Daschle Tax Story - Reeking Of BS

The NY Times lets a Tom Daschle spokesflack present his version of the tax cover-up:

A spokeswoman for Mr. Daschle, Jenny Backus, said Mr. Daschle became concerned last June that he might owe taxes on the car and driver, and instructed his accountant to investigate. Mr. Obama named Mr. Daschle to the health secretary’s post on Dec. 11. But it was not until late December or early January, after the accountant came back to Mr. Daschle with a report on the back taxes owed, that the former senator informed the White House transition team. Ms. Backus said Mr. Daschle did not think to mention it earlier, in part because “he thought his accountant was taking care of it,” and in part because he had no idea the amount owed would be so high.

He became concerned in June?  Call it Uncanny Coincidence, but it was early June when Hillary conceded and it became crystal-clear that Obama would be the Democratic nominee.  And since Daschle had been an early and important Obama supporter, it also became clear that Daschle himself might need to start thinking about his possible role in a Obama administration.

As to the idea that it took his accountant six months to resolve these questions, please - is this the sort of glacial progress we can expect as Daschle oversees the transformation of the US health care system?  For any Democrats out there not familiar with the process by which the rest of us pay our taxes, most returns are filed by April 15; summertime is the slow season and one would hope that as important a person as Tom Daschle could have gotten an answer promptly, if he had so desired.  In fact, Daschle only got his answer after he had been tapped for a post requiring Senate confirmation; if Daschle had gotten the nod for a consigliore spot in the White House, I have no doubt his accountant would still be researching this [Actually, Daschle currently has both - see UPDATE].

Let's recap for folks who are having trouble keeping up - Geithner, our new Treasury Secretary and overseer of the IRS, learned by way of a 2006 IRS audit that he had a tax problem for 2001 through 2004, but relied on the three year statute of limitations to avoid payment on the 2001 and 2002 liabilities; he resolved these only after his nomination in late 2008.

Daschle "became concerned" last June but dragged his feet on resolving the issue until after he had been nominated to a post requiring Senate confirmation.  Might he have been powder dry and his checkbook at bay in the event he was slated for a non-confirmed staff job?  Does anyone remember the contentious Karl Rove confirmation hearings?  I don't either.

With neither Geither nor Daschle do we see a rush to compliance or any sense of urgency about paying the taxes they know, or strongly suspect, they owe.  Don't ask, don't tell on taxes - that's change we can believe in.  For the first time in a long time, I am actually looking forward to doing my taxes this year.

UPDATE:  Tom Daschle has already nailed down his exit strategy if these pesky taxes derail his Cabinet nomination:

In addition to naming special envoys for critical regions, Mr. Obama also created a new White House office to oversee health care, a new White House office to oversee climate change and energy, a new White House office to oversee urban policy and a new White House office to oversee technology.

...

Former Senator Tom Daschle may have proved the wiliest player in the organizational structure. When Mr. Obama approached him about becoming secretary of health and human services, Mr. Daschle insisted on having a second hat as the head of a new White House health care office. Like Mr. Geithner, he understood that he had to be in the White House to make policy changes — although, like Mr. Geithner, his cabinet nomination is threatened by his failure to pay all of his taxes.

Just as the attendance at senior staff meetings helps determine pecking order, so does the map of the West Wing. Mr. Daschle is slated to have an office in the West Wing, as does Mr. Summers.

So if Daschle can't be both Health Czar and Secretary of HHS, he will settle for the West Wing office as Health Czar, from which he can bring to bear his expertise in manipulating Senate rules to avoid a Republican filibuster.  Whatever.  This will make it easier for the Senate to vote him down and pass the buck back to Barack, although one wonders if Obama would be willing to carry Daschle in the West Wing after this embarrassment.

PILING ON:  The Cornerites are beating down Daschle.  Fiercely.

WELL, WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU CALL IT?  Or, what is so rare as this day in June?  Yesterday Ed Whelan of The Corner made the same point I did about the waxing of Daschle's tax problem and the waning of Hillary's hopes, with better research.  I had not read it, but you ought to.

