Solis Vote Postponed After Husband's Tax Liens Revealed
The Senate labor committee has postponed its vote on Hilda Solis' nomination to become Labor Secretary, with no clear date set to reconsider her confirmation.
Solis has been put through the wringer by Republicans aiming to slow up the Employee Free Choice Act, a core priority of the labor movement. But today's sudden postponement had a lot more to do with a USA Today inquiry that prompted Solis' husband to pay $6,400 yesterday in order to settle long-outstanding California tax liens.
Asked how much of the labor committee's move was attributable to the USA Today report, one GOP source said simply: "100%."
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters today that "we're not going to penalize [Solis] for her husband's mistakes," but Republicans are unlikely to leave the matter at that. After the jump is the full Solis statement from Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Mike Enzi (WY), the labor committee's chairman and senior Republican.
Today's executive session was postponed to allow members additional time to review the documentation submitted in support of Representative Solis' nomination to serve in the important position of Labor Secretary. There are no holds on her nomination and Members on both sides of the aisle remain committed to giving her nomination the fair and thorough consideration that she deserves. We will continue to work together to move this nomination forward as soon as possible.
Late Update: AFL-CIO President John Sweeney weighs in with his support for Solis.
During these difficult economic times - when hundreds of thousands of people are losing their jobs each week - it is crucial that the American people have a strong and dynamic Department of Labor. We have confidence that Congresswoman Hilda Solis is the right person to lead that charge, and we hope a committee vote can be rescheduled soon.Congresswoman Hilda Solis is eminently qualified for this post, and will be a vigorous advocate for the kinds of programs that our nation's working people need the most. She will fight to improve skills development and job creation programs, including development of "green collar" jobs. She will work to assure that workers get the pay they have earned and that they work in safe, healthy, and fair workplaces. She's ready to address the retirement security crisis and will work hard to protect every worker from job discrimination,
regardless of race, sex, veteran status, or disability.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Oh, no! Not another one. This is getting absurd.
February 5, 2009 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. Solis doesn't have a tax problem. Her husband had a tax problem on his business of which she was not a part.
2. I told you: if Obama started caving on nominees, it would be Bill Clinton redux. The republicans would smell blood and try to rip every nominee to shreds.
They succeeded with Daschle with the help of the "pure left." They threw up some trash about Panetta (because he had made money giving speeches to Wachovia Bank--as if that's relevant or illegal). Now, they're going at Solis.
Obama should stand by her. The Repubs don't want her because she supports EFCA.
February 5, 2009 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
half agree. Solid has no problem, and should be confirmed as soon as possible. she has done nothing wrong.
Daschle, on the other hand, was a bad nominee, and not someone who was going to be effective as reforming the insurance & phrama industries, because they have directly paid him millions of dollars over the years, and there was simply no way for him to be so comfortable with those people while taking away their profits and scrapping their business model. Daschle had no intention of really reforming health care, he just wanted to get those greedy insurance companies a lot more customers by reforming access to insurance. very different things.
with Solis, though, there is a good chance of the EFCA passing and of it having a meaningful effect. we need her for that. Daschle's "give everyone crappy insurance that still won't help when they need it" plan is fine to be scrapped. maybe whoever takes his place will be aiming higher.
February 5, 2009 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. Daschle did not get millions. He earned $200K for the health insurance industry.
2. Please explain why he would leave the private sector where he earned $5 million/year to take a job paying $200K?
You say it's because he wants to help the greedy insurance companies get more. How would that help him get more? He was already bringing in a bundle and probably wouldn't be able to make more than that if the left the administration.
3. Daschle is there to implement Obama's agenda, not his own. And if Obama doesn't really want to reform healthcare, it doesn't matter who his HHS secretary is.
February 5, 2009 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
no, between speeches, consulting, etc it is much, much more than $200,000. you do know what that "$5 million a year" is coming from, don't you? he is a paid political whore, straight up. I never said that now gets Daschle something from these cretins, I said he was going out and getting it for them, in return for all of the cushy treatment, favors, and massive checks the various reps of the industries in question have given him.
of course he was working to get the insurance companies more customers. that is the whole point of Obama's plan in the first place, unfortunately. neither of them wants 'health care' reform, they want 'access to insurance' reform. very different things.
there are candidates for the HHS job who have actually good track records about these things, Wyden and Kitzhaber specifically. they could at least push the policy in a better direction. Daschle is as mealy, wussy, lose-fights-you-should-win-easily Dem. as it gets. I have no use for him, he was a terrible, awful Senate leader and I didn't expect any better from him at HHS.
