A nagging question about Geithner
posted at 5:55 pm on January 21, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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As Allahpundit noted, Tim Geithner appeared today in his Senate confirmation hearing and attempted to defuse the controversy surrounding his tax failures of the past. He more or less threw himself on the mercy of the Senate, insisting that the mistakes were unintentional. Geithner ascribed the failures to his inability to successfully navigate TurboTax — and the Senate seemed content with his excuses.
Perhaps if a nominee of another Cabinet post had this problem, it could be overlooked. After all, the Secretary of Commerce or HHS doesn’t run the IRS. However, the Secretary of the Treasury does, and his own serial incompetence at doing his taxes certainly doesn’t recommend him as a qualified candidate for the Treasury.
However, we’re constantly told that not only is Geithner qualified, he’s practically the only person in America who can do the job — by both Democrats and Republicans:
Geithner has broad experience in global economics, financial regulation, currency and monetary policy. And lately, as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, he has been at the center of the government’s efforts to manage the financial chaos, sharing some criticism for its mixed record but not blame.
“These are not the times to think in small political terms,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, who just returned from Afghanistan and Pakistan with Vice President-elect Joseph Biden Jr., and briefly met with reporters on Wednesday alongside Obama. “I think he is the right guy.”
Graham thereby validated what the president-elect had just said: That Geithner, by bipartisan agreement, is “uniquely qualified.”
Uniquely qualified? Meaning that Geithner’s the only person in America who can run the Treasury? Somehow, I find that extraordinarily difficult to believe. If for some reason Geithner withdrew, would Obama not fill the role with someone else? It’s more difficult to believe that a man who couldn’t figure out his own taxes is the best-qualified man for the job.
But let’s take this argument on its face for a moment. We’re in an economic crisis, and therefore we have to have a man who has experience in the kind of work at the heart of this crisis. We can’t assign this task to someone who hasn’t worked in the credit-industry trenches and built a record of success.
If that’s true … then why did Obama appoint Leon Panetta to head the CIA? After all, we’re in a war against terrorists, which I’d say is a fairly serious crisis. Our national security and the lives of Americans are at stake, as we saw on 9/11. Using the logic of Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill regarding Geithner, shouldn’t we have a CIA Director that has actually worked in intelligence and built a record of success there?
Because if Leon Panetta can run the CIA, then Barack Obama can find someone else to run the Treasury.
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My nagging question is this:
WHY THE HELL ARE WE GIVING HIM THE JOB?
And my bonus question:
WHERE THE HELL IS THE REPUBLICAN’S RESOLVE?
That is all.
cannonball on January 21, 2009 at 5:58 PM
This is the equivalent of the Head of Education not sending his kids to school or Home Schooling for 5 years, and than apologizing and being allowed to lead it.
This is outrageous.
portlandon on January 21, 2009 at 5:59 PM
hahaha, Ed, so naive…it’s The One
All is possible with the Obamessiah!
Rogue on January 21, 2009 at 5:59 PM
Failing to understand TurboTax???
FAILING TO UNDERSTAND TURBOTAX???
Sounds like the perfect person to be in charge of our financial future.
America, we deserve all of the pain we get. Until we take arms, raise hell, and act like Code Pink idiots, nobody will notice or care about our opinions.
cannonball on January 21, 2009 at 6:00 PM
I hope he gets in. Then we all have a get out of jail free card when we screw up our taxes. Right????????
RedSoxNation on January 21, 2009 at 6:01 PM
I swear. I don’t see how the government could be more screwed up if they tried. Which of course begs the question, Is the country under attack by our own government? All of this ineptitude can’t be sheer coincidence.
Guardian on January 21, 2009 at 6:02 PM
As I’ve said elsewhere…
Take your pick…
Either he is so incompetent that he took a progams word over what he KNEW should be his tax liability…
Or he cheated on his taxes, which is against the law…
So, either this economist and banker didn’t know squat about tax law…
or he is a thief…
Either way, not someone I want running the IRS.
Romeo13 on January 21, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Leon Panetta is uniquely qualified to deconstruct the budget of the CIA making that agency more efficient, cost effective, lower profile, especially since there is so much duplication of effort between numerous intelligence gathering agencies.
We simply must do a better job in the United States. We do not invade the privacy of innocent citizens, we do not read other gentleman’s mail, and we do not torture.
/blinded by the light. . .
