Breaking News: Tom Daschle, President Obama's pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services failed to pay his IRS Taxes

According to he Senate Finance Committee Tom Daschle failed to pay Federal Income Taxes on the use of a limousine and driver, and didn't disclose his income taxes and nonpayment of taxes on more than $80,000 he earned in consulting fees after leaving the U.S. Senate.


















Full Story:
Tom Daschle also apparently once filed a tax form listing charitable donations to organizations that did not qualify for a deduction, according to the memo.
A Democratic source told CNN that Daschle has since paid what he owed. None of the tax issues appeared to have occurred while he was serving in the senate.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that Daschle brought the issues to the committee's attention himself and that Obama is "confident" he will be confirmed.
Daschle, 61, of South Dakota, served in the Senate from 1987 to 2005 and served as Democratic leader from 1995 until after he was defeated in a re-election bid in 2004.
He has been a confidant and adviser to Obama, and it was not a surprise when Obama picked him for a role in his administration.
"The president has confidence that Sen. Daschle is the right person to lead the fight for health care reform," Gibbs said Friday. "In preparation for his nomination, Sen. Daschle and his accountant identified some tax issues and fixed them. They filed an amended return with the IRS and made payments with interest."
Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, said Daschle would be confirmed.
"He has a long and distinguished career and record in public service and is the best person to help reform health care in this country," Manley said. "Sen. Reid looks forward to a swift hearing and is confident Daschle will be confirmed."
Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican member of the committee, said Friday that Daschle's confirmation process has been the same as every other he's participated in since 2001. He said the process "established certain tax violations, for which the nominee has amended or is amending returns."
He said the information that was discovered will be made public now that all committee members have been made aware of it.
"The public business ought to be public, and committee members must weigh all the facts of a nominee's record," he said in a written statement.
A congressional source also said the committee has looked at several trips Daschle took while he was out of office on the private jet of Educap, a nonprofit group that works to help college students get loans.
The finance committee must sign off on Daschle's nomination before the full senate votes on whether to confirm him. Monday's meeting will not be a confirmation hearing, and no vote is expected.

My Comment for what it's worth:
Tom Daschle was an irritant while in the U.S. Senate and now he proves Obama just loves to put crooks and ne'er-do-wells in office and surround himself with people who brake the law and will govern the country according to their own standards!