[END OF THREAD]

Comments

[Jane]

I find it amazing and predictable that Obama and the dems are willing to spin all this illegality as just a business as usual mistake. That sounds like something Putin or Hugo Chavez would do. We now have an administration that doesn't even bother to feign integrity - while calling itself "ethical".

And I suspect that the level of paying attention of the typical American means this "oh it was a mistake" story is something they all will swallow.

Ethics for me but not for thee seems to be the new standard set in Washington. It's troubling.

[kim]

It took the work of the Press to delegitimize the actions of the Bush Administration, but the Obama Administration is doing it all by itself.
=======================================

[Ranger]

Hey, Obama learned by watching Blago for years.

Blago ran promising to bring change to Springfield and end pay to play, then set up the most corrupt administration in living memory.

Obama's just doing the same thing in DC. What's to worry about, it worked out so well for Blago. He won re-election in a walk, and has had hardly any problems since then (well, except an open budge war with a house and senate run by his own party, and then that impeachment thing).

[clarice]

He may also have violated the new arcane but strict federal lobbying rules.
The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/31/AR2009013102021.html>Report it us, baby

has some more details about Daschle's work on health care matters over the past year, and given the new expanded lobbying rules in the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-81, 121 Stat. 735, September 14, 2007) it appears he should have registered and reported this nearly quarter million in health care industry moola.

[wilky]

I heard Gibbs repeatedly say the other day that this is the most ethical and transparent administration in our history.

Well they are transparent, I suppose they know that the press isn't very "curious". I always heard that Bush wasn't very curious, he's a piker compared to the present day press.

[MayBee]

From the Politico:

The one thing I feel certain about is Senator Daschle¹s honesty and integrity," said Dole, who served with Daschle in the Senate has worked with him at the law firm Alston & Bird for the last four years.

"I read the record about the tax issues raised, and while mistakes were made they were innocent ones which have been corrected primarily by Senator Daschle himself."

Thanks Bob Dole!

And.

But a top Senate Democratic aide warned that Daschle was not the fight that Republicans should seek. “It would be viewed as a major personal challenge to [Majority Leader Harry] Reid,” said this aide. “If there is one thing that they don’t want to do is piss Reid off like that.”

This source added that “It wasn’t like Daschle was taking bags of money or doing anything bad,” noting that for Daschle and his wife, Linda, a top Democratic lobbyist, “another $100,000 in taxes in not a serious problem.”

It's just $100,000 in taxes (of course, he didn't overpay "just" $100,000. That would be a lot of money), and not anything important like making Reid mad.

[narciso]

"That word you're using doesn't mean what you think it does" as regards to transparency. I'm so sick of the lies and garbage out of this administration, and it's only day 12.
Daschle knew about this in June, he should have fixed the problem then, and/or turned down the job. AS for that Politico link to that Alfalfa club 'roast' Robert E. Lee, would be 'confused' how little honor there was in that room, with the exception of the guest at the far end of the dais.

[hit and run]

MayBee, seriously, was that anonymous democratic senate aide really republican operative pwning the Politico?

Sure reads like what I would say were I to try and covertly add fuel to Republican and public ire with Daschle under the guise of being a top dem senate aide...

Well-played by anonysource either way!

[jorod]

What about Al Franken?

[Danube of Thought]

Good God I am depressed. There is such a Democrat juggernaut rolling now that crap like Daschle and Geithner (not to mention Rangel) really doesn't faze anybody. Long-term, I think this country is in very, very deep trouble.

[Ranger]

This source added that “It wasn’t like Daschle was taking bags of money or doing anything bad,” noting that for Daschle and his wife, Linda, a top Democratic lobbyist

Well, if that's the case, then the Dems should get right behind a bill that strips all interest and penalties (including criminal sanctions) from under-reporting of income. I mean if its just a few tax dollars here and there, where's the harm, right?

Its time for the Rs to call the Dems' bluff and say that as long as any tax cheats are serving in Obama's cabinet, no US Citizen should be penalized for under-reporting income.