Skandia Recluse on January 21, 2009 at 6:04 PM
My accountant would then be qualified to run the Treasury. She has done my taxes for over 20 years with no problems. And my situation is not simple. If Obama wants to hire stupid people then so be it. Everyone in America then should get one free pass from the IRS if Geithner is confirmed.
izoneguy on January 21, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Good thing we bought Tax Cut.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on January 21, 2009 at 6:05 PM
I use Turbo Tax – its not that hard to understand.
This man is being dishonest.
Sweetness0726 on January 21, 2009 at 6:05 PM
There has to be someone else qualified
then again, there are only f%cktards in the Senate, on both sides of the aisle
UNREPENTANT CONSERVATIVE CAPITOLIST on January 21, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Obama also wants to put a financial guy who hasn’t worked in automotive manufacturing at Car Czar.
So why not put the Car Czar guy in at Treasury instead? Then Geithner can be made Car Czar, where his talent for not paying for entitlements will come in handy.
MayBee on January 21, 2009 at 6:05 PM
The pubbies will cave with perhaps a faint whimper. Bipartisanship, you know.
a capella on January 21, 2009 at 6:06 PM
WHY THE HELL ARE WE GIVING HIM THE JOB?
And my bonus question:
WHERE THE HELL IS THE REPUBLICAN’S RESOLVE?
I think the plan is to stuff the cabinet with stupid people.
Brilliant strategy on the part of the Republicans.
izoneguy on January 21, 2009 at 6:06 PM
He didn’t pay his self-employment tax. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand. He just didn’t pay it – in spite of being paid extra to cover the tax. He apparently didn’t file for it either, which is worse than just not having the money to cover it. Not having the money is a common problem for self-employed people, but failing to acknowledge the tax is not.
If I did that for several years, I’d expect to be prosecuted for tax evasion.
forest on January 21, 2009 at 6:06 PM
Anybody else have a hard time believing this guy actually uses turbo tax? Or knows how?
First you lie, then you have to lie to cover the first lie. Then you turn into a Clinton.
tarpon on January 21, 2009 at 6:07 PM
This guy is an obvious sellze. If Obama were to pull his nomination I would applaud him. If this guy takes the helm of tresury it’ll be intersting to see them prosecute another persons tax case.
kanda on January 21, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Why is he using Turbo Tax anyway? Is he too cheap to pay a good accountant?
Disturb the Universe on January 21, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Logic = Liberal Kryptonite
cryptojunkie on January 21, 2009 at 6:09 PM
We need Thomas Sowell to run the Treasury!
ihasurnominashun on January 21, 2009 at 6:10 PM
Someone please tell me how you screw up Turbo Tax? that is like the idiots guide to free money?
Do you have a Family.. click yes or no
Do you have a job.. clicl yes or no
Are you completely stupid…. just click yes.
upinak on January 21, 2009 at 6:10 PM
What is up with this Grahamnesty guy? He’s always ass kissing democrats and their plans.
darwin on January 21, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Why are the republicans folding so easily and so quickly on this?
cjs1943 on January 21, 2009 at 6:13 PM
I hope he gets in. Then we all have a get out of jail free card when we screw up our taxes. Right????????
RedSoxNation on January 21, 2009 at 6:01 PM
You betcha!
Look, a guy like Geitner can afford a good accountant to do his taxes. There is no excuse for a successful person with a complicated tax situation not to employ one. The real pity is that our tax code is so complicated, but that’s another issue.
If Geitner is so damned smart that he’s the only guy for the job, why couldn’t he figure out his taxes or pay someone to do it? Huh?! There has to be another reason why the administration is pushing him so hard. (wink, wink)
I listened to his testimony today, and frankly he sounds like a jerk.
Cody1991 on January 21, 2009 at 6:13 PM
Duh…cause they’re Republicans
Seriously…expecting the GOP to have balls….sheesh….
Sad I know…
Rogue on January 21, 2009 at 6:15 PM
I can use TurboTax, does that mean I am over qualified to be Treasury Sectary?
Wade on January 21, 2009 at 6:17 PM
He’s an equal opportunity suck up. He’s like the fat kid in grade school – so eager to run with the “cool” guys that he’s willing to make of fool of himself to get in their good graces.
katiejane on January 21, 2009 at 6:18 PM
TurboTax’s entire raison d’etre is that it makes taxes ridiculously simple to figure out.
