Kerry: Tax flap won't derail Geithner

Typical... Kerry is a useless excuse for a human being.

Typical liberals, not paying there taxes, until they want higher office. Remind me again who is the party for the rich? If average Joe did not pay, the IRS would burn you out of your house. The fact that he owed $34K means he must have made well over $250K. And he is in charge if our Treasury. God help us. Oh and never mind that he had illegals working for him, something which derailed Bush cabinet members.

The explanation that Geither's failure to pay taxes was ok because the tax laws for self employment are complicated. He is being nominated as the Treasury Secretary da! I see that we are continuing to hold our government representatives to a different standard than the general public. I guess "Yes we can" means yes we can continue to do business as usual with the same lack of accountability.

Sign me frustrated.

I don't understand how Mass even re-elected this liar Kerry . If the common man didn't pay taxes his geister, home and everything would be tied up in liens. When he was sent a warning in 2006 nad ignored his tax bill, its not a simple mistake. Of course what does Kerry know about a simple mistake. God help this country with people of Kerry character helping to run our government. DUMP ACORN and KERRY NOW

lets see. the governer from his state of Illinois is being impeached and brought up on charges, his chief of staff has had dealings with said governer. another governer had to back out from appointment due to another investigation, the first gov and obama have the same fund raiser, who is in trouble. now this guy can't seem to remember to pay taxes and pelosi and kerry come to obama's rescue. all of this before he even takes office. let's face it, Obama will now be known as "teflon man"

It is kind of interesting at the pass Mr. Geithner is being given, I am guessing because he is a democrat. Any honest person would know that if a Republican were to do this, the media and the Democrats would be all over him/her. To see the hypocrisy and the denial...

Hey if the guy can't figure out IMF and Kerry say's "we need somebody with his skills" this is an oxymoron. These guys (Washington in gereral) never cease to amaze me.

this is crazy!!

clinton and the donners, Rahm, Blago, richardson, Geithner....my money is still on Rezko

bush's fault.

If Mr. Geithner cannot properly manage his own personal taxes, how can he be trusted to head the Treasury Department that formulates and recommends economic, financial, tax, and fiscal policies for our country?

Kerry's amoral rationalizations over time of his self serving behaviors certainly qualifies him to endorse someone else's wrong doing as "OK". This from a Senator with the worse attendance record in the Senate; in effect, he doesn't even bother to do the job the people from Massachusetts elected him to do. So, it's easy to see why he feels another "to be" official in the Obama Administration can enter office with a tainted record. Morality stops at the Beltway, hence Congress's 13% approval rating. Another above the law Administration official? Now there is "Change we can believe in".

I support Barack Obama and the Democratic party (at least while the Republicans continue to behave like lunatics), but it isn't permissible to put a crook in charge of the Treasury. Every government official needs to put our nation first. High level government officials in particular need to set a great example for the rest of our government staff. A guy who cheats on his income taxes isn't putting our nation first. Failing to withdraw his nomination also sends a fairly clear message to us all that cheating on your taxes is okay.

Mr. Kerry is wise enough to know that all the people in Washington are crooks. Being a criminal or acting like one makes you part of the team. And, hey, if you good enough at it you may win the Medal of Freedom award. But then you may have to kill a bunch of innocent civilians to get that grand shame hung around you neck.

An honest mistake? Where is the higher standard the new administration was bragging about? Sounds like the same standard of conduct that got us into the current financial mess. Geithner should do the right thing and remove himself from consideration.

Senator Kerry just doesn’t get, with all the conniving and fraud going on why shouldn't we ask President Elect Obama to select a Secretary to Administer our Financial System from among candidates who are above reproach.

Haven't we seen sufficient examples of Corporate Executives, Government Leaders, and Wall Street Madoff's who bamboozle their underlings, citizens, and investors without conscience.

Why do we continue to settle for the least ethical candidate when three are many without blemish who shine with integrity and trust.

I am sick and tired of the argument that Financial Managers on Wall Street just made honest mistakes with Hedge Funds, that the big three Automakers just made honest mistakes in manufacturing poor products, that the Banking industry just make honest mistakes in lending to buyers who could not make payments, and that our elected Government Officials just tried to hard to outdo them all with just honest mistakes in Legislative Acts and Administration.

Why shouldn’t we select the best and only those above reproach?