[Donald]

As I posted elsewhere, I wonder if Tom Daschle ever sat down and wrote a tax check in his life? I did last year. It was for fifty four thousand six hundred and eight dollars and change. That's $54,680.00 for the morons. I hated it, but I know that if I don't cough it up, and provide complete and transparent tax records, I'll be punished worse than an al qaeda terrorist who's killed american citizens. Tom Daschle, and the rest of his slimey, disgusting ilk, get flown around first class, and paid to blow whomever when ever (In all fairness, probably figuratively).

[USAGirl]

These TAX CHEATS are DISGUSTING !!

These tax mistakes are NOT rocket science tax matters !!

These TAX CHEATS understand, write, pass tax legislations on tax laws more complicated than social security taxes on earned income and compensation by way of a fringe benefit of driving around in a limo !!!!!!!!!!!!!

GIVE ME A FRIGGING BREAK.....these politicans are corrupt tax cheats and ...I am NOT A STUPID AMERICAN TAXPAYER !!!!!!!!!

PUT THEM IN JAIL INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM GOVERNMENT JOBS IN CHARGE OF TAXPAYER MONEY !!

[Pagar]

What's the downside of making Reid mad. Is he going to say "we can't win"? Treat our troops like dirt? Block Republican amendments to new unneeded bills? He's already doing everything he can to obstruct anything that is good for America. I say let's make him as mad as we can.

[Pal2Pal (Sara)]

Obama Dozed, People Froze

Excellent link-laden article from The Anchoress.

[narciso]

By the way, it turns out Mk Freedberg's blog wasn't hacked, it was a little practical joke on his friend's part. Honestly, there is little honor in that town, among the nomenklatura, a popular appelation that will gain ground. Apparently
the out of town guest, was the subject of more than a few barbs, including from Joe Lieberman;who ashn't learned a damn thing in the last two years apparently Which is all in good fun,until someone pokes an eye out. You'd think they would have her throw a few zingers, that's would be the sporting or gentlemanly thing to do. If it wasn't for the good I think she could do, I would tell her to wash her hands of this crooked business.

[hit and run]

DoT:
Good God I am depressed. There is such a Democrat juggernaut rolling now that crap like Daschle and Geithner (not to mention Rangel) really doesn't faze anybody.

Yes but surely even Obamapologists will be able to see that they're being fed carp sandwiches, right?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20090131/cm_huffpost/162816>Uh, no.

Hypocrisy in the service of practicality is no vice to these people.

[Old Lurker]

"Long-term, I think this country is in very, very deep trouble."

Ah, another for my club. Might need a bigger island. I still cannot reconcile that gut belief with those who think our aggregate companies are worth even the 8000 Dow / S&P 850. Why would it, if the game has now changed so radically, and the outcome so uncertain?

Happier subject: do we need 3D glasses for your niece's commercial?

[MayBee]

Oh hit! You found us a true gem:

The Obama administration, at least in some of these cases, should be lauded, not excoriated, for ignoring its own rules. Yes, breaking one's own rules is hypocritical. But it is hypocrisy as the means to a practical end. The problem with the Bush administration was not only that its hiring standards were politically asinine, but that these standards were almost never ignored. Had the ideological parameters for a government job under Bush been relaxed, the policies on a range of issues, from global warming to torture, may very well have been unrecognizable to what we actually ended up with

...

The exceptions that have been made for Lynn, Corr, and Patterson do not appear to be outwardly political or ideological in nature. And the "tax and nanny issues" for Daschle and Geithner, though each basely stupid on its own merits, do not really have that reek of malfeasance or hubristic neglect that seems to be emanating ever-forth from the towers of Wall Street. Indeed, Obama's presidency carries unprecedented symbolic weight. But it is neither in his interest, nor the country's, to be overly hamstrung by self-imposed symbolic gestures.

It is hilarious. Obama is doing us a favor by not being too too ethical, much like his inauguration speech was brilliant because it was so dull.

[MayBee]

OT- Did your niece produce the movie or the commercial?

[clarice]

Yes, Hit. I can just see Senators reading the Post this morning and saying to themselves,"I really, really don't want to piss off that swell Reid.We've worked so well together over the years in the public interest."