They have such difficult questions as “Did you have a baby this year?” And, just in case that’s hard to understand, there is clip are to illustrate what they mean by baby…
He’s either too dumb to answer a series of yes/no questions correctly (in which case he shouldn’t be put in charge of Treasury) or he’s lying (in which case he shouldn’t be in charge of Treasury).
PLUS – there is now a law on the books that says that you are responsible for your taxes – mistakes and all – regardless of whether you hired a government certified accountant or not. In other words, the government tells me Joe Accountant knows what he’s doing. I hire him and he messes up. The government can then pursue legal action against me as if I had made the mistake on purpose.
Unless he is advocating a simplification of the tax code and laws to protect tax payers from mistakes made by government approved tax preparers, I don’t see why we would even consider giving him this job.
JadeNYU on January 21, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Off Topic Alert:
Just wanted to say congratulations to Michelle, Allah and Ed for passing the 200,000,000 visits mark. Well done and thank you.
Zorro on January 21, 2009 at 6:21 PM
Real key is that he had to falsify the codes that go with the forms you submit.
He would not have received a W2 from the IMF… as a contractor if I remember correctly, he would get a 1099 Misc?
I have used TurboTax in the past, and it specificly questions you about W2s, and 1099s…
I do know, based on the info you input, that it computes your self employment taxes for you…
Romeo13 on January 21, 2009 at 6:22 PM
Didn’t the idiot messiah run some campaign ad mocking people who were unable to use simple pieces of software?
All I can say is that you all had better cross your fingers and hope that our SCOTUS gets the guts to hear one of the BHO ineligibility cases. Otherwise, this country has no future, at all. None.
progressoverpeace on January 21, 2009 at 6:22 PM
NO! you are NOT Qualified, becaue you CAN use TurboTax!
Romeo13 on January 21, 2009 at 6:23 PM
This is the guy who initially wrote the first TARP………..
………….. and now Trillions of dollars have been thrown at the situation which the Democrats caused, there is no accountability, and the banks are worse off today than before.
Now, Mr. Obama wants to put him charge of the money of this country and write TARP v.2………………
……….. and no one, not a single Republican, is asking that the policies and politicians that got us into this in the first place, are stopped and removed first, before throwing Trillions more away…………
…………… Does anyone else see what is happening here?
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 6:23 PM
It’s too bad we don’t have a “Conservative Party.” The closest thing we have to it is today’s “Liberal Light” Republican Party.
Star20 on January 21, 2009 at 6:23 PM
I will work against any GOP senator that votes for this guy.
Will anyone join me?
faraway on January 21, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Well if he had used TaxCut he would have had audit protection from H&R Block…
saltydogg14 on January 21, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Two other reasons to bounce this doofus is that he’s a bad liar about using the Turbo Tax, and he set up the first bail out that torched the Republicans. But most of all for being a bad liar.
JAW on January 21, 2009 at 6:25 PM
Fact is this man is probably the LEAST qualified man for the position. We’ve already seen is incompetence in action.
James Pethokoukis blogged about him back in November when his name was announced. Money quote:
jimkaray on January 21, 2009 at 6:25 PM
There’s another concern with Geithner. Geithner, Paulson and Kashgkari foisted Merrill on B of A. B of A and its stockholders have lost billions of stock value since then as more information about Merrill’s worminess comes to light. Did Geithner commit a financial fraud that makes Madoff look like a street corner grifter?
chsw
chsw on January 21, 2009 at 6:25 PM
WHAT?! I can navigate TurboTax!
ThePrez for Treasury Secretary!
ThePrez on January 21, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Who will be in charge of Homeland Security? Khalid Sheikh Mohammed? I hear he’ll be available soon.
Disturb the Universe on January 21, 2009 at 6:27 PM
……………. the power of the audit.
You question Mr. Obama?
…………….. instant audit, your assets are seized, bank accounts frozen, with penalties, interest, fines, and the threat of prison.
Don’t think so………?
Seven Percent Solution on January 21, 2009 at 6:28 PM
chsw on January 21, 2009 at 6:25 PM
How about Lehman Brothers? September 13, 2008. BK. Look at the charts. No mercy, no help for that investment banking house, major failure causing global panic selling.
Where was Geitner? Trying to figure out TurboTax? I’m sure Dick Fuld would like to know.