February 5, 2009 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
If, as you say, Obama wants insurance reform not healthcare reform (like Daschle), what difference does it make who's the HHS secretary?
Obama is the president and if his HHS secretary disgrees with him in principle on healthcare, who do you think will win that fight?
He needs someone who knows healthcare policy and has the connections and knows how to get things done in the US Congress. I can't think of anyone else who checks both boxes.
February 5, 2009 4:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, it's the bitchslap theory. Obama needs to slap back.
February 5, 2009 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
No it's not. The bitch-slap theory is that you can get away with making an outrageously offensive allegation (such as that Max Cleland is a traitor) if your opponent doesn't fight back effectively; you've effectively bitch-slapped them.
This is just playing hardball.
February 5, 2009 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama didn't cave on the nominee, Daschle withdrew, because he realized he screwed up big-time and didn't meet the standards that Obama had set for his administration. Period.
February 5, 2009 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
The end result is still the same. Daschle won't be HHS secretary which is a casualty many won't understand for a year or so when we are not one bit closer to getting healthcare.
February 5, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, because Daschle was the only one humanly capable of getting the job done.
February 5, 2009 4:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can't wait to see if you're still swaggering and strutting over the Daschle withdrawal this time next year.
February 5, 2009 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
If we just implimented the "Fair Tax" none of this would be happening...lol
February 5, 2009 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Very funny.
February 5, 2009 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where the hell are these tax status leaks coming from? Is no one investigating that? I thought tax returns were secure at the IRS, or has it been overrun by RealUglyCons, instead of just under-funded...
February 5, 2009 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately, tax liens are public record, same with tax litigation, which I presume is what happened with alot of this stuff. It should have been picked up in vetting though. It totally looks bad.
February 5, 2009 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
There were no tax liens or litigation re Daschle or Geithner. Their information came out when they informed the vetters (Daschle belatedly) who then informed the Senate committees.
'Splain why the vetters would be vetting the tax records for a business owned by Solis' husband of which she is not a partner.
February 5, 2009 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently family members were part of the vetting process as well, if I recall. Tax liens would come up on a lexis search.
February 5, 2009 4:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pay. Your. Friggin. Taxes.
I'd also like to see Obama come out and explain this to the effect "I just assumed everybody would pay their taxes like they're supposed to".
This is craziness.
February 5, 2009 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, please. I worked in commercial finance (until two weeks a go, that is). Assuming everything else is fine, we would require proof that the guy paid his taxes before closing the loan. Nothing more.
This kind of thing happens to small business owners all the time. It should in no way reflect badly on Mr. Solis, and definitely not on the representative.
When are the committe chairs, Harry Reid, and Obama going to say "enough with the bullshit?"
We are in crisis, and the Republicans want to play political games.
I wholeheartedly agree with what Theda Skocpol said yesterday. It's getting near time for Obama to deliver a primetime sppech on the Republican's foolishness along the lines of his speech on race in March. Take it to these fuckers, and make them pay price for their schoolyard-level folishness. I'm getting really pissed off. Make them look like the irresponsible children they are.
February 5, 2009 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ask and you shall receive.
Obama's apparently scheduled a primetime news conference for Monday.
February 5, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent.
February 5, 2009 5:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Smoke and Mirrors. Hey look over here. More tax problems. Ignore Obama, he's talking gibberish.
February 5, 2009 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ridiculous.
Truly ridiculous.
Thanks, Geithner, Daschle, Mr. Solis, and Ms. Kellifor. More freakin' ammunition to wound the Obama Administration.
And he's going to have to drop Solis now. Count on it.
What freaking moron doesn't know about a lien? There's no excuse for this.
February 5, 2009 3:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is even crazier than Clinton's AG Nanny problems. I think there were only 2 of those.
February 5, 2009 4:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately, you are correct. It looks freaking awful.
February 5, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
ridiculous. why does Obama "have" to drop her? people, get over your fainting spells, please. its going to get much rougher than this!
February 5, 2009 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not in any fainting spell.
4 makes a trend. Is it fair that it's Solis' husband? Of course not. But do you want this to drag on indefinitely, with the theme "another member of Obama's administration has tax troubles" repeated day after day after day after day? I sure don't.
I'd be much sorrier to see Solis go than I was to see Daschle go, but if this turns into a media sh$t storm, then she has to go.
February 5, 2009 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
well, I'm glad most of the people dealing with these matters aren't so faint-hearted. there will be a damn stupid shitstorm no matter what, so he may as well keep her and get something done, and just tell the Repugs to suck it, for once.
