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New Obama tax-evasion scandal: Tom Daschle
Hotair ^ | Jan 31,2009 | Ed Morrisey

Posted on 01/31/2009 8:48:15 AM PST by SeekAndFind

So far, the incoming Barack Obama administration has given us a tax cheat/incompetent to run the IRS (Tim Geithner) and at least three lobbyists to regulate their industries (William Lynn, Mark Patterson, Neal Wolin). Now we’re back to tax evasion, and once again it’s a major Cabinet appointment:

ABC News has learned that the nomination of former Senator Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-SD, to be President Obama’s Secretary of Health and Human Services has hit a traffic snarl on its way through the Senate Finance Committee.

The controversy deals with a car and driver lent to Mr. Daschle by a wealthy Democratic friend, a chauffer service the former Senator used for years without declaring their use on his taxes. …

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, Mr. 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.

Daschle’s team claims that the former Senator deserves the credit for revealing the problem himself. Daschle did report this — but only after getting picked as HHS Secretary. If that sounds familiar, it’s because that’s when Geithner suddenly discovered that he owed Uncle Sam money too, only Daschle paid back a lot more: over $100,000.

How many more people will Obama nominate who either are too incompetent or too dishonest to declare all of their income and pay all of their taxes? Is this the new career track for tax cheats — a Cabinet office?

Update: Apparently, Daschle can’t even use the Geithner “I’m so stupid” excuse, as ABC also discovers that he flat-out failed to report direct income:

The report indicates that Daschle’s failure to pay more than $101,000 taxes on the car and driver a wealthy friend let him use from 2005 through 2007 is not the only tax issue the former Senate Majority Leader has been dealing with since his December nomination prompted a more thorough examination of his income tax returns.

Mr. Daschle also didn’t report $83,333 in consulting income in 2007.

Plus, Daschle claimed almost $15,000 in charitable donations over three years to organizations that don’t qualify for the deduction.

How many Americans make so much money that they could forget about $83,000 of it in a year?


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; US: South Dakota
KEYWORDS: bhoethics; bhohhs; corruptdems; daschle; obama; taxevasion; tomdaschle
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1 posted on 01/31/2009 8:48:16 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Given Biden’s comments that it’s patriotic to pay taxes, it’s clear now that democrats are not patriotic.


2 posted on 01/31/2009 8:49:59 AM PST by Carley (Remember when we had a real President)
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To: SeekAndFind

Don’t do as I do...do as I say do. Wait...isn’t the bassackwards? Obama thugspeak is already getting to me.


3 posted on 01/31/2009 8:52:24 AM PST by shankbear (Al-Qaeda grew while Monica blew)
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To: SeekAndFind

Why is it that Democrats only get busted for tax evasion when they get apponited to public office? Shouldn’t the IRS be taking them to the carpet all along?


4 posted on 01/31/2009 8:52:43 AM PST by Brilliant
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To: SeekAndFind
Mr. Daschle also didn’t report $83,333 in consulting income in 2007.

Picky, picky, picky can't they leave the poor guy alone, I'm sure there's a good explanation. After all there is a health crisis and he's the only one that can save us. LOL

5 posted on 01/31/2009 8:54:35 AM PST by WHBates
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To: SeekAndFind
This is really absurd:

Rev Wright
Ayers
Who wrote his biography
Rezko
The Birth Cert
Blago
Timmy G
Lobbyists
Spending $150M on a party
Trillion $$ stimulus
Daschle

What is next?

schu

6 posted on 01/31/2009 8:55:52 AM PST by schu
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To: SeekAndFind

Is there anything new about RATS and do we think they will be any better for America. Liars, thugs, corrupt nitwits, etc.


7 posted on 01/31/2009 8:55:57 AM PST by Logical me (Oh, well!!!)
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To: Brilliant
Why is it that Democrats only get busted for tax evasion when they get apponited to public office? Shouldn’t the IRS be taking them to the carpet all along?

It should be clear to us now that some people are ABOVE THE LAW. They get rewarded to high positions that affect your pocket books and mine instead of being punished.

What's that the kids often mention in their pledge of allegiance ? oh yeah right ... "...And Justice for all" /sarc
8 posted on 01/31/2009 8:57:21 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

The MSM will not cover much of this, just like Charlie Rangle or Dodd. The other tax cheat was confirmed as head of Treasury. Obama will provide shelter from the storm for all followers1


9 posted on 01/31/2009 8:58:07 AM PST by FreedBird (BB)
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To: WHBates
After all there is a health crisis and he's the only one that can save us. LOL

Who wants to bet that the man will be confirmed INSPITE of this ? And how many Republicans will vote "yea" ?
10 posted on 01/31/2009 8:58:42 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: Logical me

The “Great One” has already stated that this is a minor error on Daschle’s part and that he’ll need to correct this by paying the delinquent amount plus a penalty. Same scenario as Gaither, I suppose. Don’t forget THEY WON!! Good news about Michael Steele—Dems will probably use the racecard against the Repubs somehow on this one!!