[hit and run]

Isn't it wonderful, MayBee? Really, again, like the dem senate aide, it's what I would have written had I wanted to pwn huffpo.

[bio mom]

I guess hothouse plant Obama doesn't want to go to ice covered Kentucky. Probably feels that "just a little Ice" is no big deal. They should be flintier!

[Topsecretk9]

“Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter. ” Sen. Tom Daschle, Congressional Record, May 7, 1998, p. S4507.

[clarice]

Hit, you really ought to work that Huff Po piece up into a longer blog..It is (unintentionally, I'm sure)hilarious.A masterpiece.

[narciso]

That was unintentionally funny, I remarked on another site, Don Surber's actually, that the Huff Po, with their stable of hasbeen commentators like the guy who wrote 'Parker Lewis Can't Lose' is much like the Hollywood Squares, until someone pointed out that was entertaining on a cringe worthy level. Are they running that commercial at half time or what.

[MayBee]

The genius of the Obama admin is they introduce the problems in as complicated way as possible. A friend told him he could use his private driver whenever he wanted. How is this different than car pooling?
It makes people believe it's all the tax code's fault (because we all hate the tax code and the tax "information" booklets.).
Then they put Gibbs out front, and nobody knows what he is saying.

[Ranger]

So, I wonder if the press is going to show pics of Obama enjoying the Superbowl side by side with pics of iced over houses and power lines and a headline of "Dozens Dead Due To Ice, FEMA Nowhere To Be Found!"

[Danube of Thought]

My darling, brilliant and beautiful niece produced the commercial. I think it's a 90-second spot, and yes, you need glasses if you want to see the 3D effect. I assume that if you don't have the glasses it'll just look like regular TV.

[Ranger]

It makes people believe it's all the tax code's fault (because we all hate the tax code and the tax "information" booklets.).

Posted by: MayBee | February 01, 2009 at 12:15 PM

That may have worked for G-man, but Daschle actually voted to put these rules in place. If he can't understand how they work, he shouldn't have voted for them in the first place.

[memomachine]

Hmmmm

1. 3 year statute of limitations? How is that? The statute of limitations on unpaid taxes is -10- years.

2. How is it that these guys don't pay penalties?

[narciso]

No of course not Ranger, that would be uncivil, they voted against him right. How do you enbed code from a video feed, into the uRL box?

[hit and run]

I should, Clairce. Though the prospects are quite dim. I could do it with one hand tied behind my back wrapped around a beer, of course; the problem is, there's a Wii remote in the other hand.

[VIMH: Then how are you typing this comment?]
Wouldn't you like to know.

[MayBee]

My darling, brilliant and beautiful niece produced the commercial. I think it's a 90-second spot, and yes, you need glasses if you want to see the 3D effect. I assume that if you don't have the glasses it'll just look like regular TV.
My husband has done some work with the movie, so I wondered if he and your niece had a chance to meet. He hasn't worked with the commercial, but he's excited about the commercial and is all about getting those 3-D glasses.

[Extraneus]

I heard Gibbs repeatedly say the other day that this is the most ethical and transparent administration in our history.

They've finally found something guaranteed to crack up Jay Leno's studio audience.

[clarice]

It's a small world--and that movie connection proves it.
Hit, you can do it. I know you can--just a few graph blog to Thom. Only YOU can do it justice. Even strapped to a moving beer truck.

[Danube of Thought]

MayBee, her name is Terry (I'm reluctant to go public with her last name). The movie is a Dream Works production being released in March, and she was very tight with all three of the Dream Works guys when they founded the company. They offered her a very plum job, but she wanted to go in a different direction--basically, working on her own, whereas she had previously been with Fox, Morgan Creek and the like.

[MayBee]

If he can't understand how they work, he shouldn't have voted for them in the first place.

I think you have to actually know enough about Daschle's work in the government to know that. The person that loves Obama, and wants him to get what he wants, is going to be satisfied with the understanding that it was all too confusing.

