Obama can move on, and Daschle can slink away and, sidelined, rake in millions.
ADDED: Jame Taranto says:
Daschle had become such an embarrassment for the administration that even the New York Times called in an editorial for him to skedaddle. Noting that Daschle, like Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, attributed his tax shortfall to "unintentional oversights," the paper opines: "Mr. Daschle is one oversight case too many." The newspaper that gave us the "one-grope rule" for Democratic sexual harassment now has promulgated a similar one for nonpayment of taxes.
Posts
127 comments:
Sadness, regret . . . and relief.
Amazing. This surprises me.
I thought he was bullshitting. He had to have known he owed taxes on this.
There may be even more than meets the eye.
When DKos was frontpaging that old ad w/ Daschle in the old car it was probably a safe bet that the tipping point was well passed by.
Didn't Obama make everyone fill out a 20 page questionnaire to help weed out problem appointments? An experienced team would have known what questions to ask and have performed their own investigations.
Daschle makes my skin crawl. Good riddance.
Well, in fairness to these people, it is hard to keep your taxes straight. But it sure reduces the pool of available candidates. I think that Obama should follow the Clinton lead and nominate the one person who never had, and probably never will have, problematic tax issues:
Jant Reno
Geithner was very lucky that he was the first tax cheat through the gate.
Tom Daschle’s withdrawal is sad.
There goes our last best hope for an America full of healthy and serviced humans.
David said...
There may be even more than meets the eye.
Yes, and whatever it is, now it will never meet the eye.
Wait, you mean he paid his back taxes so he could have this job, and now he's not getting the job anyway? How unfair is that? Is he at least going to get his back taxes refunded?
I just finished Daschle's health care reform book.
The man loves bureaucracy and government micro-management.
Good riddance - off to peddle influence for millions.
Geithner was very lucky that he was the first tax cheat through the gate.
No, no, no. Killefer didn't cheat on her taxes enough. Daschle cheated on his taxes too much. But Geithner cheated on his taxes just right!
What Henry said: Geithner was very lucky that he was the first tax cheat through the gate.
In assessing Daschle's chances the last few days, my primary though was, "he'll be swimming uphill because of Geithner."
"thought", not "though"
Think Obama asked him to withdraw?
LOL, PJ.
Is he also withdrawing from the health-care czar position, or just from HHS?
Well, Blago is available for a slot in the Obama Administration. And he needs a job now that he is barred from elected office in Illinois.
What OM said at 12:29!
Paul Z:"Is he also withdrawing from the health-care czar position, or just from HHS?"
Good question. I assume he's damaged goods for both spots, and anyway it would be a comedown in influence, so Daschle would rather go back to making $2-4 million per year.
There had to have been some significant dems who had problems with Daschle's conduct.
Did Obama ask him to withdraw? Well, in this case, it's good form for the nominee to say "I'll withdraw if you want me to" All Obama has to do is say, "well, maybe you're right" and it's done.
"Think Obama asked him to withdraw?"
No, but I bet his chief of staff did.
I guess we will have to get thru the next 4 years without hearing about how "disappointed" Daschle is about everything.
So what about his west wing job? He keeping it?
Yay!
Obama wanted to end shuttling from government to influence peddling back to government. Picking Daschle meant that it was all bullshit.
Hey, maybe it was a Machiavellian plot to make Daschle look like an asshole, and keep him out of government. Also a warning to people like Bill Clinton, who cashed in to the tune of $100 million, including introducing his warm personal friend the Canadian mining magnate to the leaders of Kazakhstan.
PJ
Wait, you mean he paid his back taxes so he could have this job, and now he's not getting the job anyway? How unfair is that? Is he at least going to get his back taxes refunded?
What reason is there not to indict him now? That's what they'd do to you.
Christy,
"An experienced team would have known what questions to ask..."
What are you insinuating here? I'm sure Daschle didn't own any handguns or anything.
Jeff,
I'm so disappointed...
Oh, the corruption!
If only Obama knew, then things would eally change.
I'm not nearly as interested in Daschle's tax return entry for the car and driver as I am in the corresponding entry on Leo Hindery, Jr.'s return. Hindery supplied the car and driver.
