by Frank James
President Obama's choice for Treasury Secretary is likely going to be confirmed. Even Republicans are saying that.
But that doesn't mean Republicans can't make things uncomfortable for him, especially since, as Treasury Secretary, he'd be responsible for managing the Internal Revenue Service and he failed to initially pay his self-employment taxes when he worked at the International Monetary Fund.
Johanna Neumann, writing for the Top of the Ticket blog, reports one of the better moments from today's hearing involving Republican questions about his tax problems:
The theme led to one of the more comical exchanges of the day, when Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley, seeking details on how Geithner could miss the need to pay the Social Security and Medicare taxes, asked him what software he used to prepare his taxes during the years in question, 2001 to 2003.
Geithner, currently president of the New York Fed, seemed reluctant to name names. The conversation went like this.
Grassley: "Did you use tax software to prepare your taxes?"
Geithner: "Yes, I did."
Grassley: "Which brand of tax software?"
Geithner: "I will answer that, but I want to say I take full responsibility. ... It was TurboTax."
No word yet on whether the company will want to use the testimony in its ads. Of course it might not be a great endorsement either.
Comments
Imagine the outrage if this was a Bush nomination.
Posted by: War on Bikes | January 21, 2009 5:09 PM
Geithner didn't pay some back taxes? You'd think that would make him a hero for the Repubs.
Posted by: bebop | January 21, 2009 6:08 PM
Hey, if Obama says he is "the man" what's the problem? No one seems to have a clue to where we are going. Obama tells us its going to get worse, CBO says the Recovery and Reinvestment Act will not work, Dems. in House dispute that cry give us the money, Barnery "Freddie and Fannie are sound" Frannk wants 40B for the same failure, Dodd still in charge in the Senate, confirm him, can't get any worse. Well, maybe, that Minn. clown hasn't been seated yet.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | January 21, 2009 7:55 PM
Why is everyone thinking this is nothing? THe man is a tax cheat -- it's fairly apparently he willfully, knowingly defrauded the government (and us). But he's the only one to lead us out of this mess? Please. He helped create it.
Posted by: beth | January 21, 2009 8:05 PM
If I had not paid taxes for those years, I would be writing this from jail, even if it was an "honest error".
Posted by: BobM | January 21, 2009 8:35 PM
From www.georgecurcio.com
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Geithner should withdraw
If Barack Obama is all that people have been led to believe he is - and I hope it is true - it is time for Timothy Geithner (right) to withdraw his nomination as Treasury Secretary, even though, or perhaps because, he will most likely be approved by the Senate.
Such Senate confirmation will continue the "politics as usual" that Americans seemingly rejected by electing Barack Obama with his message of "change." Geithner conveniently overlooked paying taxes on self-employment income when he was working at the International Monetary Fund.
Now, in his quest to be approved, he says he innocently forgot to pay the taxes and has made restitution to the government. This from someone who will be over the Internal Revenue Service when he gets approval from the Senate.
Obama talked about an "era of responsibility" being ushered in with his administration. He is correct in expressing that hope and desire, but incorrect in failing to see he should start with him and the nominees to his administration.
No matter how brilliant Geithner may be, Obama needs to show us that actions - or sometimes the failure to take the proper one such as paying taxes - do have consequences, even for, quoting his Inaugural address, "those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of richness and fame."
A withdrawal by Geithner would go far in serving that message.
-www.georgecurcio.com
Posted by: George | January 21, 2009 8:47 PM
He said he was "careless".
The Cook County Jail is full of people who say they were just "careless"--intending no harm, didn't realize the gun was loaded, didn't hit him that hard, etc. etc.
Ordinary mortals couldn't get away with that sort of "carelessness".
Tim, you must have the intellectual powers of an Isaac Newton to lift you out of the rules binding on ordinary mortals.
When do we get to see those gifts?
When is your 1666?
Posted by: ornery | January 21, 2009 9:08 PM
That's exactly what I want the Congress to do, that's what the
American electorate wants,The
American people were not born
yesterday! If President Obama
wants to get off on the right foot
he should remove this crook from
consideration. We the people do not believe for one second that his over site was unintentional. If your an ordinary citizen and you forget to cross a T your called on the carpet.
Let alone forget to pay 34 grand in
taxes, And I for one do not believe that he is the only one that can fix this problem were in.
Posted by: Paul | January 21, 2009 10:25 PM
the issues involved are straight forward and require nothing more than third-grade level math (not too much to expect of a Fed Governor). They require First Grade reading skills.
Assuming the news reports are correct, i.e., he signed papers to the effect that he had paid the tax and he sought and received reimbursement, he should be in prison. That involves at least two counts of fraud - two felonies: fraud on the IMF and tax fraud.
I do not want him leading the IRS. I do not want him managing banks.
Posted by: Jeff | January 21, 2009 11:18 PM
Is it true that IMF had him sign a release that he did pay the taxes and then cut him a check for reimbursement? If so, we see tax evasion and fraud.
Posted by: Linda Mae | January 22, 2009 1:11 AM
Like most of Obama's nominations, the reasons presented to the public have little or nothing to do with the political deal or hidden agenda behind these dubious picks. It looks like the Chinese-speaking Geithner is needed to keep China buying our debt so Obama can go on his spending spree.
---
And if they are a tax cheat, have major conflicts of interest, are connected to anti-American groups like La Raza and Socialist International, that's all just a "distraction"... and our intentions are suspect if we ask to know the details.
Instead of any vetting, the press will continue to bring us articles on Labradoodles and how Barack likes to play basketball... what a joke.
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot...
Posted by: Reaganite Republican | January 22, 2009 5:01 AM
He either cheated on his taxes, or is too dumb to fill out a tax form.
And he's not dumb.
But either way, he shouldn't be Treasury Secretary, in charge of making the rest of us pay our taxes.
Posted by: Taxpayer | January 22, 2009 9:33 AM