Kerry's endorsement of Geithner baffles me. Mediocrity run wild continues if his nomination is not removed. The word "vetting" has been given new meaning in the Obama administration.

Liberal do anything while Conservatives are "evil" by the bias media. This is only the beginning. Normal Joe would go to jail but Mr Geithner will be put in charge and make a fortune at taxpayers expense.

a treasury secretary stumped when the financial situation is "a little bit complicated", as senator kerry said? and it's not an honest mistake when you pay only when caught, continue not to pay on other years in the same circumstance, and settle only when a public appointment makes it essential; but no surprise along with a secretary of state who dodged imaginary bullets in bosnia, a director of CIA who was no experience with intelligence work, and others; at some point the lack of experience (with the president elect also) will cost us, dearly

Not paying self-employment taxes is perfectly understandable. My spouse is an attorney and the first tax return I prepared while she was in self-employed status did not have self-employment tax because Turbo Tax didn't ask. We have used and accountant ever since. Last year, our new accountant didn't add the self-employment tax on the initial preparation of the return (even though I specifically mentioned it). So, it is an honest mistake and everyone should take a chill pill on this issue. I lean Republican, but this is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. It can happen to anyone.

Sure, Obama didn't pay his parking tickets for 20 years... that was an "honest mistake" too. Had he not run for the office he would NEVER pay those tickets. I know people who get audited by IRS for much less money but this guy not paying $30,000 for 3 [BLEEP]-ing YEARS and that's a "honest mistake"? Perhaps we all skip paying IRS for 3 years and when they knock on the door we just say "oh, it's a honest mistake".

Can you imagine if this is one of Bush's cabinet the media would be ALL OVER THIS GUY.

And remember Kerry thinks only stupid people end up in the Army because they don't study enough.

I am not believing what I am reading!!! Geithner is going to be appointed as the Treasury Secretary and the only thing he can come up with is " the self-employment tax laws are complicated" Please tell me that my fellow americans think this is a bunch of political garbage and a cover-up job as I do. If he doesn't know the laws then how can he be nominated for this job?? Is this the only time he was self-employed? Did the "complicated tax laws just jump up out of nowhere? If he doesn't know the laws, then why didn't he hire someone to do his taxes and ensure he was ok? I don't care what Kerry says as far as I am concerned I know he is lying because his lips are moving... We the John Q Republic are in for a rough time if this is the way this adminstration chooses to get started. I did not vote for Obama, however I am willing to give him a chance to make good on his promises. This is not change, it is the same old government with different puppets and a different puppet master..

It's sad to see our potential Treasury secretary not to have taken 'complicated' taxes seriously... and pay them. This would seem to bode well for the greedy rich and bode ominously for the average American... the rich get richer, sometimes by not paying their taxes. Just what we need now.

What cares the peasant whose foot is on his neck?

I still see its Bush's fault. After next week you can't blame GW anymore. The left is still tearing Palin down in preparation and insurance for 2012. They know it. This Obahmination is a one termer baby! By the time 2010 comes around the numbers already show they will have out spent the Bush administration 2 1/2 to 1.

Just curious, but where are the penalties for this "honest mistake". Interest was charged but not penalty. That's not the IRS that I know!!

Of course politicans wouldn't have a problem with someone running the Department of Treasury and overseeing the IRS and they "forgot" to pay their taxes and employed an undocumented worker.
Only politicans get away with that, mainstreet Americans don't get to use the excuse "I forgot" to pay my taxes. If Tim Geithner is appointed Secretary of Treasury then every American has the right to use "I forgot" when they don't pay their taxes. What a role model he will be.

John Kerry,
Are you serious? The Self Employment tax is on the first page of the 1040 (Line 27). If you read the instructions for that line (an easy thing to do) it is also pretty clear that you are required to pay this tax if you work for (not employed directly) an international organization or government. Mr. Geithner must have been aware of that he was not an employee. Poor excuse for someone who apparently prepared some of his own tax returns during this time period. This was not an honest mistake. He knew exactly what he was doing, like trying to get away with deducting expenses for an overnight camp. That's creative.

Think of things to come this way, we don't need to hunt for the bad guys, they run our country. Now isn't that Change a bit easier to understand.

Ummmm : Posted by michael m January 14, 09 11:29 AM

Maybe the first year, but I am sure by the 4 time he was well aware of what he was doing. I think we should all protest by not paying our taxes and just claim it as an honest mistake!!!