11 posted on 01/31/2009 9:06:34 AM PST by spiderfern
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To: SeekAndFind
How many more people will Obama nominate who either are too incompetent or too dishonest to declare all of their income and pay all of their taxes? Is this the new career track for tax cheats — a Cabinet office?

Lest we all forget, let me throw one more example into the pot.

Way back in the Whitewater scandal (remember Whitewater?), President and Mrs. Clinton benefited when Jim McDougal was finally beckoned to the White House (by cattle futures confidant and legal advisor, Jim Blair) to sign documents taking ownership of the Clinton's 50% ownership in the Partnership known as "Whitewater". In so doing, McDougal was relieving the Clinton's of loans outstanding and other tangible benefits that I'm sure were never acknowledged in their tax returns. Yes, I know, the statute of limitations is long since over -- but it's nice to know there's consistency in Obama's cabinet picks: we may have a majority now who have fraudulent tax return histories.

12 posted on 01/31/2009 9:07:06 AM PST by ReleaseTheHounds ("The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.")
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To: SeekAndFind

What was the carbon footprint on that thing?????


13 posted on 01/31/2009 9:07:46 AM PST by DBCJR (What would you expect?)
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To: SeekAndFind
"honest mistake..how many times must you be told THIS IS AN HONEST MISTAKE!!!

Add picture to: Lie To Me Collection

14 posted on 01/31/2009 9:09:28 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: SeekAndFind
This administration is only 10 days old
and it is already the most corrupt in history.

It says something about Chicago democrats.

Aw pshaw all democrats from California to Maine


15 posted on 01/31/2009 9:13:30 AM PST by Uri’el-2012 (Psalm 78:35 And they remembered that God was their ROCK, And the Most High God their Redeemer.)
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To: XeniaSt
This administration is only 10 days old and it is already the most corrupt in history.

Actually the corruption existed LONG before Obama became president. The mainstream media aided and abetted it by doing their best to keep the voters ignorant about it.
16 posted on 01/31/2009 9:18:41 AM PST by SeekAndFind
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To: FreedBird; SeekAndFind
....on the Chris Matthews Show Sunday, Bob Woodward offered a rather cryptic prediction of scandal that will plague the Obama White House.

"This may be tantalizing but vague," said the Washington Post scribe. "I don't think the nanny or household tax problems and so forth are over for the Obama administration..."

Matthews pressed ever so slightly for more information, but Woodward did not oblige: "I say it's not over."

It was the type of gossip ginning, insider reporting that makes D.C. journalism what it is. But it wasn't without a glimmer of irony. Earlier in the week, Matthews had shut down similar banter on Hardball when the New York Daily News' Liz Benjamin noted that the unconfirmed rumor mill was saying that Caroline Kennedy had an "affair issue."

"Well, how about let's stick to journalism," Matthews said, over her. "I don't do that here, Liz. Liz, if it's just blogging, let's drop it, OK?"

It was a somewhat controversial segment. But Matthews had his share of defenders. On CNN's Reliable Sources this Sunday, Sally Quinn said that such unsubstantiated gossip had no place in journalism and complimented the MSNBC host for "cutting it off."

Woodward's tip may end up being correct. But it didn't seem to meet the standard of reporting that Matthews set for Benjamin and Quinn seconded. Quinn, it should be noted, is married to Woodward's longtime editor, Ben Bradlee.

www.huffingtonpost.com

(lol personified to Mr. Tingle Leg)

17 posted on 01/31/2009 9:19:35 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
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To: SeekAndFind

What scandal would that be? Every one of 0’s nominees will be confirmed without much ado. I mean, it is expected that mostly crooks will be seated from the dem side and there’s nothing anyone would do about it because, as 0 said, “I won.”(I’m king!)


18 posted on 01/31/2009 9:21:36 AM PST by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
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To: fight_truth_decay
If Woodward has pretty good tips on more Dem scandals to come, let him put it into circulation. If it was a rumor on Bush, it would have been printed already.

Matthews had no compuctions about gossip and rumors aired on his show about GW and other Republican biggies.

Now, all of a sudden, since the gossip was about the Camelot Princess, he says, "Let's stick to journalism. I don't do that here, Liz".

We're going to nominate you for the Mother Theresa Award, Tim, because you're suddenly on a holy journalism crusade to do what you should have been doing during the former GOP administration.

You're so clean and proper now, my man, aren't you.

Leni

19 posted on 01/31/2009 9:31:06 AM PST by MinuteGal
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s just amazing how getting appointed to high office helps IMPROVE THE MEMORY of democrats,,,,,when it comes to taxes!!!


20 posted on 01/31/2009 10:06:24 AM PST by stockstrader (Joe Biden is now our first "CLASS WARFARE CZAR".)
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