Cody1991 on January 21, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Hey people in SC – primary this jerk and get him out. He can move to Arizona with the outgoing Senator there and give him backrubs and crack jokes around the campfire while they are making smores.
So, if we run into troubles with the IRS – we can cite the sweetheart deal that Geitner got – no penalties, no problems? Just call you Senator in that case and demand the same treatment. Ya right. We need to take this Government back – they work for us – it’s not the other way around.
suzyk on January 21, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Seriously, Washington D.C needs an enema.
milwife88 on January 21, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Move along.
The only way this clown would get in trouble is if he forgot to sign the “stimulus” checks. Forunately, that’s automated.
DC knows best, just do what you’re told, us hicks couldn’t possibly undertand the complex workings of the economy.
FFS, Washington, DC may as well be on Mars, they are all so out of touch.
reaganaut on January 21, 2009 at 6:35 PM
That about covers it.
Zorro on January 21, 2009 at 6:36 PM
For we but not for thee.
ronsfi on January 21, 2009 at 6:36 PM
This guy Geithner is a crook.
But it’s ok.
He’s a Democrat.
notagool on January 21, 2009 at 6:39 PM
The question not asked during the hearings, nor by the media at large, is “IF the IMF issued checks to Geithner, to reimburse him for taxes paid, a standard practice at the IMF and World Bank, why did he cash them…and then not pay his taxes?”
Fobbing the blame off on Turbo-Tax doesn’t work for me when I sit down in front of an IRS auditor…so why does Geithner get a free pass?
In the very least he is personally incompetent. At worst…he is a thief.
Now, America, given our current economic situation…do we really want a bona fide thief put in charge of the money supply of America?
Just askin’.
coldwarrior on January 21, 2009 at 6:41 PM
What I asked is am I OVER qualified.
Wade on January 21, 2009 at 6:44 PM
So going forward … should I have a tax issue, can I simply invoke that I pulled a Geitner and all will be forgiven?
It is going to be a looonnng 4 years of double standard fodder in DC!!
jen on January 21, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Truth be told, I think Obama did that because he doesn’t want Panetta to run the CIA – he wants him to reform it. I mean, between the DDI, DDO (now National Clandestine Service), the DNI and the NSA – how important is it that the DCIA, all by himself, needs to be super experienced in IC?
Seriously if Obama is able to clean out the CIA, I’d take that over a super experience DCIA.
apollyonbob on January 21, 2009 at 6:45 PM
When the Lord wants to give the world an enema, he will insert the tube in D.C.
Wade on January 21, 2009 at 6:45 PM
The fact the Repubs refuse to make a stand and obstruct this nomination shows they have caved. This – like Hillary – is a legitimate opportunity for the Republican leadership to show The One and its base that they have some principles left.
A tax cheat in charge of the Treasury.
Makes perfect sense.
Liberty is dead.
God help us all.
klickink.wordpress.com on January 21, 2009 at 6:49 PM
Sort of off topic…
We’ve been had…
Apple’s Profit Trounces Estimates on Holiday Sales
Bank of America Soars as Lewis, Directors Buy Shares
That and IBM posted strong earnings and predictions for a strong 2009.
Skywise on January 21, 2009 at 6:51 PM
One would think with all of his assets and the money he brings in why would he be using turbo tax and not a professional tax accountant? I think there is something really funny going on with this. I think turbo tax should go after him for slandor. It’s not turbo tax’s fault. It would be the person entering the information.
If he did use Turbo Tax I wonder if he cheated to get the free version.
Brat4life on January 21, 2009 at 6:51 PM
Just another symptom that we as a country are insane. The guy running the IRS is a tax cheat. We are insane.
blue13326 on January 21, 2009 at 6:53 PM
You kidding – that’s a job he’ll assign to the Secretary of State!!!
klickink.wordpress.com on January 21, 2009 at 6:53 PM
Geithner’s the only guy who knows where all the skeletons are buried and can make sure they stay that way.
peacenprosperity on January 21, 2009 at 6:54 PM
I don’t believe for a minute that Geithner used Turbo Tax. Or if he did, it was premeditated, knowing he could blame TT if he got caught.
Geithner’s track record with his taxes, Citibank and TARP is dismal. Disqualifying him on that basis is not the politics Graham derides, but a look at his record. Indeed, I believe it is Graham who is being the politician here, by is betting on playing the Kumbaya card.
