Another appointee tax “mistake”

January 31, 2009

This is getting unreal. Yet another Obama appointee has, or rather had, a back tax issue.

Tom_Daschle
Tom Daschle, tapped by Obama to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, earlier this month paid more than $100,000 in back taxes and interest.

Daschle, a former U.S. Senator from South Dakota, determined that he owed the taxes on free use of a car and driver that was provided when he was on the board of and consultant to InterMedia Advisors.

In a financial disclosure statement filed with the Office of Government Ethics, Daschle reported that he had received more than
$2 million for consulting and $182,520 in "company-provided
transportation."

Proving that there are no free rides, on Jan. 2 Daschle paid $31,462 in back taxes and interest for 2005, $35,546 for 2006 and $34,935 for 2007.

A spokesman for the Obama Administration called Daschle's failure to pay the taxes "a stupid mistake."

Read more reports on Daschle's back taxes at Political Punch, The Hill, Bloomberg and BusinessWeek.

Mr. Daschle, may I suggest that you call Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and get a copy of his confirmation hearing notes … and apology.

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Tax Season 2026 Continues!

We made it. Tax Day 2025 is finally over. For most of us. When the filing season started on Jan. 26, millions who were expecting refunds filed immediately. Most of us got our returns to the Internal Revenue Service by April 15. But plenty of taxpayers also got extensions. They are looking at an Oct. 15 filing deadline.

Those procrastinating filers aren’t a problem. In fact, the IRS appreciates taxpayers who take time to fill out their 1040 forms correctly. It also is grateful that tax submissions are spread out a bit, especially now that the IRS is a leaner agency. Processing returns is easier when they arrive throughout the year instead of in massive bunches.

But enough about Uncle Sam’s tax collection issues. The focus now is on all y’all who filed for extensions, giving you another six months to complete your return. Since your new mid-October due date will be here before you know it, let’s get started now on meeting it.

The ol’ blog is here to help you finish up your extended Form 1040. You can start with January’s tax tips page, which has links to the rest of the year’s tips by-month collections. You also can peruse various tax categories for more tailored advice by clicking on the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of this (and every) page.

And to make sure you don’t miss your new filing deadline, the count-down clock below will let you know just how much time you to file by Oct. 15. At the latest.e. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
  • betty neace

    This makes me sick us little people work all our life and these worns keep eating away our saving, robing us of a piece of the pie because they’ve noooo soul they to will one day face the firing squad,I don’t mean a earthy one What a day that will be to stand there and see all these assholes send to hell for robbing people and penniless saying God it was only a mistake we not perfect were the best one for the job.

  • Daschle’s problem makes a little more sense; you could, at least, get a ride to work from a friend without paying taxes on it — you’re less likely to get a consulting gig the same way. Still, it sounds like a lot of these guys are playing chicken with the electorate: how much can they get away with before voters get annoyed?

Comments are closed.