The decision, part of a broader crackdown on tax avoidance by the European Union commissioner for competition, slammed Ireland for providing illegal incentives that allowed Apple to cut its tax bill in the region to virtually nothing some years. The clawback of taxes — 13 billion euros, or about $14.5 billion, plus interest — is a record penalty by the union for such activities.What's galling is that the Obama administration is pushing back against the decision in concert with Apple, even though the European action was triggered by an American Senate committee report which found that Apple had negotiated a special Irish corporate tax rate of less than 2 percent.
Local good guy billionaire Nick Hanauer reacts:
Karma. https://t.co/tNJLuB9JBN
— Nick Hanauer (@NickHanauer) August 29, 2016
Hey @AppleSupport, you make good products, but that is no excuse not to pay your taxes. #shitbags.
— Nick Hanauer (@NickHanauer) August 30, 2016
Apple says it's appealing the decision.