(CNN) – As Tom Daschle makes his case to remain President Obama's choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, the nation's leading liberal editorial page is calling for the former Senate Majority Leader to withdraw his nomination.
In Tuesday's lead New York Times editorial, the paper's editors write Daschle's failure to pay close to $130,000 in taxes for a car and driver service over three years is too big a mistake for Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee to overlook as they consider his nomination.
The paper's editorial board particularly takes issue with the fact that Daschle has said he identified the unpaid taxes last June, but did not pay them until he was nominated for the top post at the Department of Health and Human Services.
"Only after the Obama transition team flagged unrelated tax issues that would require filing amended returns did Mr. Daschle and his accountant address the need to report the personal use value of the car service — more than $255,000 over three years — as income," the board writes.
Earlier: Daschle 'deeply embarrassed' over tax issues
The editorial also criticizes Daschle for generating a sizeable income from health-related industries while working in the private sector. The former South Dakota senator has advised UnitedHealth Group, serves as a trustee of the Mayo Clinic, and has been paid "hundreds of thousands of dollars for speeches to interest groups, including those representing health insurance plans, medical equipment distributors and pharmacy boards," according to the Times.
"Mr. Daschle is another in a long line of politicians who move cozily between government and industry. We don’t know that his industry ties would influence his judgments on health issues, but they could potentially throw a cloud over health care reform," the editorial said.
Watch: Daschle issues an apology
The editorial comes one day after Daschle met privately with members of the Finance Committee, the panel which is slated to on his the nomination next week. The committee's chairman, Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, issued a statement of support for Daschle after the 75-minute closed-door meeting.
White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs also said Monday President Obama continues to stand behind his HHS nominee.
"I think the Senate will lay a serious, but corrected, mistake against that three-decade career in public service," Gibbs said.
Watch: Daschle's tax troubles
From CNN Politics
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I think Daschle was wrong but the NYT can go kick rocks.
biden said that it was patriotic to pay higher taxes time to step up****
oh i forgot dems believe in taxes for others and not themselves you know socialism works as long as my neighbor has money lets return to individual freedoms that our fore fathers fought for not this nanny state that obama wants to give us
What has happened here over the last month... Has fox news closed it site to you all?????... or do you believe all your poison will try the majority to the GOP party... Why are you not asking how Palin got her house built.... the contractors that got the contract to build the Sports Building in her town while she was Mayor... built it... but that story died... because that was picking on her.... the fact that the Sports Arena was built on land that did not really belong to the town... or left the town in debt... never mentioned... hum...
I guess not paying taxes is abig deal, sure didn't see too many jumping up and down on some the crap the past 8yrs has bought into view. Gee get a life. Let's do some digging on the stuff that present and past republicans have done and probably still doing. THis stuff is pure nonsense. And I will bet that the ones screaming the most, have cheated on something on their tax returns, probably little stuff, but is still cheating, think about that before you start the "how dare you" stuff.
LISTEN UP OBAMA.....YOUR TRANSPARENCY TALK IS GETTING A LITTLE FOGGY. IMAGINE IF AMERICANS COULD SEE ALL THE TAXES OWED BY ALL THE CROOKS IN WASHINGTON "YES I SAID CROOKS" IT WOULD COVER THE $ IN THE SO CALLED STIMULUS PACKAGE INSTEAD OF TAKING $ FROM THOSE OF US WHO FOLLOW THE LAW AND PAY OUR TAXES LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE POLITICIANS TAX RECORDS!!!!!!!
Usually the Old York Times is out of touch, but this time I agree with them.
NO WAY, NO WAY, NO WAY, NO WAY, NO WAY.
There should be NO WITHDRAWAL.
There's enough blame to go around, let's not even go there.
Too bad Doug didn't get the news that no oreos were thrown at Michael Steele. It was something else that the Maryland Republican Party made up (like endorsements for Ehrlich).
He should resign if only for being such a hypocrite with other candidates / nominees he has heckled in the past for similar transgressions. Sure they are negotiating an exit right now. Obama advisors walking him to the "resignation" plank where they will then insist that he did it because he didn't want to become a "distraction". Obamakins will feign disappointment and imply that they really wish he would stay on and fight but are "reluctantly" accepting the resignation. Obama will pronounce Daschle a fine American. Same S____, different year. These things happen with every administration but what is infuriating about the Debs is that they somehow imply that only the GOP is guilty.
equal treatment under the laws February 3rd, 2009 12:07 pm ET
He should not only withdraw his nomination, he should withdraw from the Senate. The new attorney general should be bringing charges against him just like they would any other American.
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Way to stay current.
Daschle hasn't been in the Senate since 2004.
Daschle needs to take a walk. He's done.
I think Daschle should withdraw.
The republicans identified 2.5% of the stimulus bill they want cut in the list reported by CNN. Big deal.
I think it's very interesting that several of these people who are supposed to represent the government are not paying their taxes. Democrats and republicans alike. It's not like any of these people are hurting for money. If Daschle owed a few thousand due to an error it's one thing, but he owes almost 130K- that's far more than most Americans make in a year. He only paid after he knew it would be an obstacle if he didn't. I think he should step aside and let someone with more integrity fill this position.
Obama is a disgrace. I used to love him and believe his rhetoric.
Guess, I am a stupid person. Fooled twice bu Bush and once by Obama.
Wow. I don't think I can stand all this "change".
Yes we can......rip-off the country.
Well, I guess it's all worth it as long as we have a charming & cool
president. Right?
hey "equal treatment..." he's been out of the senate for four years already and holds no current public office.
Looks like we need to re-visit Bill O'Reilly's claim during the Bush years that The NY Times was biased against conservatives only. They are doing a pretty good job at making liberals accountable too. Seems fair and balanced to me.
This is getting absurd. Am I the only one paying taxes? Maybe I should stop. Seems to be the way to get a cabinet post.
What about Obama's past drug history? The Times didn't seem to have a problem with that.
Franky,
Why is he in a tough spot? He cheated and got caught. If you did the same, you'd go to jail or be penalized up the you-know-what.
No, he not in a tight spot. If he was where he belongs, in a 6×6 cell, then he would be in a tight spot
I don't know... my ex-wife has for the past 6 years claimed our son as her dependant on her taxes though he lives with me 365 days a year, and I get no child support (though I'm not asking for any) But being audited every 2 years sucks. Can somebody lock her up first please?
Hey "Equal Treatment":
And while he's withdrawing from the senate, he can stop being a famous illusionist and a highly paid supermodel, BECAUSE HE'S NONE OF THOSE THINGS.
And you wonder why we call you uninformed...
Poor President Obama...last honest man standing? Yet, we (and he) must persevere to bring a new light to our government. Senator Dashle and all criminals must go.
Ever notice how the more things change the more they stay the same?
The only way a sitmulus pkg will work, is if you give the taxpayers the money you are forcibly taking from them and let them decide who and what to spen it on. Otherwise, it's just more crooks with personal agendas spending the taxpayer into oblivion.
Seems like it is just ore Chicago style politics to me.
This isn't the Audacity of Hope, it is much more like Audacity of Dopes to me.
This is not just a Dem issue. It is both parties. Each senator, governor, mayor, etc . The media needs to check it out. CNN needs to do it job. And while you are at it , check yours. There is something in your closet to. At least we have collected from the ones that have been exposed. I demand that all the others been checked.