Former Senator Tom Daschle has with withdrawn his name from to be Barack Obama’s secretary of Health and Human Services.
Former Democratic Senate leader Tom Daschle withdrew his name from nomination to be President Barack Obama’s secretary of Health and Human Services today.
The action occurs after revelations that Daschle failed to pay $128,000 in taxes.
”If 30 years of exposure to the challenge inherent in our system has taught me anything, it has taught me that this work will require a leader who can operate with the full faith of Congress and the American people, and without distraction,” Daschle said in a statement.
“Right now, I am not that leader and will not be a distractuon,” he said.
Obama said Daschle’s mistake should not diminish his record of public service.
No surprise really with the New York Times calling for his withdrawal and support reportedly fading in the senate.
On a related note Nancy Killefer, Pres. Obama’s nominee to be the government’s Chief Performance Officer has withdrawn her name from consideration. Killefer reportedly failed to pay employment taxes on household help for half a year.
Nancy Killefer, who failed for a year and a half to pay employment taxes on household help, has withdrawn her candidacy to be the first chief performance officer for the federal government, the White House said Tuesday.
Killefer was the second major Obama administration nominee to withdraw and the third to have tax problems complicate their nomination after President Barack Obama announced their selection.
The White House said Obama had accepted Killefer’s decision and that the 55-year-old executive with consulting giant McKinsey & Co., would explain her reasons for pulling out later Tuesday.
When her selection was announced by Obama on Jan. 7, The Associated Press disclosed that in 2005 the District of Columbia government had filed a $946.69 tax lien on her home for failure to pay unemployment compensation tax on household help.
What the hell is going on here??? This is third Obama administration nominee with tax problems… It’s going to be a long four years folks.