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Another Democrat Finally Pays His Taxes

By Doug Bandow on 2.5.09 @ 9:19PM

Gee, how convenient.  The husband of Labor nominee Hilda Solis has just settled his outstanding tax bill.  Reports USA Today:

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.

The disclosure came shortly before a scheduled 2 p.m. meeting of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will vote on U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis' nomination as Labor secretary. The hearing was postponed to give the administration time to look into the tax matter and report back to the committee, said Anthony Coley, a spokesman for Sen. Edward Kennedy, the committee chairman. Solis is a California Democrat.

At a news conference, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said of Solis: "I read the story in USA TODAY and it quotes somebody who works here. Obviously we know about the story. We reviewed her tax returns and her tax returns are in order. Her husband had an issue."

"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. "The White House believes that if you owe taxes you should pay them," