Tom Daschle is the former Democratic leader of the Senate. So, the fact that he has been nominated by President Obama for Secretary of Health and Human Services shouldn’t be a problem. Right? Wrong.
Tom Daschle
Seems that Mr. Daschle has a tax problem, as in he owed the IRS money. Now it wouldn’t be that bad I guess, except that this is the second cabinet nominee to have a “tax problem”. Daschle is of course embarrassed, and using the it was a mistake routine, but that excuse should only be allowed once per new administration.
Daschle, had about $130,000 dollars in errors on his taxes and had to amend returns for several years. He has paid back the government $140,000 dollars in taxes, penalties, and interest. Meanwhile Daschle has written a letter to the Finance Committee Chair, and ranking Republican apologizing for his errors, and that they had to devote time to them.
“As you can well imagine, I am deeply embarrassed and disappointed by the errors that required me to amend my tax returns,” the former South Dakota senator wrote in the letter, released Monday. “I apologize for the errors and profoundly regret that you have had to devote time to them.”
The committee, chaired by Max Baucas, will meet later today to determine whether to recommend confirmation. Tim Geitner who was Obama’s nominee for Treasury Secretary had similar tax problems, and made similar “mistakes”, but had no problem with confirmation. My guess is that Daschle will not either. If the Treasury Secretary can get away without paying taxes, Health and Human Services surely can.
Daschle, who served as the Senate minority leader, was defeated by John Thune in 2004 when it was perceived by voters that he was the leader of an obstructionist type agenda. It now seems that Daschle will have the last laugh after all, he has been tapped for HHS Secretary specifically to shape this country’s healthcare agenda.
This is just another, in a string of events that have been an embarrassment to President Obama’s administration. Going back to the Blagojavech scandal, to Geitner and now Daschle. Makes you wonder if Democrats don’t mind raising taxes because they don’t pay them.
Video of Mitch McConnell discussing Daschle below.
Tom Daschle Video
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:32 am
When you add Rangle to the list its starts to get just a little rediculous already.
Whats worse is that none of these nominees approached these problems until vetting procedures had exposed them and it was only then that they dealt with it and became apologetic.
I swear, if I were standing in front this bunch and they tried to pass this crap off on me I would probaly slap all of there heads and ask them ” never mind the whole country, just how f****ng stupid do you think one person can be?
Between the stimulus(spending spree) package and these morons who are not doing their patriotic duty by paying their taxes were watching the largest dishonest movement of wealth this country has ever seen and for the life of me I cant figure out why people arent in the streets raisng holy hell.
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
Democrats make honest mistakes on taxes and the hiring of illegal housekeepers. They don’t mean to, it just happens. They have other people they depend on and sometimes they mess up.
Republicans try and not pay taxes or hire illegals because they are mean and evil and hateful and stupid.
Obama broke his own rule in about 2 days after saying he would not hire any lobbyist. It is more of the same old crap of “Look at what I say, not at what I do.”
I am waiting for change and sitting for hope. It has been 13 days and counting and no change or hope yet. Maybe Barry is just warming up.
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:59 pm
For all of Daschle’s popularity in Washington, D. C., he is not that popular in his home state where the will of the people removed him from his power seat.
What can McConnell be waiting to hear from the Committee before he feels he can comment.
I would love for Republicans to shame these people, as they do when a Republican does something egregious. There is no excuse for tax evasion from our public officials, and especially from our representatives at the Federal level.
February 2nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
[...] about all of President Barry’s nominee’s coming under some sort of investigation or indescretion, we need a little humor. The real fun will begin when her royalness goes overseas and starts [...]
February 2nd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Maggie.
Holder was just voted in.
Maybe he’ll do something about it.
February 2nd, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Nice “change” in Washington, eh? Same old same old.
So at what point to we turn the IRS on these people and badger and harass these people like any other citizen? Or confiscate their property? Or charge exorbitant interest on unpaid balances?
Pretty discouraging, if you ask me. And they call it “public service.” My uncle kept cattle, and then he heard the word “service,” he’d always ask who was getting f@#$ed.
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I love the headlines that call this ‘tax error’. I wonder what would happen to me if had a 6 digit error in my taxes.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:45 pm
the irs just released a new report … they found that
90% of people who are supposed to pay taxes, think that it is their duty as american citizens to pay them … AND in fact do pay them
the other 10% are in the obama cabinet
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:45 am
“I would hope that my mistake could be viewed in the context of 30 years of public service.”
IF ALL THOSE 30 YEARS WERE FULL OF “MISTAKES” LIKE THIS, CHEATING ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THEN PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR:
RESIGN FROM SENATE AND GO TO JAIL. HAVE A NICE DAY!
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:50 am
These are the best and brightest people in America. Let’s stop picking on them. It is not them that is broken. It is the system. Filing taxes is hard and gosh who can figure it out.
We need Tommy to get us our Constitutional Right to free health care.
Besides, who wrote the tax code? Dang lawyers and accountants. It is like we use to ask the teachers in english lit, “Why did Shakespeare not write in english?”
Tom Daschle is a washout has been but them most of the Obamessiah’s cabinet is. Crooks and cranks.
February 3rd, 2009 at 8:05 am
My biggest question has always been why does it have yo be coded ?
I mean right there, that word “code” should be enough to make you wonder what the hell anyone was thinking.
George, once we decipher it what do you think the code would say ?
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:30 am
It would say that if you are a democrat elitist, you can get away with tax fraud by saying that you just forgot, missed that part, thought someone else was paying it or didn’t think a tax was owed. When you do this, you will be forgiven and it will be pointed out that the 30 or more years you have given to public service will excuse anything.
If you are a republican, you are a thief and not fit to serve in any post in any administration anytime and you must resign and get out. Your 30 or more years of service does not count as a get out of jail free card. Liar lair, pants on fire.
Funny how Obama approval rating has dropped anywhere from 40 to 50% in just 2 weeks. The American people are smarter then the idiots in Washington think they are. They know BS when the hear, see and smell it.
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:53 pm
IRS DOING TAX EVASION?
HOW COME THE IRS DIDN’T SIGNAL THIS? DID SOMEONE SAY … “ACCOMPLICE”? DOES THIS HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS? TO OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS?
CENTURIES BEFORE JESUS CHRIST, PLAUTUS SAID “HOMO, HOMINI, LUPUS”. TODAY, IN THE THIRD MILLENIUM, SOME SAY “LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE”. PLUS CA CHANGE, PLUS C’EST LA MEME CHOSE.
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:03 pm
“These are the best and brightest people in America.”
… BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST, MY EYE!
NOT ONE, BUT SEVERAL PRESIDENTS SAID “THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST” ARE THOSE IN THE UNIFORM, DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY. AND MOST OF THOSE DO PAY TAXES.
February 4th, 2009 at 7:43 am
To
I was being sarcastic about them being the best and the brightest. They think they are and that is the problem.
August 16th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
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