Is Washington Really Broken?

You bet. And it seems sending Republicans there is a worthless exercise.

In 2006 an IRS audit noted the problem but, due to a three year statute of limitations, only insisted on a correction to Geithner's 2003 and 2004 returns. Geithner complied but did not volunteer to correct his 2001 and 2002 returns until last November, during the vetting process for his Treasury appointment.

Next time the GOP comes chasing you down for money to support this or that campaign, tell them to get it from Geithner or Obama, instead. It seems they owe them more than they obviously believe they owe us. It's the DC way. What a worthless bunch. They either didn't do their homework, just don't care, or are afraid of being too hard on Obama just like McCain in the campaign.

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), the second-most senior Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, which is charged with reviewing Geithner's nomination, called him "brilliant" and "honest" and said that, despite his tax errors, "I don't think we can get a better person for this position. . . . He has the kind of background that should be very helpful to us at this time."

 Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah), a close associate of Senate Minority Leader  Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), said: "If I was a traffic officer, I'd say he may have exceeded the speed limit, but he wasn't weaving out of lanes, he wasn't drunk and he wasn't endangering anybody. He may have some explaining to do, but in the end, I think he's going to be just fine."

Comments

[SacTownMan]

It's unbelievable that this guy gets a pass for not paying his taxes for years and suddenly is able to square everything up with no coverage by the MSM. He gets paid a supplimental check to pay his taxes for several years and signs the form saying he will do so and then just pockets the money.

This is just the guy I want in chrge of collecting my taxes. Come April 15th I'll just tell him one of the three oldest lies... The check is in the mail!

Compare this to the froathing at the mouth the media trolls had with Joe the Plumber owing back taxes.

The standards for these offices continue to degrade into "well at least he didn't kill anybody"!

Nothing to see here... Move along!

[AuntJ]

I think its being too afraid to be too hard on Obama. As in, if they push too hard on his nominees, someone will standup and call them "racist" (against Obama, not necessarily the nominee).

[Fred Beloit]

"President Clinton's first two nominees to serve as Attorney General were felled by irregularities with their domestic help. Zoe Baird, the first of the two, had hired an illegal immigrant as a nanny and neglected to pay Social Security taxes on the nanny's salary. Incredibly, after Baird was forced to withdraw, Clinton nominated Kimba Wood, who was found to have nearly the exact same problem. Eight years later, President George W. Bush's nominee to head up the Labor Department, Linda Chavez, withdrew her name when it became known that she had allowed an illegal immigrant to live in her home and had paid her to perform odd jobs. In his second term, Bernard Kerik, President Bush's nominee to be Secretary of Homeland Security, withdrew after his nanny problems became public. Kerik was later found to have more pressing legal concerns, but it was the nanny problems that forced him out."

"In light of the revelation that Timothy Geithner employed an illegal immigrant as a nanny, and failed to pay taxes owed on income he received while working for the International Monetary Fund, Republicans objected to waiving a rule requiring one week notice before a hearing date."

Both from:
http://news.aol.com/political-machine/category/scandal/ Scroll down

Say, what's the problem here? This guy hired an illegal alien and cheated on his taxes or stupidly hired an incompetent tax adviser. These are all great qualifications for Secretary of the Treasury that no one else in our little country can match. Wait a week for show and then let him right in.

[jharp]

"In 2006 an IRS audit noted the problem but, due to a three year statute of limitations, only insisted on a correction to Geithner's 2003 and 2004 returns."

I find this hard to believe. I've been self employed for 25 years, have undergone audits, and was not aware of any statute of limitations on unpaid tax. Hell it takes them 2 years to audit you in the first place. I was audited in Jan. 1988 for my 1986 return. And had to furnish my 1985 return at the same time.

Anyone?

[JustOneMan]

The Republicans....what an impotent bunch of fools, idiots and morons...

[JustOneMan]

IRS has 10 years from the date they send out their first bill to collect the tax.

[mark l.]

Can't one's failure to pay taxes and avoiding the statutes of limitation be chalked up to a tax cut for the wealthy?

It would be one thing if he was being hired for chief dog catcher, but his job will be to oversee the enforcement of tax collections.

I just don't get it-
has the guy privately conned both parties into thinking he is in their corner?

it is one thing to choose not to block the nomination, but the endorsements I'm seeing from the gop are ridiculous.

is he qualified? aboslutely.

The big problem? Obama is going to change the payroll tax system, increasing, if not removing the cap.
Well within his rights to do so, but the chief enforcer of this policy is someone who openly chose not to participate in the existing policy.

Who will Geithner's deputy be...Wesley Snipes?

is he damaged goods? for the position he is taking, the conflict is worse than eric holder.

[mark l.]

maybe the gop is holding out hope that someday they'll be in the position of appointing Scooter Libby as Attorney General.

[c rangel]

I don't think Geithner's failure to pay taxes should have any affect on his future in politics.

[ET]

Obama is like a modern day diogenes...searching in vain for an honest democrat.

[mark l.]

more like demosthenes...

practicing his speeches with (crack) rocks in his mouth.

[WAHOO WILLIE]

"I don't think Geithner's failure to pay taxes should have any affect on his future in politics."

Snipe really works when someone looks at your name there Charlie (homestead exemption) Rangel. Must I actually register as a demonrat to quit paying taxes???????

[Andrew Garland]

I believe the IRS has 3 years from the date of filing to examine a tax return for errors, and they can ask for an extension within this time. Fraud, or intentional errors has a longer time limit.

I think the 10 years quoted above is the time to collect a judgment or levy on an examined return.

James Taranto at WSJ
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123203968188886129.html
reports how Geithner ignored statements from his employer about the tax he owed, and how Geithner filed forms and was reimbursed by his employer, the IMF, for the taxes that he then neglected to pay. This shows a conscious mistatement of tax, which is usually a crime, called tax fraud.

[Chris]

Willie Nelson for Treasury Secretary. At least he could entertain while screwing us.