Geithner, Dascle, and now Killefer...does anyone pay their taxes anymore?

[Anonymous]

So check this out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ article/2009/02/03/AR2009020300912_2.html.

Commentary:
- Nancy Killefer is more than wealthy enough to hire a good accountant and pay those unemployment taxes. The scuttlebutt around the office (full disclosure, I used to work at McKinsey) was that she'd go back to government one day. Why not just pay the damn taxes?
- Tom Daschle didn't think that he was going to get caught not paying his taxes? He's been in public life long enough to know better.
- Having gone to the same grad school as Geithner, everyone and their mother knows that a consulting gig at the WB/IMF is not a salaried position. He just cheated on his taxes.

I don't get it.

PS If you read the above article, one reason I'm really glad I don't work where Nancy does anymore is that I don't need two nannies and a personal assistant to run my household.

[jsteele]

This is being discussed here:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/40805.page

Killerfer failed to pay $298 in unemployment compensation tax. She gets the boot. Daschle failed to pay $128,000 and Geithner skipped on $34,000. Hardley seems fair.

[Anonymous]

From Borowitz, and worthy of The Onion:

Obama Considers Tax on Cabinet
Would Create Budget Surplus, Experts Believe

President Barack Obama is mulling a controversial new tax program that would require members of his Cabinet to pay taxes owed under the Federal tax code, the White House confirmed today.

While the unorthodox tax proposal is reportedly "only in the planning stages," it is being eyed as a possible way to balance the Federal budget.

"According to projections, if members of the Cabinet actually paid their taxes, we could wind up with a budget surplus in excess of $18.2 billion," said Obama economic adviser Paul Volcker.

Mr. Volcker said he strongly favored the plan, but added, "Fortunately for me, I'm not officially in the Cabinet."

But imposing taxes on Cabinet members may be easier said than done, critics of the plan warn.

"Remember, these people are not used to paying taxes," said one White House source. "They are going to be hopping mad about this."

Another wrinkle in the plan is how the taxes would actually be collected, with President Obama reportedly favoring a cash-at-the-door entry fee for every Cabinet meeting.

"If they don't have the money, they don't et in," said the source. "They're not going to be able to just sail into the White House for free like the Jonas Brothers."

When told of Mr. Obama's plan to make his Cabinet members pay taxes, Fmr. Sen. Tom Daschle responded, "Whew! Sounds like I dodged a bullet."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PS If you read the above article, one reason I'm really glad I don't work where Nancy does anymore is that I don't need two nannies and a personal assistant to run my household.

That sounded strange to me when I read it at first, especially since her kids are teenagers.

But if you have two high-powered careers in the family, involving frequent travel, I think you probably do need someone full time Mon - Fri, just to be sure you have school snow days and professional days covered, and the transportation to sports events and clubs and everything -- teens need supervision just as much as schoolkids do.

And if you both travel frequently, you need someone for nights-weekends too. Especially if you don't have family on call in the neighborhood.

I'm not going to sneer at someone for hiring organizational help. I'd hire a personal assistant if I had the money. I'm disorganized as all get out.

I don't know if she would have been the best person for the position, but it seems a shame she was disqualified for an error of less than $300 that she paid when she learned about it 5 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget about Charlie Rangel who failed to report $75,000 of rental income. When he finally paid up he avoided paying any interest or penalties on the back taxes.

Somehow I don't think the IRS would be as forgiving to the rest of us.

Does it ever end? How do these people keep getting re-elected? Will they ever be held accountable.

I would like to see a comprehensive list of all senators and congressmen(women) both republican and democrat who have had tax issues and have gotten away with posted in every newspaper across the country. I don't think 75% of the people are aware of what these people are getting away with right under our noses.

It is time for people to stand up and say enough is enough.

[Anonymous]

Hey- Marion Berry failed to file a tax return again... if Hizzoner can get away with it...

[Anonymous]

Labor Secretary-designate Hilda Solis’ husband had tax liens filed against him - dating back to 1993.

Confirmation hearings for Rep. Solis, D-Calif., were delayed after news of the tax problems surfaced.

SIGH - what about that patriotic duty?

[Anonymous]

Don't forget to add Joe the Plumber to the list.

Is tax evasion the new trend? Sorta ironic since I would think the gov't would be trying to collect as much $$ as possible given the massive debt this country is in!

[Anonymous]

And now Rahm Emanuel?

From SayAnythingBlog.com

"And five years of free lodging adds up to a lot of income that Rahm apparently didn’t report or pay taxes on.

The White House chief of staff [Rahm Emanuel] said this week that he did not pay rent during the five years he bunked at the Capitol Hill home of Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn). But that raises questions whether Emanuel reported the rent-free lodging to Congress, since DeLauro is married to pollster Stan Greenberg. And will either of the parties report what could be “imputed income” to the IRS? Reps for Emanuel and DeLauro argue that House Ethics rules allow “hospitality between colleagues.”

According to Mark Hemingway at The Corner:

Both Rahm Emanuel and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (which Emanuel was formely the chairman of) are listed as clients on the website of Stan Greenberg’s polling company.

This makes six Obama cabinet appointments with ethical problems. Five of them having to do with taxes.

Richardson. Geithner. Daschle. Killefer. Solis. Now Emanuel.

Hope ‘n change!"

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:This makes six Obama cabinet appointments with ethical problems. Five of them having to do with taxes.

Richardson. Geithner. Daschle. Killefer. Solis. Now Emanuel.

Sollis doesn't have an ethical and/or tax problem. As far as I'm aware, her husband has not been nominated for anything.

She is being opposed by Republicans for political reasons.

[Anonymous]

The untold background on the Killefer withdrawal: It was PETA's doing. They lobbied strongly and got her out, then discovered too late that it's not Kill-a-fur.

[Anonymous]

Marion Barry doesn't pay his taxes. No news there, I suppose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

PS If you read the above article, one reason I'm really glad I don't work where Nancy does anymore is that I don't need two nannies and a personal assistant to run my household.

That sounded strange to me when I read it at first, especially since her kids are teenagers.

But if you have two high-powered careers in the family, involving frequent travel, I think you probably do need someone full time Mon - Fri, just to be sure you have school snow days and professional days covered, and the transportation to sports events and clubs and everything -- teens need supervision just as much as schoolkids do.

And if you both travel frequently, you need someone for nights-weekends too. Especially if you don't have family on call in the neighborhood.

I'm not going to sneer at someone for hiring organizational help. I'd hire a personal assistant if I had the money. I'm disorganized as all get out.

I don't know if she would have been the best person for the position, but it seems a shame she was disqualified for an error of less than $300 that she paid when she learned about it 5 years ago.

It is the double standard - women have a definitely higher bar to get over. So a mother makes a mechanical error in payroll taxes in the 3 digit range, pays it when she learns of it years before she is nominated for an administration job, and she gets the axe.

Solis is married to a man who had tax liens going back 14 years, he only paid them when she got nominated for an administration position, and she gets a pass because it is "his" problem, not "hers."

Lesson learned, ladies, don't put the nanny tax accounts in your own name - it is a career limiting decision.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
Solis is married to a man who had tax liens going back 14 years, he only paid them when she got nominated for an administration position, and she gets a pass because it is "his" problem, not "hers."

I don't quite follow you here. Solis is still in limbo. She hasn't got a pass. And, it is "his" problem. More specifically, his business's problem. Also, the amount was less than $6,000. Peanuts compared to Geithner. Could you imagine one of the male candidates' nominations being held up because his wife had tax problems with her business?