I still hear Gman's (who worked in the Treasury Department) problem being described as "confusing" or a "nanny problem" or "common". That's all been refuted, but the narrative hasn't changed.

If the Republicans can get any mileage out of this, I want them to hammer home to Obama that nobody likes paying taxes. People try to get out of paying taxes. Raising the taxes is a horrible idea, so spend accordingly.

[Jane]

My darling, brilliant and beautiful niece

What Commercial? What's it for? And I apologize if you already told me and I missed it.

[MayBee]

Don't give out her last name. I'll tell my husband what you've said and he can keep an eye out for her, although he works with the studios more than independent producers.

How fun, though!

[Old Lurker]

"If he can't understand how they work, he shouldn't have voted for them in the first place."

That was a joke, right Ranger? To make us laugh, right?

[Jane]

Hit,

Can you confirm something for me?

I hear, and have on very good authority, that tomorrow is HOLIDAY INTOXICATION TIME! (AKA "HIT") As I under stand it, the festivities start today and carry on thru most of next week.

The day is dedicated to lovers of beer everywhere, but really celebrates one big HUGE beer drinker who is much beloved at a certain blog. The only hint I have on the blog is that it's suffering thru some page turning problems. (I'm trying to tap my memory for where I've seen those problems.)

I think, but am not sure that the main celebrant is getting older, and thus the reason for the HOLIDAY INTOXICATION TIME! ("HIT")

Can you help me out with this? Thanks in advance!

[narciso]

We proved they don't know history, the constitution, economics, they might know where the on and off switch is on the microfone, and where to turn when facing the camera; but that's about it

[centralcal]

Jane isn't the only one that missed what commercial we should be on the look out for.

Which commercial DOT?

[JM Hanes]

Jane:

You can check out Obama's Ethics Agenda on the White House website:

The ethics section is currently being revised to reflect President Obama's Executive Order concerning Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel, issued on January 21, 2009. Please check back soon.

Now there's a surprise.

[boris]

Okay stop me if you've heard this one ... from Natasha's BIL's Israeli mom ...

Dan Rather, Katie Couric, and an Israeli commando were captured by terrorists in Iraq . The leader of the terrorists told them that he would grant them each one last request before they were beheaded.

Dan Rather said, 'Well, I'm a Texan, so I'd like one last bowlful of hot spicy chili.'

The leader nodded to an underling who left and returned with the chili.

Rather ate it all and said, 'Now I can die content.'

Katie Couric said, 'I'm a reporter to the end. I want to take out my tape recorder and describe the scene here and what's about to happen. Maybe someday someone will hear it and know that I was on the job till the end.'

The terror leader directed an aide to hand over the tape recorder and Couric dictated some comments. She then said, 'Now I can die happy.'

The leader turned and said, 'And now, Mr. Israeli tough guy, what is your final wish?'

'Kick me in the ass,' said the soldier.'

'What?' asked the leader? 'Will you mock us in your last hour?'

'No, I'm not kidding. I want you to kick me in the ass,' insisted the Israeli.

So the leader shoved him into the open and kicked him in the ass.

The soldier went sprawling, but rolled to his knees, pulled a 9 mm pistol from under his flak jacket, and shot the leader dead. In the resulting confusion, he jumped to his knapsack, pulled out his carbine and sprayed the terrorists with gunfire.

In a flash, all terrorists were either dead or fleeing for their lives.

As the soldier was untying Rather and Couric, they asked him, 'Why didn't you just shoot them in the beginning? Why did you ask them to kick you in the ass first?'

'What?' replied the Israeli, 'and have you two assholes report that I was the aggressor?

[Pagar]

Ranger, we supposedly have a free press in America, I don't think you're going to see any thing like that. That might(?) embarrass the One.

[Old Lurker]

Nobody liked my LUN? Today of all days?

[clarice]

I suppose they're rewriting that ethics piece in invisible ink. What else can they do and be consistent? Or
They're taking a page from Huff Po and deciding it's much more sophisticated to just change the rules at will. After all, "I won" means I can do whatever i want to.

