http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18672.htmlBy MANU RAJU | 2/10/09 2:06 PM EST Updated: 2/10/09 6:45 PM EST
Republicans aren’t going to derail Labor Secretary-nominee Hilda Solis’ nomination over her husband’s tax problems, but they still have serious reservations about her ties to labor unions.
Key Republican senators on the committee vetting the California Democrat’s nomination say they won’t blame her for the problems facing her husband, Sam Sayyad, who paid around $6,400 last week to settle tax liens against his auto-repair company.
But they are still exploring the congresswoman’s ties to a pro-union organization, and a vote on her nomination has yet to be scheduled.
Sayyad’s tax problems broke last week just before the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee abruptly scrapped a meeting to vote on Solis’ nomination, and some feared her nomination would collapse under the cumulative effect of three other Obama nominees who have been hit by embarrassing tax problems.
Hilda Solis and husband Sam attend the Latino 2009 Inaugural Gala at Union Station.
Photo: AP
So far, Republicans say Solis’ situation is not the same as the tax problems that ensnared Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and the two nominees who withdrew from consideration – former Sen. Tom Daschle for Health and Human Services and Nancy Killefer, who was nominated to be the country’s first chief performance officer.
“I can’t hold her at fault for something he did,” said Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), who sits on the committee. “It’s totally different than Geithner and totally different than Tom Daschle.”
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