Yesterday, I coined the phrase "Geithner Paradigm."
The Cliff Notes version is this: Our newly confirmed Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner, violated a half dozen laws concerning income tax, fraud, and hiring an illegal alien. His subsequent confirmation as the boss of the agency who's laws he violated, combined with the complete pass he received (all in the guise of the "honest mistake" defense) for violations of law that would cost most people their jobs and result in probable prison time has resulted in the Geithner Paradigm, a new set of rules that has dramatically lowered the bar in matters of criminality among our elected and appointed officials and will continue to do so in the future.
I posited that this violation of the public trust will be used like all successful violations of integrity in the future by all politicians... and, eventually, it will leak down to every level.
Our first opportunity to observe the Geithner Paradigm in action will be the case of former Sen. Tom Dashcle, former Senate Majority Leader and democrat... and nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services.
I expect that as soon as tomorrow, we will again see the shillers for the Obama Administration, including some of the more misguided Republican colleagues of Sen. Daschle, begin to come out and rise to Daschle's defense.
We've already seen the White House start the process, with the release of this information.
The White House acknowledged Friday that "some tax issues" had emerged in connection with the nomination, but a spokesman said the president is confident the Former Senate Democratic leader will be confirmed as the new health secretary.We can all expect the "innocent mistake" defense to be trotted out directly. The end result?
Most likely, Sen. Daschle will also become the new Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The Geithner Paradigm in action, as once again, a government politician/appointee is given special privileges and his integrity violations go unpunished... for crimes that would see any of us locked up.
And as much as I try, I don't see this as any kind of Change! at all.
Tax issues emerge in Daschle nomination
Former Sen. Tom Daschle, picked by President Barack Obama to lead his health reform efforts, recently filed amended tax returns to report $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest, according to a Senate document obtained by The Associated Press.
Associated Press Writer
Former Sen. Tom Daschle, picked by President Barack Obama to lead his health reform efforts, recently filed amended tax returns to report $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest, according to a Senate document obtained by The Associated Press.
The White House acknowledged Friday that "some tax issues" had emerged in connection with the nomination, but a spokesman said the president is confident the former Senate Democratic leader will be confirmed as the new health secretary.
Daschle filed amended tax returns for 2005, 2006 and 2007 to reflect additional income for consulting work, the use of a car service and reduced deductions for charitable contributions. He filed the returns after Obama announced he intended to nominate Daschle to head the Health and Human Services Department.
Most of the additional taxes resulted from unreported income from the use of a car service provided him by a close friend and business associate, Leo Hindery Jr. The unreported income for that service totaled more than $250,000 over three years.
Daschle also had unreported consulting income of $88,333, in 2007. He also had reductions to charitable contributions totaling about $15,000 over the three years covered, according to the Senate Finance Committee document. The document, marked "Confidential Draft," is a committee statement concerning Daschle's nomination.
The car service and the consulting income were received in connection with Daschle's business relationship with InterMedia Partners of Englewood, Colo. Daschle is a limited partner and chairman of its executive advisory board. Daschle is also an independent consultant to InterMedia Advisors LLP of New York City.
Hindery founded InterMedia Partners, a private equity firm, in 1988. Daschle was paid $1 million annually for his services, the committee said. Daschle's 2007 tax return did not include one of his monthly payments of $88,333.
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