First Let’s review:
New Mexico Democratic Governor Bill Richardson, nominated for Commerce Department Secretary. He withdrew on January 4 after it emerged that he was the subject of a Grand Jury investigation for influence peddling, due to his awarding of a $1.5 million state contract to political contributors.
Former South Dakota Democratic Senator Tom Daschle, nominated for Health and Human Services Secretary. He withdrew on February 3, admitting that he had failed to pay more than $100,000 in taxes on a car and driver provided by a friend and on consulting fees after he left the Senate.
Nancy Killefer, former Clinton Staffer, nominated for Deputy Director at the Office of Management and Budget and Chief Performance Officer withdrew on February 3 because of a lien against her home for failure to pay unemployment tax for household help. Ironic that she can afford household help - something most of us Americans can't - and then doesn't pay the taxes her party trumpets. Certainly not anyone you want in charge of managing the public's money.
Hilda Solis, nominated for Labor Secretary, was confirmed (Whew Made it chalk up a win for team Obama, but I wish she hadn’t) on February 11 even though her husband had liens against his business going back 16 years. He paid the full $6,400 owed a day before her confirmation hearing. Wouldn't that be nice if the average American could pretend to have nothing to do with their spouse's finances?
New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg, Obama's second nomination for Commerce Department secretary. Apparently the only Republican nominated to a high-level position by Obama, he withdrew on February 11 because of philosophical differences (Probably because he didn’t want to associate with Terrorists, Socialists, Felons, and Tax Evaders) with the Obama administration over its advocacy of a massive stimulus plan. Judd had once called for elimination of the Department of Commerce. Judd was one of very few Obama nominees who withdrew due to legitimate reasons.
Timothy Geithner, (Turbo Tax Tim, Holder of the Elfin Ring of power – sorry looks like an elf to me-, smartest guy in the room and the only guy for the job) nominated and confirmed on February 24 for Treasury Secretary. Geithner failed to pay $34,000 in self-employment taxes while he worked at the International Monetary Fund from 2001 to 2004. Yet he was still confirmed because Democrats said his position was too important to be left unfilled any longer.
Kansas Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius was nominated on March 2 as Obama's second choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services. So far, no back tax problem has emerged, but she does have one of the most extreme partisan positions on abortion of any politician in the country; which (hopefully) may cause trouble with her confirmation.
Former Obama campaign worker Susan Tierney, the leading candidate for Deputy Secretary of Energy, dropped out on March 3 without citing a reason. I smell a Nanny Issue or Tax problems…
Jane Garvey, reportedly Obama's top choice for Deputy Secretary of Transportation, also dropped out on March 3, reportedly for financial reasons. Did those reasons include owing back taxes?
Former Washington Democratic Governor Gary Locke. Third times a Charm - Nominated on March 5, for Secretary of Commerce after Bill Richardson and Judd Gregg withdrew. So far he appears to be sailing through to confirmation, but Frontpage Mag points out he was involved in Chinagate with former Clinton Commerce employee John Huang. Huang wrote a $1,000 check to Locke and co-sponsored fundraising events that netted $30,000 in 1996 alone.
Annette Nazareth, who was to be nominated for Treasury Deputy Secretary, abruptly announced on March 5 she was stepping aside for "personal reasons." As in “I don’t pay my taxes?”
Caroline Atkinson, nominated for Undersecretary of International Affairs, withdrew on March 5 as well. Because of failure to pay back taxes? We will never know.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Obama's first pick for Surgeon General, withdrew on March 5 without citing a reason. (it may be possible that he had some morals?)
Former Dallas Democratic Mayor Ron Kirk, nominated for Trade Representative, failed to pay $10,000 in back taxes for speaking fees over three years. He faced Senate questioning on March 9 over it, but is expected to win confirmation. $2,600 of the back taxes was due to deducting $17,382 worth of basketball tickets; he was unable to provide proof of business purposes for those tickets. Most Americans can't afford $17,382 in baseball tickets, much less have a business to deduct the cost from. Kirk also took overly large deductions for a used TV he gave to charity, and inflated accounting and tax preparation fees. He has agreed to pay $9,975 in back taxes from 2005-2007.
And then this from the AP just now:
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's pick for the No. 2 post at the Environmental Protection Agency is removing himself from consideration.
Jon Cannon, a professor of environmental law at the University of Virginia, says he is withdrawing as the nominee for deputy EPA administrator because of scrutiny surrounding the America's Clean Water Foundation. Cannon once served on the now-defunct organization's board of directors.
The EPA's inspector general's concluded in 2007 that the foundation mismanaged $25 million in EPA grants
There are several job vacancies in high positions at the treasury, and the fact that the Democrats cannot find a single person qualified to run the department during this economic crisis is "shameful," as characterized by liberal former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker and economic advisor to Obama. Geithner has been Treasury Secretary for over five weeks and has yet to name a single top deputy or assistant secretary that made it through confirmation (IS anyone else but me concerned that Obama and Geithner apparently do not know anyone who is scrupulous?).
There have been a few nominees who appeared to have withdrawn for legitimate reasons. But due to the large number of other nominees withdrawing for failure to pay back taxes, some will wonder if that was the real reason - which is an unfair stigma to put on the honest nominees who withdrew; that is, assuming that they didn’t withdraw because of Taxes...
What we are seeing is the results of a generation that has grown up without a base in Principles and Values. These folks are all Moral Relativists, and Secular Progressives and they clearly believe not only are they smarter than the rest of us, but the rules do not apply to them at all. Is the fact that Democrats took back over the Congress and the White house with these kinds of Character flaws an indication of how Gullible Americans are, or is it an indication that the country really is full of a bunch of Moral Relativist Neo-Socialists? I am praying we are just gullible, because that can be cured.
"In The First Light"
6 days ago