Washington — Fighting to salvage his Cabinet nomination, Tom Daschle apologized from morning to night on Monday for failing to pay more than $120,000 in federal taxes. President Barack Obama said he was “absolutely” sticking with his choice for health secretary, and a key senator added an important endorsement.
The White House both underscored the magnitude of the problem and tried to downplay it in the space of seven words. “Nobody’s perfect,” said press secretary Robert Gibbs. “It was a serious mistake. ...”
Nobody was predicting defeat for Daschle’s nomination as secretary of health and human services, but it was proving an unsavory pill to swallow for senators who only last week confirmed Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary despite his separate tax-payment problems. It’s an issue that strikes a nerve among lawmakers’ constituents who are struggling with their own serious money problems.
On the bright side for Daschle, he got warm words of support from the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the panel that will have the first say on his fate. Daschle has been “an invaluable and expert partner” in efforts toward health care reform, said Democrat Max Baucus of Montana — an especially important endorsement since the two men have had tussles in the past over Baucus’ handling of GOP tax-cut proposals, Medicare changes and other issues.
A number of other Democrats on the committee also voiced their support. John Kerry of Massachusetts said that “there is a completely understandable, absolutely acceptable and rational explanation for what happened here.”
Republicans weren’t so quick to get in line.
Going into a private meeting between Daschle and committee members late Monday, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, top Republican on the Finance panel, was asked if he supported the nomination. He responded, “Ask me after the hearing a week from tomorrow,” a reference to Daschle’s public confirmation hearing.
After the meeting, which lasted a little more than hour, Daschle apologized anew.
“It was completely inadvertent, but that’s no excuse,” he said. “I apologize to President Obama, to my colleagues and to the American people.”
Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader, expressed his remorse earlier in a letter to the Finance Committee, saying he was “deeply embarrassed and disappointed” about what he said was an unintentional failure to pay taxes that he owed.
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dagopman (anonymous) says…
What a corrupt administration! Do none of Obama's people pay their taxes?
jmadison (anonymous) says…
"Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter." So spoke Sen. Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, May 7, 1998, p. S4507.Too bad Leona "Only the little people pay taxes" Helmsley isn't around to fill the Commerce Secretary post.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
& we still don't have unicorns.
Liberty_One (anonymous) says…
Well logrithmic, that's leftwingers for you.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
The hits keep coming."The informal battle between members of the Obama Administration and the Taxman resulted in a casualty Tuesday, with news that President Obama's nominee to be chief performance officer, Nancy Killefer, will withdraw her nomination following the revelation that she had a $946.69 lien on her property in 2005 for failure to pay taxes.Killefer, who was announced to much fanfare by President Obama on Jan. 7 to serve in the new position to make the U.S. government "more effective, more efficient, and more transparent," is the third high-level Obama Administration official whose failure to pay taxes in recent years was disclosed in the past month."http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/02/another-tax-pro.html
Trobs (anonymous) says…
So...where is the defense of these great nominations? Republican or Democrat they mean the same thing, crook. As long as the corporate candidates continue to get elected we will continue to see corrupt people put in power. The Unicorn and Change Express® is bringing the only kind of change D.C. knows about. Changing the people and which party they are part of.Same game, different name. We need to get back to the origins of our country. Freedom and small government. I won't hold my breath, but stranger things have happened. http://www.campaignforliberty.com/
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
I think these appointments have done us a favor. Daschle's behavior is not at all unusual for someone in his business, and if he hadn't been nominated for this position, he likely would have got by without paying these taxes, just as so many others on Wall Street and K Street, and in the Executive and Legislative branches get away with once they exit/enter the revolving door.It's time to put heat on Obama and both Republicans and Democrats to end this culture of corruption.
75x55 (anonymous) says…
But... this is "Change" and ...."Hope".....Hope this sort of biz-as-usual changes soon....
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
I don't have a dog in this race, but the silence from the usually cut and pasty lefties says a lot.
Trobs (anonymous) says…
True story - Tax receipts increase with lower taxes. Why? Because it costs more for the top 5% to hide their money then to just pay the taxes!I want to stop paying taxes and immediately sue the President when I'm arrested. There isn't a jury in the country that would go against me. Wait...wait....They'd get all Obama appointees who don't pay taxes. Jury of my peers and all that!
jaywalker (anonymous) says…
Amazing. I seem to remember a bunch of catterwalling over McCain's poor vetting of Palin. And now two of these guys, one for Treasury? Come on..........
