As Barack Obama's tax-delinquent Treasury pick Tim Geithner appears to be sailing smoothly towards nomination, it seems Caroline Kennedy's once all-but-apparent ascension to the vacant Senate seat for New York seems to be dead in the water and sinking fast.
As the New York Times is reporting, tax issues appear to be responsible for sinking the Kennedy bid:
ALBANY - Problems involving taxes and a household employee surfaced during the vetting of Caroline Kennedy and derailed her candidacy for the Senate, a person close to Gov. David A. Paterson said on Thursday, in an account at odds with Ms. Kennedy’s own description of her reasons for withdrawing.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓The account emerged 14 hours after Ms. Kennedy announced that she was taking her name out of contention for the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton, and as Mr. Paterson appeared to be leaning toward selecting Representative Kirsten E. Gillibrand, an upstate lawmaker in her second term in Congress.
Hard feelings toward Ms. Kennedy were clearly building among the governor’s staff on Thursday, after a dramatic evening in which she was reported to be dropping out, then wavering, then ultimately, shortly after midnight on Thursday, issuing a statement ending her candidacy.
Along with Geithnergate, the Blago scandal, the Roland Burris sideshow, and questions over former President Bill Clinton's fundraising, there's clearly plenty of room for media wags to ponder a Democratic culture of corruption.
While I'm not holding my breath there, it is refreshing to see at least one liberal journo crack a joke about Kennedy and Geithner. From a Jan. 22 Swampland blog post by Karen Tumulty:
The NYT, quoting a source close to Governor David Paterson, is reporting that problems involving taxes and a housekeeper derailed Caroline Kennedy's Senate bid.
BAD NEWS: She won't get to be a Senator.
GOOD NEWS: She can still be Treasury Secretary.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
well this explains why Dems
January 22, 2009 - 17:28 ET by katainkentwell this explains why Dems don't mind tax hikes. Not their problem!
"part of what I'm hoping to introduce as the next president is a new ethic of [government enforced] responsibility" - B. Obama
happy new year
January 22, 2009 - 17:31 ET by soosanif this is an example of the types of news stories that are going to be emerging in this new time of hope and change, I hope they don't change a thing - this is really entertaining stuff. How long before the Obomotons catch on?
Frank screwed up by giving
January 22, 2009 - 17:38 ET by kgFrank screwed up by giving Boston's United One bank $12 Million TARP money. The local bank owns a new Porsche and Beachfront property in California.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
Mightas well complain now.
January 22, 2009 - 17:42 ET by Willis_Leon_JohnsonNext week it will be illegal for any person to mention criminal activity by any liberal democrat politician.
Anybody care to bet on how many 'journalists' are just as guilty of income tax evasion?
I'd bet 70% or higher.
Spitzer is looking better and better
January 22, 2009 - 18:16 ET by legacyrepublicanThese Dems are getting to be so bad with their taxes that it makes Spitzer look honest.
Democrats=ethically
January 22, 2009 - 18:19 ET by celatorDemocrats=ethically challenged. It's right there on page 4 of their founding charter.
For liberal Democrats and the Old Media, everything is crisis, chaos, calamity and catastrophe. That justifies stealing your property and liberties.
C'mon, Ken you already know the answer, don't you?
January 22, 2009 - 18:21 ET by CKA in Red State USAN-O! They will not.
A pig is never dirty
January 22, 2009 - 18:26 ET by cocodrieA pig is never dirty to another pig, even wearing lipstick.
Jesus Loves You
Liberals are held to a lower standard
January 22, 2009 - 18:27 ET by c5thenAfter all, if they were held to the same standard as conservatives, they'd all either be in jail or disqualified for their jobs.
Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!
Alan Keyes / Sarah Palin - 2012
Corruption?
January 22, 2009 - 18:42 ET by Prester JohnWhat corruption?
It was an innocent mistake, happens to everybody, wasn't deliberate, it was a gaffe, an error, a problem with TurboTax, the tax code is too complicated, the IMF paperwork wasn't clear.......
.....IT WASN"T MY FAULLLLLLLT
Jake, The Blues Brothers
Apples and Oranges
January 22, 2009 - 19:08 ET by shawn228Ok I will admit the guy wanting to be vetted as treasury secretary is kindy iffy, but this is a totally different thing.
I have heard all about how corupt Dem politians don't get called out like The Dem mayor of this city or that city, Mayers don't usually get political tags like other politians, I never heard San Francisco Democratic Mayer Gavin Newsome, or New York Repubican/idependent Mayor Bloomburg Mike Bloomburg.
I remember Blogoivich, got plenty of press time and the Democratic leaders have denounced him, and Caroyln Kennedy bowing out of the race because she might be embarrased of something in her past is not corrupt is it?
