Do Tax Evaders Have to be Republican? Yes on ABC

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An ABC Good Morning America story by Claire Shipman reports on the $150 billion in tax revenue that the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations says is lost because of the wealthy who figure out ways to avoid paying taxes.

That's enough money to cover the budgets for the Department of Education, the State Department, the Justice Department, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Or to purchase 60 Virginia-class nuclear subs. Or enough to give $500 to every American.

As required, Republicans have to be trashed in this story and not Democrats. First she quoted a Democratic Senator who moralized about the situation, not any Republicans, which fit in nicely with the next principle, which is to only cite Republicans who are doing the immoral thing in question.

"Something smells here. … Something is rotten here," said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., who sits on the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.

"The abuse of offshore tax havens by U.S. individuals are shifting the tax burden to all of us," Levin said. "The report blows the lid off tax haven abuses."

Then there were some examples of rich people who avoid paying taxes. As required, only the Republican ones are to be highlighted.

Hollywood media mogul Haim Saban, creator of the "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" TV show, is one of a number of high-profile individuals targeted in the investigation.

He's reached a deal with the IRS to pay back taxes.

"I asked my adviser, is this completely kosher, i.e., legal, and would a reputable law firm say so," Saban said.

Texas tycoons Charles and Sam Wyly, big-time Republican backers, are also being investigated for setting up offshore tax-free trusts, which saved them from paying at least $190 million.

They used the money to buy things like a $287,000 painting.

So the Republican tax-dodgers are called "big-time Republican backers" while nothing is said about Haim Saban's political affiliations.

Haim Saban defines the true meaning of the word "big-time," as his donations to the Democratic Party indicate.

Since 1996, Saban and his wife have given over $14,700,000.00 in contributions, according to opensecrets.org. Of that, virtualDo Tax Evaders Have to be Republican? Yes on ABC | NewsBusters.orgly 100% is to Democratic causes or candidates (primarily the DNC, DNCC and DSCC).

During the same time period Charles and Sam Wyly and their spouses have contributed about $2,530,000 (and I was a lot more generous as to who I included in the Wyly total than in the Saban total). So Shipman feels she must label the Wyly’s as "big-time Republican backers" but not identify Saban as a "big-time Democrat backer," although he’s contributed about 6 times as much money.

So Ms. Shipman has performed the Bias Model to perfection, a flawless performance. A Democratic moralist is quoted while Republican evil doers are cited. Democratic moralizing and Republican bashing? Sounds like a Howard Dean press release.

Ken Shepherd at TimesWatch has more the New York Time's biased coverage of the Senate hearing on wealthy tax vaders.