Do you suppose it reads "lobbying expense?" Hmmmm. Maybe that's why Daschle withdrew - too much of Obama's inadvertent sunlight starting to shine on some Democrat fund raisers and lobbyists.
"Daschle withdraws."
Appointus interruptus.
Little Tommy Daschle agreed to pay
And now he's decided not to play.
Little Tommy Daschle, what a shnook, oy vey,
A Dem who doesn't even know it's always pay to play.
What really grossed me out about this story was the oft-repeated statement that Daschle would've been easily confirmed with votes from both parties because the Senate is "like a club."
I say, break up the damn club!
I say it's time to club the club members.
Why did he withdraw?
Is he a complete wuss? Has he no patriotic spine whatsoever?
This nation was founded on the refusal to pay taxes.
I question his patriotism.
Daschle: I paid those taxes for nothing, damnit!
They should make him give Sally Jesse Raphael her glasses back, too.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/03/daschle/
Gibbs just said Daschle is out of the West Wing job as well. Even the NYTimes called for Daschle to step aside in an editorial this morning--not only because of the tax issue but also because Daschle has been working essentially as a lobbyist for health care concerns since he left the Senate. His second wife is a superlobbyist as well who claimed her lobbying the House did not involve her husband because he was in the Senate. Hope and change--the revolving door --ALIVE AND WELL
Google News headline:
Obama aide: Daschle wanted to avoid distractions
No, that's not what he wanted to avoid.
I love this statement!!
House says the two nominees for administration jobs who withdrew their names Tuesday recognized their tax problems made it impossible for them to meet a new standard for responsibility
LOL... Suddenly it is a NEW standard for responsibility that you have to actually pay your taxes and not be a criminal in order to become one of the Elites who determine the fate of the 'little pipples'.
How unfair!!! Boo Hoo. Cry me a freaking river.
New standards my ass. They just got caught. If we hadn't uncovered the criminals and tax cheats, they would be ruling our lives even now.
Obama = most corrupt administration in living memory. Even worse than Nixon and that's saying a lot.
Any one confused on why there was such a big rush to cram the stimulus (ha ha stimulus) package down our throats. Obama was hoping that no one would actually look at all the pork, graft, payola and corruption until it was a done deal. Thank you Republicans for FINALLY doing one thing right. Stall this piece of shit (I mean the bill and the man) and do the right thing for the public.
If we hadn't uncovered the criminals and tax cheats, they would be ruling our lives even now.
Edit: Along with the existing criminals and tax cheats that the dumb ass people keep electing.
I blame Karl Rove's mind melding of prominent Dems. Whereby Rove subconsciously convinced them to cheat on their taxes knowing it would come back to bite a future Dem president and/or majority.
Sheer genius.
Darn! Now I may have to pay my taxes.
Notice - no MichaelTroll, not AlphaTroll. Good times.
Obama = most corrupt administration in living memory.
LOL.
Ha ha ha. Stand firm, Bumsurf bum!
BJM:
The standard hosanna re Rove and his Machavielian powers is as follows:
"Rove you maginificent bastard!".Heh.
Daschle just got unicorned.
If you go to www.daschlefan.com now, you can join his fan club for $65. You get special pre-sale ticket access for his tour with Bruce.
What reason is there not to indict him now? That's what they'd do to you.
Not really. Criminal tax fraud is a pretty difficult row to hoe. Besides the IRS has enough confiscatory power to ruin your life without indicting you anyway.
mcg
I know you're right.
I wonder if he paid the interest and penalties we would have?
LOL...Pogo... Original George... and the hits just keep coming!
Pogo:
"Unicorned" is excellent and is being considered for Websters 2010 edition I bet.
I heard "maximum allowed occupancy" has now been reached under the bus.
Following up on DaveG's comment on a previous thread; here it is: 1040DEM.
h/t Jeff Dobbs
Bob Woodward called this one.
Never liked Daschle - he always seemed a bit seedy to me.
Really, it's amazing. Hillary should be in this position to put her health care in place.
Bill Clinton should be SecState.
Heh. Come on, you know you want to see that.
If I remember correctly, not only did little Tommy file false tax returns, he also was paid over $2,000,000 by a law firm, even though DASCHLE IS NOT A LAWYER.
