Russell W. Coulton - Page 11

                                        -11-                                          
               We are not persuaded that petitioner acted in good faith or            
          in fact relied on Long when he prepared his 1040 document.  We              
          find that petitioner’s asserted reliance on Long does not                   
          constitute reasonable cause and the absence of willful neglect.             
               In sum, petitioner has not shown that his failure to file a            
          Federal income tax return for 2001 was due to reasonable cause              
          and not to willful neglect.  Thus, we find that petitioner is               
          liable for the addition to tax under section 6651(a)(1).                    
               Petitioner has argued that he should not be subject to the             
          addition to tax under section 6651(a)(1) because the addition to            
          tax penalizes him for asking for an explanation why he was liable           
          to file a return and pay tax.  Petitioner’s arguments were                  
          frivolous.  Although petitioner filed returns and paid tax for 20           
          years previously and respondent notified petitioner in 2000 that            
          his arguments were frivolous, petitioner nevertheless attempted             
          to challenge the tax system by filing documents reporting zero              
          income and zero tax liability and attaching frivolous tax                   
          protester correspondence.  Petitioner was well aware of the                 
          requirement to file tax returns and pay tax, but petitioner                 
          continued to assert shopworn, meritless tax protester arguments.            
          We have imposed a penalty under section 6673 on taxpayers who               
          have raised similar arguments.  See, e.g., Roberts v.                       
          Commissioner, 118 T.C. 365 (2002), affd. per curiam 329 F.3d 1224           
          (11th Cir. 2003); Pierson v. Commissioner, 115 T.C. 576 (2000);             
          Hodges v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2005-168.  Though we do not              
          impose a penalty here, nor does respondent seek a section 6673              





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