For Senators, Tax Questions are Taxing

By POLITICO STAFF

When Timothy Geithner appeared before the Senate Finance Committee last month, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) accused the soon-to-be treasury secretary of “dancing around” questions about his taxes.

When news broke that Tom Daschle had failed to pay taxes due on a car and driver, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) declared himself “very troubled by it.”

But neither Kyl nor Cornyn seems interested in answering questions about his own tax history.

They’re hardly alone.

Last week, Politico asked the offices of all 99 sitting senators to say who prepares their taxes, whether they or the Internal Revenue Service has ever discovered an error on returns they’ve filed, and whether they’ve ever had to pay back taxes …

Continue Reading

Ruin Your Health With the Obama Stimulus Plan: Betsy McCaughey

Elderly Hardest Hit

Commentary by Betsy McCaughey | Bloomberg.com

Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) — Republican Senators are questioning whether President Barack Obama’s stimulus bill contains the right mix of tax breaks and cash infusions to jump-start the economy.

Tragically, no one from either party is objecting to the health provisions slipped in without discussion. These provisions reflect the handiwork of Tom Daschle, until recently the nominee to head the Health and Human Services Department.

Senators should read these provisions and vote against them because they are dangerous to your health. (Page numbers refer to H.R. 1 EH, pdf version) …

Continue Reading

Daschle’s Nomination Held Up by Tax Issues

By Drew Armstrong, CQ Staff

Former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle, President Obama’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, has “tax issues,” the White House said Friday — a potential complication to his Senate confirmation.

According to a report for members of the Finance Committee, Daschle filed amended federal returns for 2005, 2006 and 2007 showing that he owed an additional $128,203 in taxes, plus $11,964 in interest. The report says Daschle “filed the amended returns voluntarily” after Obama announced his intention to nominate him.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs confirmed that Daschle filed amended returns and paid back taxes. “In preparation for his nomination, Senator Daschle and his accountant identified some tax issues and fixed them,” Gibbs said. “Senator Daschle brought these issues to the Finance Committee’s attention when he submitted his nomination forms and we are confident the committee is going to schedule a hearing for him very soon and he will be confirmed.”

The committee report said Daschle’s 2006 return was “examined” by the IRS, and Daschle’s accountant represented him during discussions with the government.

The additional tax liability apparently resulted from Daschle’s failure to report as income the value of car and driver services worth $225,256 that he received from 2005 through 2007 as chairman of the executive advisory board of InterMedia Advisors, an Englewood, Colo., company.

Daschle also failed to report $83,333 in 2007 consulting income …

Continue Reading