. However, agency action is only reviewable under the APA when "no other adequate remedy in a court" exists. 5 U.S.C. § 704.
Here, other adequate remedies were plainly available to plaintiffs — namely, an appeals hearing challenging plaintiffs' underlying tax liability under 26 U.S.C. §§ 6330(b),(c)(2)(B), and an appeal of that determination to United States Tax Court under 26 U.S.C. § 6330(d). Thus, the APA does not provide a waiver of sovereign immunity with respect to plaintiffs' claims.
Lastly, to the extent plaintiffs assert claims under
The Court therefore lacks subject matter jurisdiction over plaintiffs' claims against the IRS and the individual Federal Defendants in their official capacities.
Accordingly, those claims are dismissed.
The individual Federal Defendants, as well as Guy Chiarello and Mary Madden, assert plaintiffs failed adequately to serve them.
The Court agrees.
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(e) governs service of process. Rule 4(e) provides:
To serve an employee of the United States sued in an individual capacity for a cause of action arising from the employee's duties performed for the United States, "a party must serve the United States and also serve the officer or employee under Rule 4(e), (f), or (g)." Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(i)(3).
Here, plaintiffs' affidavit of service makes clear they did not comply with any of the three subparts of Rule 4(e)(2). In the affidavit, Vidurek asserts he served a copy of the summons, "[a]ction at law pages i-iv, pages 1-47," "Memorandum of Law in Support of Jurisdiction pages 1-10," and two affidavits "by depositing a true copy in the United States Post Office thereby mailing said document to the [defendants'] respective offices." (Pls.' Aff. of Service). Plaintiffs, in opposition to the Chiarello and Quinn motions, admit they did not provide defendants copies of the forty-five exhibits attached to the complaint because "[a]ll filed exhibits address the Action between the plaintiff and the government agents and agency and thereby have no bearing upon the financial institution defendants." (Pls.' Opp. at 3). Nevertheless, plaintiffs do not appear to have served any defendant with the exhibits, regardless of the whether the defendants worked for the IRS. Setting aside the other service deficiencies, without proof of service of the entire complaint,
Plaintiffs also did not comply with service requirements under the law of New York, the state in which this district is located, in accordance with Rule 4(e)(1). New York law for effecting service requires either personal service or a two-step process: "
New York law also provides for personal service by first class mail "by mailing to the person or entity to be served, by first class mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the summons and complaint, or summons and notice or notice of petition and petition, together with two copies of a statement of service by mail and acknowledgement of receipt in the form set forth in subdivision (d) of this section, with a return envelope, postage prepaid, addressed to the sender." CPLR 312-a(a).
In addition to their admitted failure to provide defendants a complete copy of the complaint, plaintiffs make no allegation that they complied with the personal service step of New York's two-step service requirement. Nor do plaintiffs allege they included the exhibits to the complaint, an acknowledgement form, and the pre-paid envelope in their mailings to defendants to properly effect service by mail.
The Court next addresses whether each defendant contesting service was served in accordance with the law of the state where service was attempted.
Plaintiffs attempted to serve defendants Mary Madden, Maryellen Benecke, Linda Piatek, and Jeanette Willet in New York. As discussed above, the attempted service did not comply with New York state requirements. Accordingly, defendants Madden, Benecke, Piatek and Willet were not properly served in this case.
Plaintiffs attempted to serve defendants Brenda Dial, Layne Carver, and Jonnie Melendez in Utah. Under Utah R. Civ. P. 4(d)(2)(A), (B), "a complaint can only be served upon an individual or an entity by mail if the defendant signs a document indicating receipt."
Lastly, plaintiffs attempted to serve defendant Chiarello in Colorado. Under Colorado state law, service of process may only be effected by a method provided in Rule 4(e).
Accordingly the Court has no jurisdiction over defendants Chiarello, Madden, Dial, Carver, Melendez, Benecke, Piatek, and Willet, and they must all be dismissed from this case.
Defendant Quinn did not raise defective service in his motion to dismiss and arguably waives service. Accordingly, the Court addresses the merits of plaintiffs' claims against Quinn as the sole remaining defendant who has appeared in this case.
Plaintiffs assert claims for violations of various federal criminal statutes. However, with the exception of RICO, individuals "cannot bring suits as private attorneys general in an effort to right potential violations of criminal statutes."
Moreover, plaintiffs provide no authority, and the Court is aware of none, supporting any implied private rights of action under these statutes.
Accordingly, plaintiffs' claims under 26 U.S.C. § 7214 and 18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 242, 872, 1341, and 1001 are dismissed.
In contrast with the criminal statutes discussed above, Congress
RICO Section 1962(c) provides:
18 U.S.C. § 1962(c). Thus, to state a substantive RICO claim under Section 1962(c), a plaintiff must plead "(1) conduct (2) of an enterprise (3) through a pattern (4) of racketeering activity."
