Evening star., 1952-04-05
Congressman Facing
Possible Crimp in
Tax Case Practice
BY the Assecicted Press

ILnfeaten TO put a cr1mp In the
Isideline law activities of lawyer
Congressman who practice for pay
on Federal tax cases.
A House Ways and Means sub
committee, which has been pam
ming Internal Revenue officials
for their outside activities, started
the machinery today on a pro-
posal to put their colleagues on
the same spot.
Chairman King directed Assist
ant Attorney General James M.
McInerney to draft proposals to
modify the law after hearing from
former Representative T. Vincent
Quinn. now district attorney of
Queens County, New York.
Mr.. Quinn testified yesterday
that he shared in his law firms
fees from tax cases, and readily
acknowledged taking an interest
in criminal fraud cases before the
Internal Revenue Bureau while a
member of Congress.
Denies Violating Law.
But he stoutly denied violating
the Federal law which bars Con-
gressmen from accepting compen-
sation as an agent in cases in
which the Government has an in
terest.
The committee produced rec
ords of the Internal Revenue Bu-
reau showing that Mr.. Quinn and
his partners were attorneys of
record in % cases before the Bu-
reau between November. 1913
when Mr.. Quinn was elected to
Congress. and January, 1850.
Mr.. Quinn, who resigned his
House seat last December 81. to
become Queens County prosecutor
said he did not knowingly share
in fees paid his firm in civil tax
cases-those> in which no fraud
is involved-and acted only on
cases with a criminal angle" He
added he had an "oral under
standing" to that effect with his
partners.
He contended that the law
which permits Congressman to
practice in Federal criminal court
cases, had been interpreted by the
Justice Department to apply as
well to pre-trial activities-such
as conferences with tax officials.
Refuses Official Opinion.
The complex legal question
touched off an inconclusive dis
pute in which Mr.. Mc1nerney re-
fused to prefer an official opinion
to the committee.
But he agreed that an argu-
ment could be made for Mr.
Quinn's contention that nothing
in the law prohibited Congress
men from working for pay on tax
cases-provided they were GRIM
inal and not civil.
Mr.. King said that while this
was the probable intent of Con-
gress in enacting the law in 1864
it now should be modified to bar
members of Congress as paid
counsel anywhere except in open
Federal Court.
Mr.. Quinn was called before
the committee for questioning
about his role in $250,O0C
criminal fraud investigation OF
Pattullo Modes, Inc, a New York
dress firm.
The case was halted by former
Assistant Commissioner Daniel A
Bolich after Mr.. Quinn and a law
partner, James B. Saver, con-
ferred with him shortly after Mr.
Quinn's election in November
I1948. .s
OverruleS Earlier Action.
The sudden closing of the case
overruled an earlier action of
the investigating agent in refusing
to accept the company's claims
that it was not criminal fraud.
/ Mr.. Quinn testified that his in
tereSt in the Pattullo Modes case
was only casual" and that he
attended the conference because
he was an old friend of Bolich
back in Brooklyn.
He said he never received any
fee from the case, which he said
was accepted by the firm of Mr..
Saver and Martin Schwaeber
before he Joined it.
The committee is in recess un-
til next Tuesday. when it is sched-
uled to hear Joseph D. Nunan
former Internal Revenue COM
missioner.