Obama’s nominee to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services, former Senator Tom Daschle, has tax problems according to ABC News.
The controversy deals with a car and driver lent to Daschle by a wealthy Democratic friend, a chauffeur service the former senator used for years without declaring it on his taxes.
In the weeks preceding the inauguration of President Obama, the Senate began confirmation hearings for many top-level Cabinet posts in the new administration. Among those high-profile posts needing to be filled was that of future Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle, former U.S. Senator and Majority Leader, was expected to sail through the Senate confirmation hearings, but alas, the hearings have come to a halt. We now know why.
More from ABC News:
Based in New York City, InterMedia Advisors is a private equity firm founded in part by longtime Daschle friend and Democratic fundraiser Leo Hindery, the former president of the YES network (the Yankees’ and Devils’ broadcast network). That same year he began his professional relationship with InterMedia 2005, Daschle began using the services of Hindery’s car and driver. The Cadillac and driver were never part of Daschle’s official compensation package at InterMedia but Mr. Daschle — who as Senate majority leader enjoyed the use of a car and driver at taxpayer expense — didn’t declare their services on his income taxes, as tax laws require.
Sound familiar? Did all of these Democrat nominees have the same tax accountant? Evidently Daschle took measures to correct the problem.
During the vetting process to become HHS secretary, Daschle corrected the tax violation, voluntarily paying $101,943 in back taxes plus interest, working with his accountant to amend his tax returns for 2005 through 2007.
Unanswered questions about Daschle persist pertaining to the tax records linked to his wife, Linda Daschle, a well-known registered health care lobbyist. Americans should ask how many more questionable nominees the Obama administration will put forward with the controversies over the tax-evading Timothy Geither, and the gun-hating and pardon giving Eric Holder.
With this string of questionable Obama nominees for high posts the Senate Finance Committee would be well advised to ask tough questions of Daschle before sending his nomination to the Senate floor.
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