by Mark Silva
Car and driver.
An old Washington story.
A tale that Tom Daschle once told about "Washington's BMWs and limos.''
Back when Daschle was running for Congress and driving a rusted old 1971 Pontiac with 238,000 miles on it to work every day.
Today, the car and driver story ends in a wreck.
Daschle, the Democrat from South Dakota who has worked as a high-paid consultant in Washington since leaving the Senate as majority leader and who was President Barack Obama's nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services, had to withdraw from Cabinet consideration today over paying $128,203 in back taxes owed in 2005-07, plus $11,964 in interest, for use of a limousine and chauffeur.
More than most Americans make in a year.
Shoulda' kept the Pontiac.
Comments
America to Tom Daschle: "We finally get to spend the money you paid in taxes without worrying that you are going to spend even more of ours!"
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(Boy howdy did dat boy peg de lib' O-meter. Woof!)
Posted by: John W. | February 3, 2009 1:57 PM
A little late, he already withdrew.
Posted by: Chris Davis | February 3, 2009 2:00 PM
Out with the tax cheats,
We will never know where he learned to TAX CHEAT.
Posted by: Inky | February 3, 2009 2:09 PM
I would like to see every elected official subjected to the same vetting that these nominees are subject to. Seems like there are many dishonest, cheaters in Washington. Guess they don't care about tax policy or bailouts... if you don't pay your taxes it doesn't impact you.
Posted by: Kay | February 3, 2009 2:16 PM
Fantastic campaign video! Daschle is a bleepin' HYPOCRITE!
Posted by: RyanC | February 3, 2009 2:23 PM
"who has worked as a high-paid consultant in Washington." Error in fact, Silva! He worked as a lobbyist and just never bothered to register himself as one. Call it what it is. Does anyone honestly think the hundreds of thousands of dollars that medical and pharmaceutical companies paid Daschle were really for "speaking fees?"
Posted by: Jeff | February 3, 2009 2:58 PM
Daschle is a bleepin' HYPOCRITE!
Posted by: RyanC | February 3, 2009 2:23 PM
FYI RyanC...there are many hypocrites in Congress. The list is long and distinguished.
Posted by: Doug R. | February 3, 2009 3:14 PM
"there are many hypocrites in Congress. The list is long and distinguished.
Posted by: Doug R. | February 3, 2009 3:14 PM"
It's worth noting that Charlie Rangel - who's in charge of the house committee that WRITES the tax laws - and Tim Geithner who is in charge of IRS and Treasury Dept. have both done the exact same thing as Daschle did. They should be out, too.
Posted by: Jeff | February 3, 2009 3:47 PM
Do you people actually beleive that people like this do their own taxes? Do you think they sit at their desks at home and use TurboTax each year, struggling to figure out what is taxable income or not? They have paid professionals who messed it up. I'm not surprised they did not know.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | February 3, 2009 4:02 PM
AUDIT all Democrats - they tax, but don't pay
Dodd, Rangel, Hillary ... would all provide examples of eccentric tax misinformation
Posted by: ayres cayo | February 3, 2009 4:36 PM
I am for throwing out anyone like this, no matter how distinguished, but where was the conservative/republican outrage at their own party for the last 8 years? Now you see the light and want legitimacy in DC? Well, I thank you anyway. Better late than never. Just don't go crawling back to Rush and the Bush family in 2012 thinking they have seen the light as well. They never will!
Posted by: Sean | February 3, 2009 4:43 PM
I am pleased that Daschle withdrew. Americans deserve the best representation with the best credentials, including honesty. It appears that those who are Washington insiders - members of Congress and associates should all be carefully vetted. This is a time in our country that we need the very best.
Then, I wonder how many of us have not paid taxes on domestic employees (cleaning people, etc.).
Posted by: Pate | February 3, 2009 5:21 PM
Remember the talk about the Obama Administration's fool proof vetting?
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Remember the talk about not employing lobbyists?
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Remember "change"?
Posted by: MJ | February 3, 2009 5:41 PM
Where's the media outrage over Daschle's car spewing black smoke into the environment? Oh, wait a minute. In the 70's we were in danger of the looming ice age. I nearly forgot. Therefore we were encouraged to release as much CO2 into the atmosphere as possible in order to survive.
TD. More Loose Change We Can Believe In. Thanks Dems. I'm starting to catch on!
Posted by: ObamabotsACTIVATE | February 4, 2009 3:27 PM