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
How long before we start hearing about the O'dude's tax issues? Stay tuned......
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…
Daschle was the third high-profile Obama nominee to bow out.Nancy Killefer, nominated by Obama to be the government's first chief performance officer, said she didn't want her bungling of payroll taxes on her household help to be a distraction, and Bill Richardson,Commerce secretary nominee, withdrew amid a grand jury investigation into a state contract awarded to his political donors.
sfjayhawk (anonymous) says…
What is with these tax cheats?
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Amazing. I seem to remember a bunch of catterwalling over McCain's poor vetting of Palin."There's a difference between poor vetting, and no vetting.
TacoBob (anonymous) says…
He just did the honorable thing - bowed out.Now, time to move on.
Trobs (anonymous) says…
Newsflash!!!!!!!!He just withdrew his nomination!
georgeofwesternkansas (anonymous) says…
He withdrew his nomination and stated the wants his money back for the taxes. He said if only he would have listened to his republican friends he would $140K richer right now.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"He just did the honorable thing - bowed out."Likely under extreme pressure from Obama and the Democrats in the Senate, who don't want the controversy dogging them forever. I'm sure that the Republicans are just as relieved, because he and his wife are the poster children for the corruption that benefits both sides of the aisle. Better to sweep in under the rug.
75x55 (anonymous) says…
But, but... how could he bow out?The Obama said Daschle was the guy, his pick....How can this be happening ?
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
So long, it's been good to know you (but not really).Does he get to keep the unicorn?
Wallythewalrus (anonymous) says…
I too would like to hear from the left. But they were just tired of Texas BBQ. So I guess we get Chicago style pizza to eat for the next four years.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
"A number of other Democrats on the committee also voiced their support. John Kerry of Massachusetts said that “there is a completely understandable, absolutely acceptable and rational explanation for what happened here.”"{snort}
jaywalker (anonymous) says…
"There's a difference between poor vetting, and no vetting."Certainly. And nominating these two buffoons had to have been after absolutely no investigations whatsoever. Glad he stepped down. Obama had been doing reasonably well with appointments thus far, though I'm still scratching my head over Panetta and Clinton. "He said if only he would have listened to his republican friends he would $140K richer right now."Did he really say that?! That's funny and despicable from a couple of angles.
Godot (anonymous) says…
Good. Now he will continue to be a paid lobbyist for the health care and pharmaceutical industry and will be Obama's "informal" advisor.Now I'm waiting for Hillary to say, "me! me! me! I wanna be the Health Czar, I wanna do that!" and Bill will step up to take her place. He'll say, "okay, I'll be secretary of state if you really want me to."
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2009/0...
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"I too would like to hear from the left."Given how hard Daschle tried to be a Republican during the early years of the Bush Administration, there is absolutely no grieving over his withdrawal.
beatrice (anonymous) says…
So the screening process worked. Well, how about that. Guess the Right can finally recognize that Obama isn't and never has been perfect in all things, not even in his selections. Those of us on the Left have known he was human all along. Maybe Obama can put up a smoke screen to mask this mistake by invading a foreign nation for no good reason. Come on all of you on the Right, y'all like a good for nothing war, don't you?
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
Serving up fresh crow for the hopenchange generation. Get it while it's hot.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Come on all of you on the Right, y'all like a good for nothing war, don't you?"Obama is doing his best to placate them by expanding the war in Afghanistan.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Serving up fresh crow for the hopenchange generation. Get it while it's hot."Are you going to serve yourself a helping if things actually do get better (it couldn't get a whole lot worse.)
ljhomes (anonymous) says…
Ouch! It appears that Daschle and a few others were not vetted like Hillary Clinton...why not? C'mon, Prez, you're an intelligent dude; get your team to do their homework as well as you do yours. We're trying to move the country ahead, not fall back into same old DC BS.
ljhomes (anonymous) says…
Oy, those guys on the right remind me of Butch Cassidy's comment when he was challenged for leadership of the Hole in the Wall Gang: "You can't want Harvey." (or, in this case, McCain, Romney, Palin, Huckabee, yada yada.)
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
Hey, Blago needs a new gig. Perhaps the O'dude can find him an inside job with no heavy lifting in the new regime (for as long as it lasts, anyhow).
jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…
Not a good start for the Changeanator. It pretty much looks like business as usual to me. I like the "nobody's perfect" comment but we don't expect them to be perfect just honest and this has bull pucky written all over it.
jmadison (anonymous) says…
With the passage of time, more of the crooks that inhabit Washington DC are being brought to light. Term limits for congress and the Senate would help to lessen the power these pollitical moochers accumulate with their lengthy and often unproductive terms in our government. Frequent turnover of the cast of characters would help restore our country to some sanity in the laws and regulations passed by our noble legislators. The same old tired faces are seen on our newscasts producing the same old tired and failed public policies.