Buy Danish on January 21, 2009 at 6:55 PM
Wade on January 21, 2009 at 6:45 PM
That was funny!
milwife88 on January 21, 2009 at 6:58 PM
So would you predict that Obamawon Barackobi will continue this pattern and reappoint Michael “Heck of a job” Brown as his head of FEMA?
MB4 on January 21, 2009 at 7:03 PM
Puh-leeze. TurboTax? First of all, even a dummy like me can figure it out; that’s the whole point, it’s basically idiot-proof. More to the point – if he’s so stupid that he can’t figure out TurboTax, or figure out that he CAN’T figure out above-mentioned program, then for crap’s sake, how can anyone think he’s bright enough to run the IRS?
uncivilized on January 21, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Had a small business owner tell me that it was cheaper for him to pay a lawyer to get him out of trouble with the IRS than it was to hire an accountant to keep him out of trouble with the IRS. You’d be surprised.
Still, that’s what TURBOTAX is for.
Chaz706 on January 21, 2009 at 7:09 PM
C’mon people, Obama accepted an illegal $300k gift/payoff from his corrupt money-man Tony Rezko when he bought his Chicago house. When he was caught, Obama made the issue go away by explaining that he’d “made a mistake.” Geithner has now assured us all that his years of deliberate tax cheating were just a mistake. Surely we’re not going to hold Geithner to a higher standard than Obama?
Just don’t try using this “mistake” defense if you’re caught committing a crime. This defense is only available to high-level Dims.
AZCoyote on January 21, 2009 at 7:11 PM
It would be nice if Conservatives had an actual political party to fight for us. Maybe one day we will have one, but the pussies in Congress that are in office now who call themselves Republicans sure ain’t it.
echosyst on January 21, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Lindsay Graham is NOT a republican.
You know, I’m more upset that Conservatives are no longer represented by the R. party than I am that the Dems took over House, Senate and WH.
stenwin77 on January 21, 2009 at 7:45 PM
Gosh, I bet it would have to say on his tax returns who prepared them and how they were filed wouldn’t it?
So it would be pretty easy to see if this World Bank exec was telling the truth about using Turbo-Tax to file from his kitchen table, wouldn’t it?
drunyan8315 on January 21, 2009 at 7:49 PM
Geithner’s lying. I haven’t used Turbo Tax, but when it comes to miscellaneous self-employment income (income not flowing from either Schedule C or Schedule but reported on the last line of all income items), I strongly suspect that Turbo Tax asks whether the income is subject to self-employment tax or not, and Geithner said no. Another example of self-employment income that’s subject to federal income tax but not self-employment tax is income that you earn as the executor (aka personal representative) of an estate.
Correct on Obama. I’m convinced that Rezko presented Obama’s seller “with an offer he couldn’t refuse,” which prompted the seller to knock $300K in a seller’s market. I’m betting that the seller was happy to accept $300K under the table (and outside of the Form 1099 reporting regime) from some friends of Obama’s in order to save $45,000 of capital gains taxes. I’ll bet Obama’s seller had a basis in his house of $850K so that his gain on a $1.65M asking price would have been $800K–$300K more than the $500K gain exclusion. Nobody knocks off $300K (here, almost 20%) of the asking price in an overheated market. No way.
Beyond that, Obama paid Rezko’s wife $104,500 for an adjacent parcel of property appraised at $40,500–that’s a $64,000 taxable gift. Has anyone seen Obama’s federal gift tax return for that gift?
Obama has no regard for our tax laws. Why should we expect it from his nominees.
Exit question: isn’t there a pretty capabale business guy from Massachusetts who could handle this job. I say draft Mitt if he’ll answer the call to service.
BuckeyeSam on January 21, 2009 at 7:51 PM
BULL CRAP
this moron is the best the liberals can come up with
a man who is so stupid he doesnt know how to pay his taxes?
Ever heard of a device called the PHONE?
Ever heard of a program called excell?
Ever heard of accounting programs
Ever driven by a tax place?
BULL CRAP..
if the demigogs even seat this CHEATER
I ask you all
WHY should we pay our taxes
he didnt,.,.
jcila on January 21, 2009 at 7:53 PM
I suggest Steve Forbes is more qualified. Or Thomas Sowell.
Oh wait, I forgot, they want someone who’ll justify bigger government.
rbj on January 21, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Come on. A guy who wants to be Treasury Secretary can’t use Turbo Tax??
therightwinger on January 21, 2009 at 7:58 PM
Oh come on Ed,
Words have meanings. Tax failures? The man is a tax cheat who got caught when he attempted to get a high profile job that involves running the IRS! This isn’t a case of Geithner forgetting to carry the two on his 1040.