I understand that the Obama transition team will next be hired intact to run audits on Congressional Republicans, Pay back is a Bitch.
That's too bad. I kinda like Tom but if he's hurting Obama, it's the right thing to do.
Getting a free fancy car and driver, though, makes me wonder about our bipartisan aristocrats in this country.
They live in a whole different world where you need to worry about paying taxes on "the help."
This is a good trick, a sophisticated way of taking your lunch money.
Nominate the tax cheat for a gummint position. Make him pay his taxes up. Make him withdraw. Obama accepts it "with sadness and regret."
Multiply this by a few thousand folk and soon yer talkin' real money!
Alex, how do we know you're not a troll? Do you like under a bridge?
I posted here yesterday that i thought Daschle should withdraw.
So bite me.
Two weeks in office and President Obama has appointed three nominees who have withdraw for corruption (Bill Richardson) and tax evasion (Tom Daschle and OMB nominee Nancy Killefer); one nominee who was confirmed despite tax evasion (Tim Geithner); and 17 lobbyists in violation of his first executive order (not counting Tom Daschle's five million dollars in "consulting work" for clients in the health care industry he was supposed to "reform.)
The most ethical administration in history?
Note the difference between parties. When a Republican gets in tax troubles "The Base" circles the wagons and defends him to the end.
OTOH, libs and Dems have called for Daschle to go.
Hug difference, that.
p.s. Comment to Alex should have read: "Do you live under a bridge?" (love how you guys assume anyone disagreeing with you is a "troll.")
Bart, newsflash!!
Those people are not IN the Administration!
From the White House press conference on Dachle's withdrawal:
Robert Gibbs told reporters Tuesday, "The bar that we set is the highest that any administration in the country has ever set."
I guess Major Garrett has an answer to his question. That high bar must be between Geithner and Daschle.
Although, I think it should be pointed out that Bush's administration cleared that bar when Linda Chavez withdrew her nomination for SecLabor. She was alleged to not have paid SS and Medicare tax on a live in maid. The allegation was investigated by the FBI and proved false, but heh, she was a Bushie so she must be corrupt, eh?
Once again, AL demonstrates that he lives in a world of his own imagination, where projection is the modus operandi.
Meanwhile, on the Senate floor John "Brainiac" Thune goes to great lengths to explain that $1 trillion is a lot of money!
No shit, Sherlock! And the Bush recession/depression might rival Hoover's!
Alpha, I do commend you for your critique of Daschle.
It's very strange that all these gummint types have such a hard time paying their taxes.
Maybe it ought to wake them up a little that
1) we are overtaxed
2) the tax code is impossible to get right for anyone on their own
The IRS should just audit every member of congress every year. And five years after they leave office.
Make it a law. Sounds like it would pay for itself. We might even be able to balance the budget.
Oh, OK. I see your point, Henry. Really, a brilliant dissection of my arguments.
:-p
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Thanks, Pogo. (have I ever written that b4?)
Hey, I say we need to fumigate our national political class on all sides, much as Gov Quinn is seeking to do in Illinois.
These same tax problems happen on both sides. In Daschle's case, it lifted the lid on how the bipartisan political whores of DC operate.
Must re-apply nose to grindstone.
Those people are not IN the Administration!
Don't you think that says something about Obama's vetting process/ethical standards/understanding about how things will look to the general public?
The dude is fucking up.
Note the difference between parties. When a Republican gets in tax troubles "The Base" circles the wagons and defends him to the end.
OTOH, libs and Dems have called for Daschle to go.
That's funny. Really it is.
"I'm too emotionally upset to answer," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, when asked for his reaction.
"I think he would have been confirmed," said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., the man charged with navigating Daschle's nomination through the Senate. "I'm surprised."
"It's just the kind of class move you'd expect from a person like Tom Daschle," Durbin said.
And the Bush recession/depression might rival Hoover's!
I'm sure you have your fingers crossed.
LutherM said...
If I remember correctly, not only did little Tommy file false tax returns, he also was paid over $2,000,000 by a law firm, even though DASCHLE IS NOT A LAWYER.
