Breaking: Two Withdraw Because of Tax Issues

Today, two nominees to serve in the Obama Administration have withdrawn their nominations because of tax related issues. Those two were: former Sen. Tom Daschle withdrawing his nomination to be Health and Human Services Secretary (also nominated to be W.H. health czar) and the nominee to be the first Chief Performance Officer Nancy Killefer (also nominated for deputy director of management at the Office of Management and Budget). This appears to be a break down in the vetting process that was used by the Obama Administration in naming nominees for these positions. Let’s break down the issues each of these nominees had against them that led to this duo of withdrawls today.

This from the Associated Press:

Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader and a strong backer of Obama’s presidential bid, said he would have been unable to operate “with the full faith of Congress and the American people. … I am not that leader, and will not be a distraction” to Obama’s agenda, he said.

Obama had given Daschle two jobs — to be White House health czar on top of the post leading the Health and Human Services Department — and Daschle is relinquishing the czar post too.

So the ammount of money that Daschle “inadvertently” didn’t pay to the IRS (between 2005-2007) was $128,203 and $11,964 in interest for a grand total of $140,167. But the tax issue is not the only one that hounded Daschle on the Hill, it was also questions about his relation to special interests in the health field. There were question about speaking fees from those interests and advice he gave to health insurers and hospitals that may have lobbied the government. These two issues fly in the face of the new ethical era that Obama claimed he was bringing to Washington. The nomination and confirmation of Timothy Geithner also is a fly in the ointment of this new ethical era Obama announced. He was dodging taxes that regular Americans are always held accountable for. Both Geithner and Daschle paid up either right before or after their nominations were announced. So they knew what they were doing or had done was wrong and knew it would be an issue. Would they have paid up if they were not being nominated to these posts? It seems Dems are fine with higher taxes for everyone because they don’t pay them anyway (and that isn’t a statement about Democrats as a whole or collective, just on these high profile folks that have had sunlight shined on their actions).

Nancy Killefer’s issue wasn’t as huge as Daschle or Geithner’s. In 2005 the District of Columbia placed a $964.69 tax lien on Killefer’s DC home because of her failure to pay unemployment compensation taxes for household help (two nannies and a personal assistant). And even though this is not to the level of Daschle and Geithner, Killefer felt it would be a distraction. And to be honest it would. Regardless of the ammount of taxes that haven’t been paid, Killefer was to oversee government spending and effectivness of government agencies, as well as deputy director of management at OMB. She obviously couldn’t manage her own household budget and tax issues.

This is a quick Welcome to Washington Mr. President. If you set the bar really high … be prepared to meet it because you will be called out on it.

Breaking: Clinton Confirmed to State, Holder on Hold

The United States Senate has voted 94-2 to confirm Sen. Hilary Clinton (D-NY) to the position of Secretary of State in the Obama Administration. This would mean that Texas’ two senators Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Sen. John Cornyn voted in the affirmative. The two ‘no’ votes came from Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC).

I think it was good for Sen Cornyn to hold up this vote at least one day so that the concerns of Senators could be heard about Fmr. Pres. Clinton’s Global Initiative and donors and their possible impact on now Sec. Hilary Clinton and her decisions and the recomendations she might make to Pres. Obama. Those concerns were presented to the whole Senate, and were able to be addressed by Clinton’s most ardent supporters. While some criticize Cornyn and now Vitter and DeMint for their actions on this nomination, I say that this is the process. If a President’s nominees are simply to be acknowleged by voice vote then why even have a confirmation process at all?

In other Breaking News, the confirmation of Attorney General-designate Eric Holder is … well … on hold. Sen. Arlen Spector (R-PA) has complained about the “hurried” confirmation process. Republicans on the hill want Holder to answer more questions about his involvement in the controversial “Rich pardon” during the Clinton (Bill that is) Administration. Specter announced that Republicans were asking to excersize the option they have to delay a committee vote (Senate Judiciary Committee) for one full week. Again, I have to say this is the begining of Republicans starting to get their spines back. We can not be afraid to ask the hard questions, make touch decisions, and go against the public desire sometimes for what might be best for the country. While we can’t always go against public opinion, at times it is necessary. Nothing is wrong with wanting to ask more in depth questions of someone who will head the Justice Department. These are important appointments and important positions, nobody should sail through, if there are questions that need to be asked … ask them. Once they hold the office, its more difficult to remove them than it is to vote no on them. I personally don’t know much about Holder or Obama’s other stalled appointment of Treasuery Sec. who doesnt pay taxes but if the Republicans want to ask questions they need to ask them and get straight and real answers.