I’ve used Turbo-tax since 1988 (when it was still geared for dot matrix printers) and it is as idiot-proof as you can get. Certainly simple enough the only guy supposedly qualified for the Secretary of the Tresuary job to understand without difficulty. He doesn’t get any latitude here and shouldn’t be confirmed.
highhopes on January 21, 2009 at 8:39 PM
I am a tax attorney and I’m a CPA as well. Either Ronald Reagan or Bush the Elder was in office the last time I prepared a 1040 for a client. However, through the years I have reviewed thousands prepared by employees and partners and I still do my own personal return. Like Geithner, I use Turbotax. You cannot, CANNOT, make the error he made using Turbotax without a manual override of the program. Just as with most professional grade tax preparation software, you have to force it to accept an override. They don’t generally happen by accident. But even if it was an accident, the program spits out an exception report listing all manual overrides when the return is printed.
Now, I suppose it’s conceivable he believed he knew the law better than Turbotax and plowed ahead with his mistaken understanding, but to believe that is to believe he’s incomptent. I don’t accept that. Geitner’s tax problem wasn’t an oversight or a mistake. It was willful.
Over the years I’ve watched IRS lien, levy, and harrass average folks for much less than Geithner is accused of doing. Average people are investigated and some go to prison. If the US Senate approves Geithner they will make a mockery of all future IRS collection efforts, particularly the hardball tactics they often employ. If the Senate approves Geithner they will be sending the message that the elite are above the law.
I ask how much more nonsense are average Americans willing to take? It’s time for another Tea Party!
flyfisher on January 21, 2009 at 8:39 PM
Geithner should have said the problem is he got confused because Turbo Tax doesn’t have a program to handle New York City’s income tax. Wouldn’t have been a true excuse, but it would have been true about the software.
jon1979 on January 21, 2009 at 8:43 PM
That’s my thoughts these days. John McCain getting up there and stumping for Hillary Clinton is just the latest clue that the social conservatives and evangelicals (Reagan Republicans) need to either drive the moneychangers out of the party of go elsewhere the way Lincoln became the first GOP president.
Frankly, I’m thinking the latter. Leave the GOP to political traitors like McCain and go out and form a new coalition with social conservatives who have been stuck with the Democrat and Republican labels.
Exit question: What would you call this new party?
My top three are the American Party, the Federalist Party, or the Conservative Party.
highhopes on January 21, 2009 at 8:47 PM
As a tax attorney and CPA, wouldn’t you agree that ignorance of the law is no excuse when it comes to these matters?
That being said, if this was some dispute in the past where Geithner settled with the IRS years ago, it would be less significant than the fact that the man only paid off his debts days before his nomination was announced. I know how long these things can go on- I had double reported income that it took three years to clear up before the IRS backed down (in the late 1980s). Nevertheless, Obama has promised a clean government and he can’t get it by hiring and defending tax cheats in charge of the department which prosecutes tax cheats. Geinther needs to go.
highhopes on January 21, 2009 at 8:53 PM
If I didn’t pay my taxes … I would be in prison after the trial …
If you didn’t pay your taxes … you would be in prison after the trial …
Helmsly(?) went to prison …
Snipes went to prison …
Capone went to prison …
Geithner won’t serve a day in prison.
… just adding to my usurpation list …
AZ_Redneck on January 21, 2009 at 9:01 PM
Oh absolutely. And for the record, this isn’t a gray area that experts might quibble over. The law in question was long ago settled and is crystal clear. And he didn’t need someone with my background to handle advise him. Any $9/hour H&R Block tax preparer could have explained this to Geithner (and the Senators!). But alas, no explanation was sought or needed. To a man the Senators know what he did and seem willing to give him a pass.
flyfisher on January 21, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Thank you for the information.
INC on January 21, 2009 at 9:25 PM
Un.Believe.able.
I have filed with TurboTax numerous times, including not only self employment income but things like foreign earned income exclusions.
Using Turbo Tax is like falling off a log.
Apparently the push to simplify the tax code is more about helping federal officials, or potential federal officials, be able to understand it than helping the average joe understand it.
TexasDan on January 21, 2009 at 9:25 PM
Ignore Graham and call Grassley and your own senators.