He was "a Senior Advisor" in the lobbying arm.
translation: he was the Lobbyist supervisor. he told them who to talk to, what to talk about, saw the Senator at the party, talked the issue and got the meeting, but didn't go and actually give the client pitch in a Senate office.
That last part would be illegal
he was not a registered lobbyist, therefore, he was not a lobbyist.
capiche?
The dude is fucking up.
Well there's a big shocker.
AlphaLiberal said...
Bart, newsflash!! Those people are not IN the Administration!
Geithner and the lobbyists are either in or will soon be.
If Mr. Obama had his druthers, the three withdrawn candidates would have been part of hope and change as well.
The Daschle affair may be Obama's first bi-partisan moment: pretty much everyone on both right and left (including the media) thought the appointment needed to be killed.
It seems the only people in America who, 24 hrs ago, thought Daschle as Sec HHS was a good idea were in the White House and the US Senate.
There must have been some lib opposition, shortly before the official withdrawal even Kos himself put up a post that was very oppositional.
Anyway, I don't have a good read on what most folks think. I spent Sunday w/ hard core military right wingers. [At least four of whom came armed and dangerous to watch football. I know nothing about guns but apparently the handgun show-and-tell was impressive--bullet and handgun combinations that could penetrate any body armor except some of the ceramic stuff, and big clips, and something about killing "zombies."]
Anyway, when politics came up these guys did seems especially pissed about Daschle. So, they must be happy now. They were also very worried about Biden's anti-gun past--reminded me of some conservatives here who may not like BHO, but they like Biden even less.
Obesity costs billions, now that almost any American can live like Nero if they so wish.
How to say no to the inner Roman, and to instead encourage the scrawny Christ? That's what maybe Obama could teach America. He could be the new Richard Simmons.
A much more needed post than a new president. Perhaps there could be a new cabinet post called, Locked Food Cabinets. The director's only quality would be that they would be to be a skinny person.
Preferably one that used to be a fatso, like Huckabee.
Most Democrats are pretty fat. It's what distinguishes them. They are a bunch of fat cats.
Obama is relatively thin, but maybe he will bloat up if he ever gets off the cigarettes (is he still sneaking them in the back of the White House?).
Smoking is not a healthy way to stay thin.
All we really need in a president is somebody reasonably fit and thin. Bush was perfect. Condi was pretty good in that respect, too.
We need more thin people, and people who are HWP should get huge tax breaks, and free medical care, while fatsos should have to pay double.
Most of these cabinet posts strike me as unnecessary. We need a Minister of PHAT.
Anyway, I don't have a good read on what most folks think. I spent Sunday w/ hard core military right wingers.
I hate call out somebody for being a complete bullshitter but I think I will in your case.
The old saying birds of a feather flock together pretty much is true. I'm wondering why a libtard like you is hanging out with hard core military right wing types who are hevaily armed.
That would be the equivalent of Cedarford hanging out with Titus and some guy named Schlomo Goldberg.
A friend of mine share: Andrew Sullivan piles on
Ouch.
Glenn Greenwald's piece on Sen Daschle is pretty special.
And by special I mean... oh, you can see for yourself.
1jpb--
I would have filled ya full of lead.
The Repubs need an ad to run showing the old Dragnet show's final scene, reporting the sentice and showing Tom Daschle, renamed Dam Taschle, saying only the names have been changed to protect the Democrats. Don't forget to donate to save Tom from the IRS, who most definitely are not mythical beasts.
As a former business owner, I always played by the rules, but lived in constant fear the IRS and WiDOR. How the heck did the IRS miss this? I mean, come on!
And Daschle, answer the questions correctly, man. A vetting process is only as good as it's answers.
And finally, the Obama administration - it shouldn't have gotten this far.
Obama trows us a bone and I'm supposed to say that his pet pork is not his favorite?
Wake up people, this is Obama choosing to pay off the people that made him president!
Hoosier,
I'm currently opposed to R politics, but I still prefer the company of R folks.
Of course I do hang out w/ libs too (especially when I'm at my Seattle house) and thankfully their not like Eve Fairbanks described in a recent bloggingheads--she and pals were blogging about politics during their Superbowl party.
Allen,
You would have done so at your own peril, I can guarantee you that my friends would have EAGERLY defended me.
