Hey, I know I always forget to report my free car and driver - I just got used to it as a well-known blogger!
Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, President Barack Obama's nominee for the secretary of Health and Human Services, paid around $100,000 in back taxes after his nomination to pay for a car and driver he was supplied but did not report as income, according to documents being prepared by the Senate Finance Committee.
Mr. Daschle also took two vacation trips aboard a $30 million corporate jet belonging to non-profit lender EduCap, which faces a separate probe by the Finance Committee into its tax status.
The issues will dominate a closed-door meeting of the committee called for Monday afternoon, according to committee aides. His confirmation has been held up for weeks as committee staff pours over tax records and business ties of the former Senate majority leader.
A Daschle spokeswoman didn't respond immediately to requests for comment.
On the back-tax issue, Mr. Daschle was supplied a luxury car and driver by InterMedia Advisors, LLP, an investment firm specializing in buyouts and industry consolidation. Mr. Daschle served as chairman of the firm's executive advisory board. He told committee staff he had grown used to having a car and driver as majority leader and did not think to report the perk on his taxes, according to staff members.