75x55 (anonymous) says…
Can't wait for the first "Bert Lance", or "David Stockman"... are we there yet?
TheOriginalCA (anonymous) says…
jmadison (Anonymous) says… With the passage of time, more of the crooks that inhabit Washington DC are being brought to light. Term limits for congress and the Senate would help to lessen the power these pollitical moochers accumulate with their lengthy and often unproductive terms in our government. Frequent turnover of the cast of characters would help restore our country to some sanity in the laws and regulations passed by our noble legislators. The same old tired faces are seen on our newscasts producing the same old tired and failed public policies=================================Ding ding ding ding.... we have a winner!!! Finally someone talks sense in here...
purplesage (anonymous) says…
The tax and spend liberals don't like to pay taxes. Imagine that!
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
How's Barry gonna deal when he realizes that his regime is fast becoming a laughingstock?
Guardian (anonymous) says…
Daschle said this was an honest mistake. So did Al Capone. I wonder how many tax accountants Tommy Boy employs. These folks are either very corrupt or very stupid, Take your pick.Hey Clint, way to stick up for your Nanny-daddy and his cronies. I'll give you an "A" for effort and an "F" for substance.
igby (anonymous) says…
This is a dog and pony show!Not being able to pay taxes and not reporting income paid on employees for taxes due are two different matters. Also, not reporting income is just as bad. Like Hilary Clinton, did on her cattle futures capital gain back in 1994. She should step down as well because she got caught and then had to pay the taxes. "we can't have a double standard", isn't that what Obama said?Hilary! Come on down the price is right and you are wrong even now, 15 years later.Why is this women even in politics when Obama's appointing these "dog and pony show", people who have had a history of debauchery to set a precedent of truthfulness? Where's the forward examples of trustworthy staffers?
jaywalker (anonymous) says…
"So the screening process worked. Well, how about that. Guess the Right can finally recognize that Obama isn't and never has been perfect in all things, not even in his selections."The screening process? Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!And I'm fairly certain the 'right' never has believed Obama was perfect in all things. Hadn't seen you post in quite some time, beatrice, and forgot to just pass over it. This one rates up there with some of your dumbest. Well done.It was a mistake, as was Geitner though he's still there, go figure. It's not Earth-shattering, just a good sized flub. Before you nominate someone like this you'd think to look into such info. I would guess that with Daschle, at least, you'd never expect this to be sitting in the weeds to come out and surprise you like this. Don't be quick to condemn Barack and his administration yet, he's a newbie and so are some of his staff. Some fumbles are bound to happen.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
Is it just my perception or are there suddenly fewer cars adorned with O'dude bumper stickers?In other news: http://dougpowers.com/2009/02/03/obam...
TacoBob (anonymous) says…
Notice how in this case the lefties on this board call out the corruption on both sides and say Reps AND Dems are all crooks, or words to that effect. And somehow this is 'good' as it highlights the dirty ways of BOTH parties - now we can drive back onto the high road.And how this shows that Obama is human and can make a mistake or two.Spin city! If this was happening to the other side, the person in question would be pummeled relentlessly and the person and party all lumped together and labeled as scum.Watch the arguments swing back to the old ways at the next go around and the venom return when it is not one of theirs. You will not see any comments saying the whole bunch is bad - at least not from usual suspects.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
If McCain and the Republicans were in charge, we'd know that corruption would rule the day, just as it has for the last eight years.Clinton irritated the Republicans because he could play that game, too, and get away with it better than they could, in part because he was just a little smarter, if only just slightly less corrupt.We don't yet know where Obama is in that game. Republicans are hoping he's at least as corrupt as Clinton was, because corruption is comfortable as an old pair of shoes to them. Those who supported him most fervently are hoping he changes the rules of the game, even though appointments like Daschle indicate otherwise.At present, we really don't know which way he'll go.
jaywalker (anonymous) says…
"Republicans are hoping he's at least as corrupt as Clinton was"I don't know about the motivations of politicians, perhaps some feel that way because they're always thinking about the next campaign. But if referring to all Republicans that statement is patently false and hopelessly cynical.