Dashle was a trick play.
I think Obama is gettin' hoisted on his own unicorn...
Obama gives up Dashle because of the mounting republican opposition and where do you think his steemed stimulus sackatash!
I got it to Obama.. he would show up Clinton on Clintons best day.
Obama has just decapitated the idea of the senate gang.
The senate was just made to appear partisan... a partisan group standing in the way of the new president.
I'm predicting now - the porkapalooza bill will not pass the Senate and will never see O-Bambi's desk!
A partisan group who would not even protect one of their own..
Dashle was a senate majority leader.
This power play came from the WH!
I put money on it!
Just when you thought the republicans were aloft along comes Obama with the needle.
Dashle is a sacrificial lamb.
I don't think this any kind of power play. Unfortunately, I think this is evidence of a group that doesn't know what it is doing. This may be just a case of early stumbling, and they may very well find their feet--But, it's not very encouraging.
Note to file: Everyone who uses the "I"m not a Lawyer" excuse is usually slick enough to play Shift the Blame-- I'm just an innocent swindler who somehow got lucky until I Madoff'd with enough OPM. The lack of knowledge is supposed to make him appear to have a lack of criminal intent( as is the reasoning for children under 13 passes). IT seems that we are back to Free Will vel non to pin Responsability on perps.
Unfortunately, I think this is evidence of a group that doesn't know what it is doing.
Obama maybe cashing in on the "incompetence of subordinates".. if that is waht it takes so be it!
BTW - the POTUS power lies in the fact that people will (thank God) give him the benefit of the doubt.
This fact is not lost on this WH.
Do we remember how the Valery Plame affair was allowed to play on for months and months w/o any apparent response from the WH?
Bush let the process play itself out to the bitter end.. He could have given him up - make it go away, the way Obama appears to be doing now.
Obama saw an opportunity with Dashle and he took it.
Sayonara Senate gang!
Just 24 hours ago, the Dashle nomination appeared all but chiseled in stone!
What happened?.. Dashele gives waht appears to be a impassioned plea, a last mad dash.. only to be rejected by the republicans.
If had not done it to my brother I would think it's the work of genius.
Sidetrack: which happens first, Gitmo closes or Obama finally fills his Cabinet?
Pogo said, "Daschle just got unicorned."
Shouldn't that be "unicornholed"?
Only if he goes to jail for tax violations.
No, no, no. Killefer didn't cheat on her taxes enough. Daschle cheated on his taxes too much. But Geithner cheated on his taxes just right!
Looked into this, and wow, but Killefer really doesn't deserve to get lumped in with the rest of Obama's sleazy nominees. It was apparently less than $300 in unpaid taxes. That's the kind of penny ante stuff that might have led Clinton or Bush II to drop a nominee, but Obama? Compared to the rest of the band he's assembling, how does $300 even register? Is he trying to pretend he's a stickler for ethical rules now?
Sorry I was posting w/o checking my spelling.
Cooper on CNN just said - W/O PROMPTING - that during his interview with Obama, Obama could not have known about the Dashle withdraw..
Copper fails to provide any evidence.
Talk about a benefit of the doubt!
Compared to the rest of the band he's assembling, how does $300 even register? Is he trying to pretend he's a stickler for ethical rules now?
We still dont know the full extent of the Clinton donors.
They promised a full accounting eventually.
Only if he goes to jail for tax violations.
I don't know, he still had to pay his taxes, and that was a lot of taxes. Hell, he might even have to pay more in the future because of the exposure!
Still, I think we have a new word, a word for the Obama Era!
Balfegor, I actually feel bad for Killefer. She really doesn't deserve to be lumped in with the others, neither in the size of the violation nor in the fact that she had paid up long before her involvement with being an Obama appointee.
How does Dashle fall through the cracks after the much publicized failure of the Governor of New Mexico?
Either they would have us believe that they are farming out the vetting process to Mexico or what appears to be more likely... The people that believe enough in Obama to work for him are also willing to work for themselves enough to game the system.
Even if you give Obama the benefit of the doubt, as you might have by voting for him (I forgave Althouse btw, because she's more important that the WH tenant)
Obama as the first black president does not appear to be giving us our do by selecting people beyond reproach.