INC on January 21, 2009 at 9:27 PM
Does that mean if we’re “very sincere” we won’t have any problems either?
This blatant double standard for the governing class and We the People is outrageous.
INC on January 21, 2009 at 9:28 PM
Oh! I think you give those H&R Block seasonal employees more credit than they deserve. I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve used Turbo Tax since 1988. That’s because I went to H&R in 1987- the first year I had file my own income tax return. I was on active duty in the military and the idiot who was “my people” couldn’t wrap his mind around the idea that I needed to file a Virginia tax return even though I was living in California. It was a bigger deal back then since you couldn’t get the forms on-line the way you can now.
As to this nomination, Geithner clearly knew he was a tax cheat from the minute he signed those tax returns. He just assumed that the fact he was employed by a subsidiary of the UN would make him immune from audit. All these excuses are lame. Unfortunately, he is likely to be confirmed by the Senate and will be in charge of prosecuting Americans who may have really fallen afoul of tax law by mistake.
Hope and change? Not with all the criminals the filthy bastard is putting in positions of power.
highhopes on January 21, 2009 at 9:37 PM
What galls me even more is the fraud perpetrated by bilking reimbursement money from the IMF, which he pocketed. What, was he hard up for cash during those years? (Maybe he’s not a rich man, likes to spend money, and simply won’t be denied?)
$34,000. Shoot, I use an accountant now but I’ll switch to TurboTax immediately if it’ll save me $34,000 on my taxes. (Quel miracle!)
RD on January 21, 2009 at 9:47 PM
He’s either an idiot or a liar. I’ll pick liar in this case. TurboTax should sue him for slander.
roux on January 21, 2009 at 9:55 PM
Good point!
highhopes on January 21, 2009 at 10:18 PM
Bingo!
Tim Burton on January 21, 2009 at 10:44 PM
My wife and I are going to call our senators tomorrow.. One RINO and one democrap.. So, if you don’t see any posting from me you’ll know I lost my temper and they came for me….
This is like putting a guy who can’t ride a bike or drive a car as commander of the Space Shuttle. TOO STUPID TO USE TURBOTAX?? As others have pointed out.. Why didn’t he hire an accountant. Methinks this guy might have some financial leakage somewhere… ie. a 5000/hour habit like spitzer, or a love of the ponies or something.. When you are making major money you should be able to hire an accountant.
The obama administration is looking more and more like the Twighlight Zone or Monty Python….
I’d love to be a fly on the wall watching him reading “economics for dummies” during his first week as secrtreas…
Where the hell is my Jack Daniels…..
bullseye on January 21, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Hey, Ed, you’ve got a typo in this story. You seem to have referred to Lindsay Graham as a Republican…
Jaibones on January 21, 2009 at 10:56 PM
I started to scold someone up the thread about “jail” and all their partisan bluster, and then I suddenly remembered: my daughter’s boss served time in federal prison for tax evasion. Holy crap!
Jaibones on January 21, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Forgot about the “He doesn’t know how to use a computer” ads.. You clobbered that one… SECTREAS – THE JOB FOR THOSE WHO ARE TOO STUPID TO USE A COMPUTER…
bullseye on January 21, 2009 at 11:23 PM
What’s next, Charlie Manson for Attorney General???
bullseye on January 21, 2009 at 11:25 PM
GIGO
unclesmrgol on January 21, 2009 at 11:31 PM
It seems they all feel (Rs & Ds) that they need someone intimately involved with the f-up because it would take too long to bring a new person up to speed on the crisis (AIG, Bear, Lehman, Citi, BofA, Wachovia, WaMu, Countrywide, Fannie & Freddie) and the crap Congress has already dumped on it with TARP.
Unless he pulls an economic miracle in the very near term, Geithner won’t be long in the position and will be one of the Obama Administration’s first headaches (especially when he gets a pass from Congress on being a tax cheat and hiring an illegal housecleaner.)
Maybe the person from the Government Accountability Office is better suited. Someone who has been complaining about the lack of transparency in how the financial institutions are spending the Billions already given; Tijajana (greatest place on Earth. KKlown). These institutions won’t account for money given and now want more.
For some reason, I keeping thinking back to Clinton CIA man George Tenet and how GWB kept him on after 9/11 and the war on terror (warts and all).
danking70 on January 21, 2009 at 11:50 PM
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