[JM Hanes]

MayBee:

My other favorite quote from that same Politico piece came from Chuck Schumer:

"I believe Tom's reputation for integrity will assure that he will be confirmed by the Senate Finance Committee and the full Senate," Schumer said in a statement.

Words have no meaning, narciso. Honorable mention goes to Anonymous:

Sources close to Daschle said they’ve gotten reassurances from the White House that Obama was not wavering.

Obama could no more disown Daschle than he could disown his last father figure. He'll leave that task to Robert Gibbs.

[JM Hanes]

Old Lurker: I loved the Intuit commercial before you even get to the article!

[MayBee]

Heh.

The word today is Daschle kept the information from Obama for a few months. So that's going to be the disqualifier.
Not paying your taxes is fine.
"Lobbying" is fine.
Not making your confession to The Obama is the true crime against the American people.
I suspect this is laying the groundwork for him to step down.
Kind of like when Bill Richardson had to step down because he "hadn't told" the Obama people about the investigation (that had been in all the newspapers).

[centralcal]

Instapundit links this thread. Can hobos and luciferians be far behind?

Bob Dolt (excuse me, that would be Dole) thinks Tommy Daschle is just a great, honest guy too, JMH!

[Amr]

President Bush and Clinton withdrew the nominations of those who had minor nanny tax problems. President Obama though sees no tax problem, hears no tax problem and speaks about there being no tax problem. Ah, maybe he is the problem. He and the Senate have a very similar problem.

[clarice]

cc--that's not a colleague, that's a law partner. Ka-Ching.

[JM Hanes]

The Finance Committee is considering Daschle tomorrow! Write them all -- especially the Democrats! And your own Senators, of course, where they will certainly tally reaction from their constituents. Here's a link for easy access to Senators' Contact Forms.

I'm using Daddy's comparison of Ted Stevens $245,000 and 7 felonies to Daschle's $330,000 and a cabinet appointment. And yes, I'm putting it in every thread!

[Danube of Thought]

Her commercial is for a DreamWorks animated 3-D movie called Monsters vs. Aliens.

[E. Nigma]

I think the only redeeming quality to this all is that sooner or later they will all overplay their hand.
In 1993, a Democrat State Rep (Ohio), whose name escapes me now, was uncharacteristically honest and blunt with the newspapers regarding their work to support "HillaryCare Healthplan".
Roughly paraphrasing from memory, he said,"We want power and we mean to get it." Meaning they were going to force mergers of certain HMO's to become one of the three approved statewide PPO's under the proposed Hillary plan.
In 1994, the Republicans swept to majority in both the Ohio House and Senate for the first time in years (corresponding to the sweep in the US Congress). Cokie Roberts of ABC lamented it was a victory for "angry white men", but in Ohio, it meant:
1) First woman elected Lieutenant Governor
2) First woman as Speaker of the House

So regardless of the mewlings of the Popular Mass Media, Americans will start to notice a pattern to this nonsense. It is up to the opposition (Republicans) to provide a viable alternative by 2010, and decent candidates to run against the incumbents who are part of this mess. It CAN happen, but just carping about it will not get the job done.

[Letalis Maximus, Esq.]

Ethics rules are for the career federal employees. The Made Guy Political Appointees, on the other hand, can always count on an "exception" being made for them.

Always.

The Made Guys pay late, or have to take an ethics refresher course, or something like that. The career guys get fired.

[hit and run]

Jane:
Can you confirm something for me?

All I know is that tomorrow is Punxsutawney Phil's big day, where we find out if the suffering folks in Kentucky are doomed to six more weeks of Frozen Obama Neglect.

[narciso]

Why does that statement sound suspiciously like McGovern's 'thousand percent support"
for Eagleton. Check the notches on the trapdoors, Tom. I'm sure they have another candidate, ready, Dear lord, let it not be
Howard Dean though. My hometown paper, had "Daschle, has tax issues" at the bottom of page A3. Whereas the boneheaded but actually illegal travails of the Florida house speaker gets below the fold, front page coverage.

