The articles says that the IRS doesn't consider it a cash advance for tax purposes.

...? How dumb are some of these writers?

Cash advances are a credit card concept, not a tax concept. A cash advance isn't to the best of my knowledge taxable and I'm not aware of IRS rulings regarding what is and isn't a cash advance.

Oh, and he wants us to know it is not a crime ... yet. How exactly is it going to be a crime, ever. I guess that sounds more sensational than the Mint might stop accepting credit cards for dollar coin purchases.