John Snyder, a local IRS examiner who pled guilty last month to illegally looking at the tax returns of 200 celebrities (e.g., Kevin Bacon, Alec Baldwin, Chevy Chase, John Cleese, Sally Field, Randy Quaid, Vanna White) and local professional athletes and coaches was sentenced yesterday to three years’ probation, 60 hours of community service, and a $1,000 penalty.

The government likes to point out that they have laws to prevent government abuse of the people, but if those laws are not enforced, or the penalties all but eliminated, then where is the protection of the people?