Posted on 03/02/2009 2:40:04 PM PST by jessduntno
This time it's United State Trade Representative nominee Ron Kirk who owes back taxes, joining the ranks of other tax-addled Cabinet nominees such as Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, former Health and Human Services Secretary designate Tom Daschle, and former chief performance officer nominee Nancy Killifer.
Kirk owes $9,975 in back taxes, most of that from speaking engagement honoraria. Kirk had told organizations to give speaking fees directly to his alma mater, Austin College. In all, $37,750 of honoraria were not reported as income for tax years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Senate Finance Committee reported, saying that Kirk should have accepted the money directly, made the donations himself, and then claimed the cash as charitable donations.
In addition, Kirk had declared as an entertainment expense more than $17,000 in tickets to Mavericks' games.
The committee told Kirk to go back and look at his records, and to pay personal income taxes on any game when he couldn't recall the name of the person whom he took to the game and the business they accomplished at the game. Kirk subsequently substantiated $9,900 of the total $17,382 as qualifying entertainment expenses, meaning he will pay an additional $2,600 in taxes.
"We are confident that Mayor Kirk will be confirmed," said White House spokesman Ben LaBolt. "The president nominated Mayor Kirk because of his proven ability at the negotiating table -- building consensus between opposing stakeholders in Dallas and crafting deals to create opportunities for U.S. businesses overseas. The mayor is working with the Finance Committee on a few minor issues mostly relating to a scholarship fund he set up at his alma mater -- Austin College. The nomination is on track -- the Committee has scheduled a hearing for next Monday."
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.abcnews.com ...
Has anyone checked Fishhead Rom’s tax returns yet.?
Wow, the list just keeps getting longer, hm? Thank you for maintaining it. :o)
finally had to put it somewhere else than my profile page. Just too much (not) good stuff. :)
LMAO!!!
“It would be a much shorter list to name those appointees without tax problems.”
Yes, but it would not impress the Marxists...and they are what matter...
>>Are there any liberals anywhere that pay their taxes?
Why should the pay them when they have us to pay them?
“In addition, Kirk had declared as an entertainment expense more than $17,000 in tickets to Mavericks’ games.”
Holy Crap. What a dirt bag”
Bags of dirt everywhere just whimpered...
Thanks for the Post, Jessdutno.
I thought this quote was interesting:
“The president nominated Mayor Kirk because of his proven ability at the negotiating table — building consensus between opposing stakeholders in Dallas and crafting deals to create opportunities for U.S. businesses overseas.
The mayor is working with the Finance Committee on a few minor issues mostly relating to a scholarship fund he set up at his alma mater — Austin College. The nomination is on track — the Committee has scheduled a hearing for next Monday.”
I’m interested in knowing what ‘minor’ issue he’s clearing up regarding the scholarship fund which he set up at his alma mater.
According to the Senate report, Kirk’s nomination team informed the Finance Committee’s staff that in October, the mayor paid $2,188 in additional taxes and $139 in interest for 2006 after the IRS notified him that he failed to report speaking honoraria. The return was prepared by a paid tax preparer and filed jointly with his wife, the report said.
After reviewing Kirk’s tax returns for 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Finance Committee staff submitted several questions to Kirk last month involving the speaking engagements, and Kirk provided written responses.
According to the report, Kirk had “routinely asked” that his speaking honoraria be given to Austin College, his alma mater, to help fulfill a pledge he made to the college for a scholarship fund. Neither he nor his tax preparer thought the honoraria were taxable income, according to the report. The honoraria should have been reported as income and then deducted as charitable donations, the report said.
In all, Kirk failed to report $37,750 in honoraria for speaking engagements between 2004 and 2007, the report said.
-By Josh Mitchell, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6637; joshua.mitchell@dowjones.com
The way I read that is honest mistake...if its true. The problem is, if these people are to stupid to figure out the tax codes with their teams of attys and accts what chance do we have? Does this not scream the need for a flat tax or some type of Tax Code Simplification???
And how much money is this guy making that 40 grand is so inconsequential it is proverbial chump change to him???
Declaring $17,000 in tickets to Mavericks’ games as an entertainment expense doesn’t sound so honest to me.
Obama trade nominee fixes errors in tax returns
[former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk.......]
Reuters
Posted on 03/02/2009 1:47:09 PM PST by Sub-Driver
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2197549/posts
The Tax Cheat Party is more than an apt description.
His wife’s some kinda lobbyist as well, did very well out of the new AA Center in Dallas IIRC.
Laws are for us, not them.
“Declaring $17,000 in tickets to Mavericks’ games as an entertainment expense doesn’t sound so honest to me.”
Not defending this guy, believe me, but it doesn’t seem that out of line as far as expenses go...those things really are that expensive and they go up every year...it’s why families can’t go to games anymore...I used to sit in Boston Garden with my brother for almost nothing and watch the Celtics when they were THE Celtics...we would walk with them, talk to them, this is a whole different deal now...honest or not, it is what sports has become...I don’t even watch anymore except to walk around a golf tournament...anything to get on a golf course...
“His wife’s some kinda lobbyist as well, did very well out of the new AA Center in Dallas IIRC.”
About time someone in this crowd went to AA...maybe she can get the Kenyan in...he’s got to be high on something...
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