February 5, 2009 4:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just read about liens on wiki.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_lien
I wonder if he had one and didn't even know about it. But it really doesn't matter because if you're explaining it, you've already lost the argument, or something like that.
February 5, 2009 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep, i bet u could find most of the repugs attacking obama have not paid some tax's as well if they were to look over everything like they are doing to obama appointment people.
February 5, 2009 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can Obama pull a Nixon and investigate whether all the R-thugs have paid their taxes?
He can't pull this nominee. He just CAN'T. R-thugs will smell blood in the water. And worse, O might pick Kay Bailey Hutchinson for replacement as a way to "reach out" to the thugs.
February 5, 2009 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
They already smell blood. Now, it's not enough for the nominee to have squeaky clean taxes. Or the nominee's spouse. Now, it moves to the nominee's spouse's business. Ridiculous!
That's why it was such a mistake for Daschle to withdraw. It only emboldened the Repugs. They are giddy because they've got the administration on defense. It's time to stand up to them and say: enough!
February 5, 2009 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
don't worry, she's not going anywhere.
February 5, 2009 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Can we just have the IRS audit every politician in the country every year so we can avoid this shit?
btw, I'm not just saying this because I'm a recent Accounting grad in need of a job...
February 5, 2009 3:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I sure as hell agree with this one. We have to start forcing elected officials to live by a high standard. We, as a society, settle for crap from our government. That said, auditing Ms. Solis would not have prevented this error, as it was her husband, not her, who owed the money. And in this case, $6400 is nothing. Chump change. Geither and Daschle had fairly large amounts outstanding. This is really much ado about nothing.
February 5, 2009 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, well -- Nancy Killefer owed less than $1000, I believe. It doesn't have to be an actual something for the Repugs and the chattering classes to turn it into a never-ending story line.
February 5, 2009 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
AD seen in Washington Post today;
"All those who do not have a tax issue outstanding please send your name to Barack Obama c/o White House, Washington, DC"
February 5, 2009 3:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is the husband, and the amount is small. Look at it individually and not as a narrative trend. If she drops out because her hubby discovered and paid a state tax lien, then that is disgraceful. I back her 100%.
February 5, 2009 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's going to be viewed as a trend. It's now four people connected to the Obama Administration. The fact that it's her husband doesn't matter. Outrageously unfair, of course, but there you have it.
On the plus side of news today, though, is the fact that Pete Sessions said House Republicans learned from the Taliban on how to be insurgents!
February 5, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just made this comment on a previous post...This is not about her husband's taxes. It's about the larger debate over EFCA and the political capital it's going to take to get it passed.
February 5, 2009 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is the meaning of the term 'Executive session' as used in Congress?
When it's used in connection with our local Board of Supervisors, and boards of nonprofits I've served on, it means 'closed to all but members of the board'.
But a confirmation vote would have to be public, wouldn't it? So what does 'Executive session' mean here?
February 5, 2009 3:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
umm...people...
Solis PAID HER TAXES. It was her HUSBAND that didn't pay his on his business.
She's cant be responsible for how he runs his own business, now can she?
February 5, 2009 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
depends on whether you ask a normal human being or the wusses hanging out here and commenting as if the sky were falling!
February 5, 2009 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, Solis and Obama should push back. I just went through a tax problem with my state, which, after telling me I was right in a dispute, seized my bank account with no warning, issuing a warrant through the neighboring county somehow. I was left with 0 money in my accounts. After 24 hours, the state released it and acknowledged an error but the record of the warrant lives on in the records. This is BS and just the Republicans trying to damage Obama.
February 5, 2009 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Blow-job the Plummer had liens, and he's a MERIKN.
February 5, 2009 3:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
True...but he was just a guy standing in his driveway...not a cabinet Secretary...of course Obama may do better picking some guy off the street...
February 5, 2009 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, just a guy standing in the driveway who the Republicans call to the Capitol for guidance. That's your brain trust.
February 5, 2009 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who to this day I believe was planted by the mcbush campaign. Wait until he has a book ghost written for him, as I am sure he can't write. There will be all this info that comes out about how he was recruited to be a fool for the republicans and their poster child. Just wait. His politics are way beyond wacky and based on his personality that has been revealed to date, he was no coincidence and he sure wouldn't be wasting his time going through a crowd to ask obama a question. Total plant.
February 5, 2009 4:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I love the "plant" theory...how far in advance did Karl Rove have Obama's campaign schedule so that they could move Joe to a house on Obama's "walking" route?
