Daschle apologizes for failing to pay taxes

YahooNews ^ | 02/02/2009 | Kevin Freking

[AngelesCrestHighway]

WASHINGTON – Tom Daschle said Monday that he's "deeply embarrassed and disappointed" about his failure to pay more than $120,000 in taxes. President Barack Obama's pick to head the Health and Human Services Department apologized for his mistake in a letter to the Senate Finance Committee released Monday. Daschle is expected to answer questions from the panel later in the day in a closed session. Daschle said he profoundly regrets the errors that the committee has had to deal with and he is willing to answer any questions. The committee reported that Daschle recently filed amended tax returns to reflect $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest. It remains to be seen whether the tax issue will stall or derail Daschle's nomination. But Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mon., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued a statement supporting Daschle's confirmation. "I have applauded Senator Daschle's nomination to the post of HHS secretary, and my faith in his dedication and qualifications has only been bolstered in recent weeks by our numerous conversations about the pressing need for comprehensive health care reform," Baucus said in the statement Monday. "The ability to advance meaningful health reform is my top priority in confirming a Secretary of Health and Human Services, and I remain convinced that Senator Daschle would be an invaluable and expert partner in this effort. I am eager to move forward together."

[gieriscm]

Democrats: the Tax Cheat and Spent Party.

[OldMissileer]

Why should we expect anything different from Democrats?

This piece of trash got away with the tax scam on that property sale when he was still in Congress. Why should he pay taxes now?

The true Communist flavor of the Democratic Party has been shown to the public for a few decades now and few people seem to care as the last election results show.

[Velveeta]

Can you imagine the uproar if Sarah Palin hadn’t paid her taxes? Sheesh.

[CPT Clay]

And that makes it better?

Jail time not a cabinet position.

[Made In The USA]

What an insult to everyone of us who paying way too much in taxes, and getting stuck with dumba$$ porkulus and bailout BS.

I would imagine a some serious pain if the average citizen chose not to pay $120K! This POS and Geithner too are not above the law and should be suffering equivalently.

Way to go Obomber... you’ve hird tax cheats, what’s next?

[CPT Clay]

I wonder how long it would have taken him to finally discover and fix his “errors” if he hadn’t been appointed to the cabinet?
Good Question!!!!!

Paging Republican Senators...
Repubican senators, please pick up the white phone

[twister881]

Obama’s “most transparent administration in history” is like Clinton's “most ethical adminstration in history” — a bunch of B.S. The only thing transparent about Obama’s cabinet is that it's staffed with left wing tax cheats and lobbyists.

[Eva]

I’m not sure where I read it, but it was on the Politico on Jan. 8. The position is titled, The Whitehouse commission on health reform. Daschle is the head. This is the position that gave him the west wing office.

[Cheetahcat]

Aaahh Poor little Puff but he said he was sorry. It is this way if you are a RAT there is something Very wrong with you all that is needed is a close look.

[AngryJawa]

The IRS has a formal policy of treating VIPs with kid gloves. They don’t want them testifying about IRS heavy hands. We have an IRS agent friend who explained it too us..particularily minority Pols and VIPS.

It's getting hard to choose which piece of FedGov malfeasance is most worthy of a torchlit pitchfork jamboree on the streets of DC. I'd say this one's in the top five.

The fact that we're not already doing so must have out Founding Fathers spinning like a Pratt and Whitney.

[Doctor Raoul]

You betcha...

[gimme1ibertee]

“Is there anybody in the Obama Cabinet who HAS paid their taxes?”

We won't know until they're nominated for a cabinet position.....THEN we'll find out!

[MeanWestTexan]

Taxes are only for the little people.

[twister881]

You.. can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You can be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes! You say.. "Steve.. how can I be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes? "First.. get a million dollars. Now.. you say, "Steve.. what do I say to the tax man when he comes to my door and says, 'You.. have never paid taxes?'" Two simple words. Two simple words in the English language: "I forgot!" How many times do we let ourselves get into terrible situations because we don't say "I forgot?" Let's say you're on trial for armed robbery. You say to the judge, "I forgot armed robbery was illegal." Let's suppose he says back to you, "You have committed a foul crime. You have stolen hundreds and thousands of dollars from people at random, and you say, 'I forgot?'" Two simple words: Excuuuuuse me!!"

[o_zarkman44]

Daschal is POS tax evader and needs to be made an example. Bad consequences rather than an example of rewards.

Prison and not position.
Obama should withdraw his nomination.

DemocRats think they are above the law and we need to start taking them out.

[Bubba_Leroy]

Paying taxes is for the little people.

[Syncro]

From April 10, 2007

His [Daschle's-ed] friends include an array of former staffers, friends and protégés who are working for Obama, among them Hildebrand, Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse, chief fundraiser Julianna Smoot, communications boss Robert Gibbs, press aide Dan Pfeiffer, and research director Devorah Adler.  Rouse, who has known Daschle for 30 years, was Obama’s first and most important congressional hire.

Interestingly – tellingly – it was Obama who reached out to Daschle. In 2004, Obama was cruising to an easy victory in the Illinois Senate race, and had a lot of unused cash on hand. He gave a lot of it – some $85,000, according to Hildebrand – to Daschle, who was under White House siege in South Dakota. [Didn't work, he was ousted-ed]
Even before he was sworn in, Obama knew who he wanted for his chief of staff: Rouse. Ironically, Daschle advised Rouse, a veteran with 30 years service on the Hill, to leave the Congress and take a lucrative lobbying position. But Obama sold Rouse, and in the process began the task of wooing Rouse’s boss.

An Obama surrogate
Now Daschle and Obama talk regularly – the two have had a number of quiet dinners – and Daschle will soon be playing a major role on the campaign trail, serving as a mild-mannered but well-liked surrogate among party faithful.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

A friend of mine used to be a chaplain at a juvenile detention facility. When he first started working there, he was astounded to find out that the concept of right and wrong espoused by so many of the inmates was that something was wrong if only they got caught.

It looks like that concept is pretty widespread, and it goes a long way in explaining why things are the way they are.

[Tex Pete]

Huh.

Less than a month ago, I had to send the IRS a check for ~$700 for money they claimed I owed them, due to an accounting error.

It never dawned on me that I just could have said “I’m sorry.”

[1066AD]

Can you even imagine the media hysteria if this was a GOP administration starting up .. Treas Sec, HHS Sec with big unpaid tax bills, Hillary with no scrutiny at all, Rahm, etc etc instead of which Chicago comes to DC and the world rejoices. Barf.