You know in retrospect they'll find ticking off the Akhanitsa was not such a bright move, as they did at this Alfalfa thing. If they wanted to do something else to drive support toward her, they couldn't have done better. I hope she was able to get some actual use out of this trip,

[Manuel Transmission]

Jane,

From somewhere buried in yesterday's threads:

My absolute favorite is one where I am looking into the eye of the most gorgeous tiger. The colors are simply spectacular.

I may have had an encounter with your tiger in Sydney with a slightly different outcome. I was making eye contact with him for several minutes and figuring I was *communing* with nature at the most primal level. He finally decided to comment back by turning around and spraying me from a distance of about ten feet. I think that makes me a member of a pretty small club!

[Jane]

WOW Manuel,

I'm impressed. But didn't he have really gorgeous green eyes?

[narciso]

No, it was good O.L. I've even faced desks that are that cluttered

[Chris]

Let's give the Administration credit: they have an unorthodox method of uncovering some of America's biggest tax cheats...

[JM Hanes]

In addition to asking everyone on the Senate Finance Committee if there was a ceiling on how much tax fraud Democrats are prepared to endorse, I threw in Harry Reid and Dick Durbin for good measure. It's probably a lot easier to use the call line someone else posted somewhere on a previous thread! Had to laugh at this notice on Reid's contact form:

"Some popular email spam filters accidentally mark my correspondence as junk mail."

Ya think?

[Danube of Thought]

MayBee, I think the way Daschle is spinning it is that he became aware in June that there might be a tax issue, and referred it to his accountant. His accountant only got back to him months later, telling him that he owed mucho dinero, at which point he immediately informed the O team. Right.

[boris]

Italiacto

[JM Hanes]

Sorry, sorry, sorry! I could have sworn the preview window looked OK. I haven't done that in sooooo long. I must have some seriously bad karma to have done it now.

[clarice]

Manuel, He was just so taken with you he was marking you as his..

[boris]

could have sworn the preview window looked OK

The mind often sees what it expects to see ...

[Danube of Thought]

Criminy sakes! Glenn Greenwald at Salon quotes one Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone as follows re Daschle"

"I know several reporters who are either officially or unofficially on 'Whore Factor' duty, watching the rapidly kaleidoscoping transition picture and keeping track of the number of known whores and ghouls who for some reason have been invited to befoul the atmosphere of the next administration.

"Obviously there has been some dire news on that front already. When Obama picked Tom Daschle to be the HHS Secretary, I nearly shit my pants. In Washington there are whores and there are whores, and then there is Tom Daschle. Tom Daschle would suck off a corpse for a cheeseburger."

[clarice]

Thanks for that picture DoT.URGH

[Danube of Thought]

LUN for the Greenwald rant on Daschle.

[boris]

Just imagine how fast the economy would recover if the "bailout" was used to fund government instead of tax revenues so everybody got the 1040DEM for the next 2 years.

As it is no matter how long it takes to recover the porkulus will get ALL the credit,

[JM Hanes]

memomachine:

I think the whole "3 year statute of limitations" talking point is a deceptively disingenuous way of referring to the 3 year limitation on IRS initiated audits absent specific circumstances. Of course, that's hardly less disingenuous than the implication that when the statute of limitations runs out, a crime is not a crime.

[JM Hanes]

"The mind often sees what it expects to see ..."

LOL, boris!

[narciso]

Maybe Taibbi recognizes a kindred spirit in Daschle. I know "these goggles do nothin". Seriously Daschle was campaigning for McGovern when he was in the SAC base, It' like the meaning of 'epic fail' It was under his leadership after the Jeffords coup, that the rules favoring small states in FEMA disbursement came into being (that was under Appropriation Chair Leahy of Vermont

[Neo]

Meanwhile you have to go to the India Times (which has nothing to do with Native Americans) to find out that Obama appointed more than 17 lobbyists after talking big on anti-lobbyist, clean Governance.

ABC, NBC, cBS CNN, MS-something or another are busy kissing Obama's sweet arse, while Ober-something or another is busy licking it.

What bunch of useless waste .. who should all go out of business.

[Rick Ballard]

I told you guys that Turbo Timmy was probably as clean as "what stinks in here?" Obama could do. On the basis of total taxes illegally evaded, Tax Cheatin' Tommy has him beat all to pieces.

