Thursday, February 05, 2009
Corporate Greed Runs Amuck
Classic: Husband of Rep. Solis, Labor nominee, settles tax liens
“The husband of President Obama's choice to head the Labor Department paid about $6,400 Wednesday to settle tax liens that had been outstanding for as long as 16 years against his business, the Obama administration said Thursday."
As a result, today’s hearings on Rep. Solis’ nomination were postponed.
Here’s the spin:
"She's not a partner in that business," Gibbs said. "We're not going to penalize her for her husband's business mistakes….Gibbs said he thought Solis' husband, Sam Sayyad, paid the liens because he owed the taxes, not because of White House pressure.”
Yeah – what a coincidence. Later we read:
“But Sayyad plans to appeal, [White House spokesman Tommy] Vietor said....Vietor said Sayyad believes he had already paid all of his taxes in full."
(But Press Secretary Gibbs said he paid because he owed…)
More spin:
"He said Solis had no reason to know of the liens because her husband's business is a sole proprietorship.”
Perhaps but not for that reason. Don’t know what taxes the liens relate to but as a choice of entity, a Sole Proprietorship gives a spouse (assuming they file jointly) the most detailed look at the proprietor’s business. This is because the business details are reported on a Schedule C as part of the couple’s Income Tax Return. (And, as an aside, California is one of 10 community property states so if the business started after they got married, then it’s also community property.)
Instinct says this probably isn't much and I have no doubts that Rep. Solis will make an absolutely horrid Labor Secretary...so I'm just going to sit back and enjoy yet another example of Liberals setting a bad example.
“The husband of President Obama's choice to head the Labor Department paid about $6,400 Wednesday to settle tax liens that had been outstanding for as long as 16 years against his business, the Obama administration said Thursday."
As a result, today’s hearings on Rep. Solis’ nomination were postponed.
Here’s the spin:
"She's not a partner in that business," Gibbs said. "We're not going to penalize her for her husband's business mistakes….Gibbs said he thought Solis' husband, Sam Sayyad, paid the liens because he owed the taxes, not because of White House pressure.”
Yeah – what a coincidence. Later we read:
“But Sayyad plans to appeal, [White House spokesman Tommy] Vietor said....Vietor said Sayyad believes he had already paid all of his taxes in full."
(But Press Secretary Gibbs said he paid because he owed…)
More spin:
"He said Solis had no reason to know of the liens because her husband's business is a sole proprietorship.”
Perhaps but not for that reason. Don’t know what taxes the liens relate to but as a choice of entity, a Sole Proprietorship gives a spouse (assuming they file jointly) the most detailed look at the proprietor’s business. This is because the business details are reported on a Schedule C as part of the couple’s Income Tax Return. (And, as an aside, California is one of 10 community property states so if the business started after they got married, then it’s also community property.)
Instinct says this probably isn't much and I have no doubts that Rep. Solis will make an absolutely horrid Labor Secretary...so I'm just going to sit back and enjoy yet another example of Liberals setting a bad example.