February 5, 2009 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uh, how about this one. They had at least a couple of weeks advance notice and a list of donors from the immediate area. A couple of phone calls, then an interview or two and viola. It's not rocket science you know and joe six pack had donated to mcbush's campaign. Man you republicans are so naive when you are getting played.
February 5, 2009 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Incidentally, I have learned through life that there is no such thing as coincidences. It just defies logic. There are too many coincidences associated with joe six pack for him not to be a plant. He totally "fell" into the campaign theme at exactly the right time and exactly before the debate? Come on, no way. He was a total plant.
February 5, 2009 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well I don't know about Obama's thought's, but I think these people are about as dishonest as it comes.
How can you not pay taxes and just brush it off? Doesen't anyone think it might hurt the process?
And one more thought.
Nancy Pelosi can't lead s###.
February 5, 2009 3:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
And I think you're about as moronic as it comes. A $6400 tax lien against a business is the very definition of chickenfeed. For all I know her husband's position on his tax bill was correct but he decided it would cost more to fight the IRS than to settle. That happens, you know.
February 5, 2009 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
It seems obvious that a contested amount this small -- small to damn-near any business -- is better just paid to make it go away rather than continue to contest it under these circumstances. ...Or, is it?
February 5, 2009 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
When I saw that her husband had a lien on his business, my first thought that he'd contested a levied amount and was in the process of sorting it out with the State or whatever agency laid on the lien. C'mon, folks, let's get some info before pillorying the guy, much less falling for another Republican slime campaign against a much respected and needed Labor Secretary candidate.
February 5, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
...and if the Secretary of the Treasury can get away with it, why expect anything more from the rest?
February 5, 2009 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
He didn't "get away" with anything, since he actually paid the taxes. Or is that part irrelevant?
Daschle didn't "get away" with anything, either. In fact, he paid a significant cost for his adventures with our tax system.
"Getting away" means you commit some sort of transgression and don't pay any consequences for it.
But I appreciate it's a better Republican talking point to say Geithner "got away with it", even if it's patently false.
February 5, 2009 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
At least he or she isn't harping on pelosi's slip-up anymore.
February 5, 2009 4:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Remember, facts have a liberal bias.
February 5, 2009 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Possibly Representative Solis does not have the time or the inclination to monitor her spouse's business finances. What's next? Her parents have outstanding parking tickets? Her kid was caught with a beer in his dorm room? She used a grill at the park before paying the fee at town hall?
Everyone who said that this is about shafting workers and blocking EFCA is completely right.
February 5, 2009 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL. This isn't remotely similar to the Daschle situation--they want her gone because she's actually pro-labor. All that Obama has to do is make it clear that any replacement will be equally pro-labor. You can bet his union supporters have already called him about this.
There were a couple of good reasons why Daschle had to go, there are none here.
February 5, 2009 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's exactly correct. This isn't about her husband's taxes relating to his business. It is about HER pro-worker, pro-union stance.
February 5, 2009 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
when are you guys going to get a real comment system here?
anyhoooo, this is just plain bullshit. I can understand the problem with Geithner, Daschle, etc. but this woman has done NOTHING wrong. if the idiot Republicans want to try to derail her over this, they must be made to pay a heavy price.
February 5, 2009 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm with you - Solis isn't going anywhere.
And Obama needs to start PUSHING BACK.
February 5, 2009 4:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unfortunately, politics isn't necessarily about what is fair or right. I want her to stay, too, but you have to recognize that there is a political cost to that. It remains to be seen whether Obama feels the cost outweighs the benefit.
February 5, 2009 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Without knowing any of the facts, we don't know if there were any disputes with the liens, that the agency imposing the liens was correct in its actions, that due notice had been given about the liens to the business, or the nature of the business.
I am not confident in believing that the government - especially revenue collecting departments - are without error or are correct in all their actions.
February 5, 2009 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, for God's sake. It's time for the White House to start pushing the GOP around. This is ridiculous. They are afraid of her because she may care about the workers in this country. What a terrible thing. I feel sure she will be confirmed by the senate. Aren't there 58 Democratic senators?????
February 5, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
This helps show how far we still have to go on the issue of sexual discrimination. I am reminded here of Geraldine Ferraro and the double standard applied to her husband while the wives of male counterparts aren't viewed in the same manner. Hillary Clinton cracked that glass ceiling, but as we can see here it is still firmly in place.
February 5, 2009 7:39 PM | Reply | Permalink