Yes i agree if McCain won, the media would pounce on this more, but my goodness this is only his second day.
He had my vote
Caroyln Kennedy bowing out
January 22, 2009 - 19:24 ET by motherbeltCaroyln Kennedy bowing out of the race because she might be embarrased of something in her past is not corrupt is it?
Yes it is, if it is what is being suggested: that it is a tax problem and possibly a "nanny" problem.
And as for "withdrawing" her name, it kind of smacks of "you can't fire me; I quit!"
Caroyln Kennedy bowing out
January 22, 2009 - 19:24 ET by motherbeltCaroyln Kennedy bowing out of the race because she might be embarrased of something in her past is not corrupt is it?
Yes it is, if it is what is being suggested: that it is a tax problem and possibly a "nanny" problem.
And as for "withdrawing" her name, it kind of smacks of "you can't fire me; I quit!"
Could we be nearing the end of the Kennedy Dynasty?
January 22, 2009 - 19:18 ET by R D HelmGod, lets hope so.
As for Geithner, he should be riding a bench in a federal pokie. If I, or any one of you, had done what he did, that is where we would be at this very moment.
Where the hell are the republicans?
-Dave
“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -While there is still time.
Is this not
January 22, 2009 - 19:20 ET by motherbeltIs this not infuriating????
All of a sudden, ethics don't matter; even legalities don't matter.
"We need Geithner!" is the rallying cry. Doesn't matter what he's done; he's the one we need to fix this!
Sounds like we're in for another verse of "the most ethical government in history."
<insert hysterical laughter>
mb, After what the IRS did to my Alzheiner's-afflicted father...
January 22, 2009 - 19:43 ET by R D Helm...which was due to the actions of a very crooked accountant, if either of my two senators votes to confirm this crook, I am going to start recall petitions against them both five minutes after the vote occurs.
I have had it.
-Dave
“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -While there is still time.
I don't blame you Dave....
January 22, 2009 - 19:53 ET by motherbeltand more power to you!
As for where the Republicans are....trying to kiss up and be liked, as usual. Abused wives, they act like...the lot of them.
For the Little People
January 22, 2009 - 19:37 ET by BW222Ken Shapherd just doesn't understand: taxes are only for the little people.
BW222
Well, it's very draining to
January 22, 2009 - 20:15 ET by RR GOPWell, it's very draining to spend your life working on behalf of little people (you know, like minorities.../sarc), and since they take on the sins of the world, why shouldn't they be afforded a little more in the way of personal enrichment and comforts?
I think George Orwell said it all very well in Animal Farm.
One of the 24% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 89% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
The List Is Long And Growing
January 22, 2009 - 21:06 ET by Intellectual HonestyAlong with Geithnergate, the Blago scandal, the Roland Burris sideshow, and questions over former President Bill Clinton's fundraising, there's clearly plenty of room for media wags to ponder a Democratic culture of corruption.
Off the top of my head: Fitzpatrick in Detroit, Rangel, Conyers AND wife, bribe-in-bra Diane Wilkerson, Chuck "I didn't have time to zip my fly" Turner, that mayor in Baltimore, Geithner of course, Spitz, Johnson (sic) of Florida, now Caroline, and hundreds of smaller frys that never have their party affiliation noted. I know I am missing many obvious ones.
Edit: Almost forget the Big Kahuna of the current crop: BLAGO!
Edit #2: Sam Adams teenager sex scandal in Portland.
We're talking Democrats here.
January 22, 2009 - 22:05 ET by pbthinkerWe've had 2 Democrats caught by this pesky nanny tax thing. Look for them to re-write tax law so only Republicans have to worry about them. Hell they have Rangel, Kennedy, and Geithner with tax problems, there just has to be something they can do.
Election 2008-God's way of showing us that elections count.
Rangel
January 23, 2009 - 11:23 ET by dmaley1714Please don't forget to put House Ways and Means Charlie rangel who owed more back taxes than Joe the plumber .... lets move along it was just an oversight
MY RESPONSE TO RNC LETTER 2DAY
January 23, 2009 - 16:27 ET by reelman46Looking for $$$ of course...I wrote in large print
black ink...= 24 point bold
NOT A DIME FOR COWARDS
NOT A DIME FOR GET-A-LONGS
I checked the "other" $$ box with a large zero...
did add my stamp, my e mail and my cell phone to reply sheet.
(I also wrote Big Bailout Boneheads on it...I am such a bad bad boy)
and I feel quite good
about it too...
go ahead, make my day, call me back.
Doug Schexnayder, Ph.D. (theconservativecrawfish)