Interesting point made on the Randi Rhodes show re: all the tax problems of

[Mist]

various people named to various positions. She thinks it's all coming from the same source, and she posits that IRS info is being used illegally to cause problems and embarrassment for the Obama admin.

[Kaylee]

1. Things that make you go "Hmmmmm"..nt

[redirish28]

2. I would not be surprised if someone was doing it from the IRS.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

15. Not unlikely it's someone with connections to the IRS who has used them before ...

to go after perceived enemies or for retribution of some kind. A little research might uncover some suspects.

[KittyWampus]

3. wouldn't be a bit surprised. Especially since the Mediawhores are milking it.

[DrDan]

4. that could be - however, if they are dodging taxes we all have the right to know

it is a secondary issue. The primary is that Daschle screwed up and got caught.

[DoctorMyEyes]

11. I don't imagine very many people

especially in those income brackets, and with complicated taxes could pass an IRS witch-hunt unscathed even with the help of their tax attorneys. Hell, I'm not sure most people in my own income bracket couldn't be tripped up on something tax-wise if the IRS were out to get them.

[DrDan]

16. this is not some little error - it is not paying $100K

that kind of money is not an innocent mistake

[DoctorMyEyes]

18. Oh no - it's a huge amount

I'm not saying that it's not. Actually it seems like an awful lot of taxes for the value of a car and driver. How much "income" was the car and driver supposed to account for?

I just think it's starting to smell in the way that republicans typically overplay their hand. That they've somehow somewhere decided that the IRS is going to be their stealth weapon of choice.

[DrDan]

24. seems like taxes of $100K would have to be a result of an "income" of $300K

That seems to me to be an awful lot for a car and driver. But I think it might be over a 3 year period - if I remember correctly. So that would be a taxable benefit of $100K a year.

Still a lot for a car and driver. I am obviously in the wrong business. I would gladly trade my career for one where all I do is drive a lobbyist around town.

Hopefully you are correct about the repubs overplaying their hand. But . . . I find it hard to fault their criticism now that tax problems have hit 3 nominees. You and I are certainly not allowed that kind of treatment - pay-up if found-out.

[high density]

5. Except for Killefer...

Those were DC unemployment taxes, not the Feds. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_killefer

[Mist]

6. Randi made the point that it's coming fast and furious, and that some of

the unpaid taxes unearthed were on the obscure side (she mentioned an appreciation of a small property owned by Rangel that amounted to $2,500 a year for 3 years). Some of them seem like honest mistakes.

[DoctorMyEyes]

7. I was just thinking that today

The whole "didn't pay taxes" angle is starting to stink.

[Uzybone]

8. Kinda how Obama's illegal alien aunt was leaked?

there are moles deep within our government.

[uponit7771]

23. yeap

[Tempest]

9. As I heard today on the radio

Millions of Americans are found to file incorrect tax returns and have had to pay back with interest but no penalties.

To remove from consideration for office because of tax issues opens a big can of worms.


What about law enforcement who are found to file incorrect tax returns? Should they be fired because they are deemed unable to enforce laws they can't follow?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

14. Excellent point.

[azmouse]

10. Like the passports being looked at last year.

I'm starting to see a pattern.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

17. Forgot about that. Good point.

[Mist]

12. OK, to get tin-foil-hatty, what if Obama's vetting team is NOT making mistakes, but some

info is being withheld, to be publicly announced later? After all, Obama doesn't hire fools (his election campaign showed that). Why, all of a sudden, are his people poor at vetting?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. Too many coinkydinks. I smell a Repuke mole or someone else with an axe to grind with Obama. . .

who feels the need for payback. That's politics I suppose, but disgusting nonetheless.

[discopants]

19. also, Rachel's tinfoil talk last night about CIA moles leaking to the LA Times

false information on rendition.

[catnhatnh]

20. Not IRS info....

info of IRS violation...TOTALLY different animal. Instead think TIA and who has access. IRS had no reason to know about the car and the driver but data mining ties all the transactions together with financial info gleaned from the major participants. IRS can't know without an audit what info it was NOT given....think about the implications of that.

[Mist]

21. Yes, it goes deeper than the IRS, I'm sure. nt

[ddeclue]

22. Let's not complain tooo much about leaks...

leaks keep them honest after all..leaking has long been a relief valve that insures democratic accountability (small d) when the gov't tries to hide things.

without a leak we would never have heard about illegal wiretaps, torture, or any number of illegal things the Bushies did.

Nanny-gate isn't really all that big a deal compared to these things but still...some of these people owe more in taxes than I make in a year so...

Doug D.