I want to see Randall Bradley Jones brought into the White House to improve the moral and ethical atmosphere permeating this administration.

[narciso]

I caught a piece of the ABC roundtable, basically arguing for retreating from Afghanistan, after a certain interval, and giving up on Karzai, nothing much on Daschle

[MayBee]

Poor Paul Wolfowicz.

[kgkphd]

The AP and NY Times have been referring to Daschle's "tax mistake." HELLO!!! Mistake? Making $88,000 in consulting fees, and getting an IRS Form 1099 --- and he just happened to forget them??? Give him the car and the charity write-off, but that $88,000 is no error. Mistake? If you or I did it, we'd be facing tax evasion charges. I guess an Obama IRS, headed by a tax-evader (Geithner) is more "forgiving."

[narciso]

Italics are back again, actually I don't mind them that much. They feared an anti corruption fighter, so they got him on some contracts involving his girlfriend in some capacity

[Extraneus]

Firefox, narciso?

[RichatUF]

And the real good news, not that I didn't expect any differently. Obama's people and the Ayatollah's people have been talking for a while. So not only did Obama undermine any Bush inititives during the last year of the administration, he also projected weakness to both Syria and Iran while both were developing nuclear weapons. Wow, if the Iranians can get a bushel of carrots by killing and maining hundreds of US troops with car bombs and just by being generally unpleasant, just think of what they might be able to get if they kill thousands. The Obama team is really this dumb and people have really bought into it.

[Neo]

Make no mistake, tax cheaters cheat us all, and the IRS should enforce our laws to the letter. -- Tom Daschle, May 7, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE S4507

What a confidence building measure.

[ben]

"I heard Gibbs repeatedly say the other day that this is the most ethical and transparent administration in our history."

Absolutely, and I believe several "historians" are already writing books that not only is it the most ethical, but the most successful, inspiring and admired administration in history. Why wait until 2012 or 2016 to render judgment when it is so obvious now?

[Manuel Transmission]

Jane and Clarice,

Kidding aside, the tiger had a hypnotic gaze from those green eyes that may well be part of his bag of tricks in the wild. The marking could have been claiming me as he would his geographic territory, but I had the distinct impression there was a tongue-in-cheek put down involved, sort of like Bambi's finger gestures.

[clarice]

zheh, Manuel having a bengal cat has made me appreciate the wit and ferocity of felines.

[Danube of Thought]

I'm informed that the DreamWorks commercial will be a 30-second one, one of three 30-second 3-D commercials to be aired at the end of the second quarter. When they're over, you can walk out on Springsteen.

[Old Lurker]

"When they're over, you can walk out on Springsteen."

You can count on that.

[PD]

"When they're over, you can walk out on Springsteen."

No way. The half-time show is traditionally a highly watched part of the broadcast at our parties -- it's the object of much hooting and great derision.

[narciso]

Just skip Springsteen all together, they had the Stones last year right,or maybe I misremembered.

[Danube of Thought]

Stones were three years ago. Then came Prince, then Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

[clarice]

bad, the lamb shanks recipe turned out to be fantastic and fast (it's made in a pressure cooker). The most exquisite sauce:

http://backyardpizzeria.blogspot.com/2008/05/lamb-shanks-in-wine-sauce.html>Lamb shanks in wine sauce

The recipe called for port and I couldn't find any. I substituted 1/4 c of dry sherry and 1/4 cup of pomegranate juice for thr 1/2 cup of port the recipe called for.

[narciso]

Anything interesting on the commercial front.

[bad]

Springsteen signed a deal with Walmart for exclusive sales of his new album, banked the dough, THEN--- he remembered Walmart was a bad employer. Regreted the transaction publically, but alas, too late.

Springsteen...stupid enough to be in the Obama cabinet....

[bad]

That recipe looks scrumptious, Clarice!!

I'm home so kids can hang here this evening.

Just starting to catch up on the news.

[gus]

I think the appropriate punishment for ZerObama's ethical lapses is waterboarding.