The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled that a former I.R.S. employee deserves protection under the 1994 Whistleblower Protection Act. The employee, Peter W. Coons, was an I.R.S. chief tax collector who complained about the existence of favoritism to wealthy and politically connected California families and businesses that owe back taxes. This case is important because the majority of whistleblower claims are rejected by the federal court.
See "Court Says Ex-I.R.S. Employee Deserves Whistle-Blower Status", David Cay Johnston, The New York Times, September 1, 2004