Google suing U.S. IRS for $83.5M tax refund

Google is taking on the U.S. government for the second time this month. 

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While the search giant is going after the Obama administration to lift the lid on how many requests the government makes through its secret FISA courts away from regular law enforcement requests, Google also wants words with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

According to Bloomberg`, which first reported the story on Thursday, the Mountain View, Calif.-based technology giant is suing the IRS over an $83.5 million refund it says it deserves, claiming it was improperly denied a deduction over an AOL-related stock transaction, dating back to 2004.

The complaint alleges the IRS incorrectly disallowed a $238.6 million deduction claimed for the difference between the price AOL paid "to exercise a warrant for Google stock and the value of the shares." 

The case is 014061-13 in the U.S. Tax Court in Washington, D.C.

Based on Google's Q2 sales a year ago, excluding traffic acquisition costs, the company generates roughly $83.5 million every 20 hours. 

Clearly for Google, it's a matter of principle.