fides quarens intellectum Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 [quote]WASHINGTON – Faced with problems over back taxes and potential conflicts of interest, Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination on Tuesday to be President Barack Obama's Health and Human Services secretary. "Now we must move forward," Obama said in a written statement accepting Daschle's request to be taken out of consideration. A day earlier, Obama had said he "absolutely" stood by Daschle. Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader, said he would have not been able 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. His stunning statement came less than three hours after another Obama nominee also withdrew from consideration, and also over tax problems. 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. Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Daschle's former Democratic colleagues had rallied to his defense in the wake of questions about a series of tax issues. Last month, Daschle paid $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest. "Tom made a mistake, which he has openly acknowledged," Obama said. "He has not excused it, nor do I. But that mistake and this decision cannot diminish the many contributions Tom has made to this country." Daschle also was facing questions about potential conflicts of interests related to the speaking fees he accepted from health care interests. Daschle also provided advice to health insurers and hospitals through his post-Senate work at a law firm.[/quote] [url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/daschle_taxes"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_...e/daschle_taxes[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kujo Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 No we'll just get a squeaky-clean pro-choice candidate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 What is the deal with politicians and paying taxes. It seems like every new administration runs into this with either income taxes, or social security taxes on their domestics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardillacid Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Another tax dodger? sheesh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VoTeckam Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 At least now we all understand why Daschle was never opposed to raising taxes... it never affected him in the slightest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 my cousin was treasurer under Prez. George Bush the First.... same thing happened to her... turns out she had received some benefits from a company...and she kept that under wraps... ..she is the first treasurer ever sent to prison in the history of our country... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCid Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 My question is... Why aren't these people in jail? Isn't not paying your taxes illegal? Can I not pay my taxes this year, then go "Opps" and pay them when found out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 you are not a politician, so it doesn't work out that way for you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 [quote name='CatholicCid' post='1771352' date='Feb 3 2009, 03:26 PM']My question is... Why aren't these people in jail? Isn't not paying your taxes illegal? Can I not pay my taxes this year, then go "Opps" and pay them when found out?[/quote] Because they paid their taxes. If you pay, they aren't going to throw you in jail because they understand that people make mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 (edited) [quote name='fidei defensor' post='1771489' date='Feb 3 2009, 08:06 PM']Because they paid their taxes. If you pay, they aren't going to throw you in jail because they understand that people make mistakes.[/quote] Right, they [i]forgot [/i]to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes. 6-figured amounts of money that I owe to people slip my mind all the time. Edited February 4, 2009 by USAirwaysIHS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCid Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 [quote name='fidei defensor' post='1771489' date='Feb 3 2009, 08:06 PM']Because they paid their taxes. If you pay, they aren't going to throw you in jail because they understand that people make mistakes.[/quote] They eventually paid their taxes. So, if I pay EVENTUALLY, I'd probably still go jail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Our news said that Obama lost two nominees today because of tax trouble. The other was a female from California. I missed what she was supposed to have been. I'd be firing the person responsible for vetting these folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Therese Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 [quote name='fidei defensor' post='1771489' date='Feb 3 2009, 07:06 PM']Because they paid their taxes. If you pay, they aren't going to throw you in jail because they understand that people make mistakes.[/quote] Since when?? I didn't know "people make mistakes" was a legitimate defense in an audit. Saying "people make mistakes" is not a defense when being investigated for a crime(which not paying your taxes is). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardillacid Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Nancy Killefer (budget and spending reform) also has tax troubles. I can just feel the Change and Accountability!!!1! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessalonian Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 The only good out of this is at least it won't likely be another so-called "catholic" in there making the same decisions and influencing in the same way Dashal would have. That is good but not that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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