Plaintiffs have failed to state a claim under RICO because, among other things, they have not plausibly alleged an enterprise.
"A RICO enterprise may be a lawful entity or an association-in-fact."
To the extent plaintiffs seek to plead an enterprise consisting of the IRS as a "lawful entity," plaintiffs' RICO claim fails because "the defendant and the enterprise must be distinct."
"[F]or an association of individuals to constitute an enterprise, the individuals must share a common purpose to engage in a particular fraudulent course of conduct and work together to achieve such purposes."
Here, plaintiffs fail to allege any facts about Quinn's role in the alleged scheme to target Vidurek for heightened tax scrutiny. Plaintiffs have not alleged any facts whatsoever articulating how the purported enterprise members functioned as a
Accordingly, plaintiffs' substantive RICO claim is dismissed.
To the extent plaintiffs seek to state a claim for conspiracy to violate RICO, because plaintiffs have failed to state a substantive RICO claim, any conspiracy claim necessarily fails as well.
Plaintiffs' RICO conspiracy claim is therefore dismissed.
Reading the complaint liberally, plaintiffs appear to bring Section 1983 claims for procedural and substantive due process violations and for unlawful seizure under the Fourth Amendment. Plaintiffs also bring conspiracy claims under Sections 1985 and 1986.
"To state a claim under § 1983, a plaintiff must allege (1) the deprivation of a right secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States (2) which has taken place
Plaintiffs have not alleged any facts to suggest Quinn, the president and CEO of RSB, a private entity, is a government actor. Moreover, plaintiffs cannot assert constitutional claims arising from a third party financial institution's compliance with an IRS summons.
Accordingly, plaintiffs' Section 1983 claims against Quinn, the only remaining defendant, are dismissed.
Based on the allegation that defendants targeted Vidurek for heightened tax scrutiny because of his Tea Party affiliation, plaintiffs appear to assert their claim under Section 1985(3) for conspiracy to interfere with civil rights. To state a conspiracy claim under Section 1985(3), plaintiffs must allege "(1) a conspiracy, (2) for the purpose of depriving any person or class of persons of the equal protection of the laws or of equal privileges and immunities under the laws, (3) an act in furtherance of the conspiracy, and (4) whereby a person is injured in his person or property or deprived of a right or privilege of a citizen."
As discussed above, plaintiffs fail adequately to plead a conspiracy between the defendants. Moreover, plaintiffs have failed plausibly to plead the alleged conspiracy was motivated by racial or other class-based animus.
Plaintiffs allege that on May 10, 2013, "the news reported that the IRS apologized for flagging Tea Party groups for a higher level of scrutiny than other organizations during the 2012 election." (Compl. at 3). Plaintiffs allege Vidurek was "a target of the aforesaid scrutiny" and was subjected to this "vindictive act" because he is "a tea party organizer." (
Although in
Even assuming,
Having failed to plead a claim under Section 1985, plaintiffs' Section 1986 claim necessarily fails as well.
Accordingly, plaintiffs' conspiracy claims are dismissed.
Although plaintiffs do not expressly rely on these statutes in their compliant, liberally construed, plaintiffs seek civil damages under the Internal Revenue Code for unauthorized tax collection.
Accordingly, plaintiffs' claims under 26 U.S.C. § 7433(a) are dismissed.
Rule 15(a)(2) instructs that courts "should freely give leave" to amend a complaint "when justice so requires." Liberal application of Rule 15(a) is warranted with respect to
However, leave to amend may "properly be denied for . . . futility of amendment."
Here, although the Court dismissed the complaint largely on procedural grounds, repleading would be futile, because the problems with plaintiffs' pleading are substantive. As discussed above, plaintiffs' claims either are barred by sovereign immunity, do not provide a private right of action, are barred by plaintiffs' failure to exhaust administrative remedies, or cannot be brought against non-government actors.
Accordingly, the Court declines to grant plaintiffs leave to amend their complaint.
Having dismissed all federal question claims, the Court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over plaintiffs' state law claims. 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c)(3).
Defendant Quinn
"District courts have the authority to issue filing injunctions to prevent vexatious litigation."
The Court addresses each factor in turn. Having presided for several years over this case and plaintiffs' 2013 lawsuit,
Plaintiffs are
Accordingly, absent prior Court permission, plaintiffs are enjoined from filing additional complaints regarding their 2008 and 2009 tax liability and subsequent lien.
Defendant Quinn's motion to dismiss the complaint and for a filing injunction is GRANTED.
Defendant Chiarello's motion to dismiss the complaint is GRANTED.
Defendant Madden's motion to dismiss the complaint is GRANTED.
The Federal Defendants' motion to dismiss the complaint is GRANTED.
The claims against defendants Schulman and Dorsey are DISMISSED
The Clerk is directed to terminate the motions (Docs. ##5, 8, 21, 35) and close this case.
The Court certifies under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a)(3) that any appeal from this order would not be taken in good faith, and therefore
SO ORDERED.