Lem said...
Dashle was a trick play.
Yea, Lem it looks like Obama took it right out of the GWB 2005-2206 season playbook:
"Have Reid open the line with a flying block, send Miers long and far right, fake a pass twice, then look mid field and find Scalito open in the flat; he catches the easy toss and ambles untouched into the endzone for six."
I understand that this particular document was forgotten and left in the VP offices in a big box that Cheney couldn't lift.
Oops, I meant Alito.
Lem,
Here's a hint that the BHO folks may have sort-of sandbagged the House bill a little. Seems a little risky if their sandbaggers are going around blabbing. Of course, I would guess that there will be plenty of plausible deniability baked into this sort of communication.
Lem said...
"How does Dashle fall through the cracks after the much publicized failure of the Governor of New Mexico?"
Hubris.
Simon says..
Hubris.
Jesus Christ.. What if out enemies look a couple of moves ahead?
I mean, the Bush Standard seemed to be - have the best people keep us safe... hell, see how we can be safe and still be legal? Importance on safety..
Here comes Obama, playing down the ideas that has kept us safe.. so you think maybe he is just being political... he is playing politics.
Are you telling me he cant even do that?
Are you telling me that Dashle is a present that just fell on his lap?
Common Simon!
If this is all incompetence... then we are in for a world of hurt.
As a baseball coach was heard muttering if that's our shortstop, it's going to be a long season.
We are about to add to our national debt enough to assure that a growth of say 2.5% will not pay the debt until the death of our grand children.
Last time I checked we are not growing!
This pork bill is a comma baby that if we keep him alive will only make us regret it in the end.
"Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter."
Tom Daschle, 1998
Obama is on CNN with his wife at a school talking to kids.
While mean republicans are busy obstructing the new president.
DBQ: LOVE IT. Can I quote you on my blog?
If you're curious what Obama's candid stance is on Daschle, check out his blog.
http://fake-barack.blogspot.com/
I say pile it on, deep and thick.
As private citizens who did make an honest mistake on their tax returns, my husband and I were audited and hounded by the IRS for several years, trying to determine exactly what we did wrong and getting nowhere (try communicating with the IRS. It boggles the mind. It's little more than a government jobs program for the mentally defective) - I have negative sympathy for these whores (and I mean that in a generic way) like Dashle and Geitner. We struggled to pay the IRS about $2,000 at a time when our children were infants and my husband was struggling to get a business started. I wouldn't care if they strung Tommy up by the short hairs. I hope he spends the rest of his sorry life in utter misery and humiliation. He won't, he'll probably profit from this, but the thought of it keeps me warm at night.
Consider me a cynic, but I'll bet Killefer resigned not solely because of the years ago < $1000 tax lien.
I'll bet there were other shoes to drop if the nomination had proceeded: illegal immigrant nannies and/or payroll taxes not paid.
Deb wrote, "I have negative sympathy for these whores (and I mean that in a generic way) like Dashle and Geitner."
Deb, for the love of God, don't compare an honest profession like prostitution to sleazebags like Daschle and Geithner.
Amen, Icepick.
" I think that Obama should follow the Clinton lead and nominate the one person who never had, and probably never will have, problematic tax issues: Jant Reno."
True but Reno was the one who gave the order to kill the kids in Waco because she thought they were being molested. She was a true loon. All you had to do was whisper "child abuse" within 50 feet of her and she'd pull out a gun and start shooting. She says she "accepted responsibility" for all the dead kids at Waco but somehow that didn't even involve quitting her day job at the Justice Department.
She says she "accepted responsibility" for all the dead kids at Waco but somehow that didn't even involve quitting her day job at the Justice Department
Yeah, I thought that was the perfect summary of the Clinton administration. Accept all the "responsibility" and none of the consequences. Make a sad face for the camera and wait for the news media to move on to the next story cycle.
Deb, for the love of God, don't compare an honest profession like prostitution to sleazebags like Daschle and Geithner.
You're right, I'll revise that:
I have negative sympathy for these politicians like Dashle and Geitner.
Deb, much better. After all, even the prostitutes that end up making good money ultimately only sell out themselves for money. Politicians, OTOH, sell out their constitutents to make money.
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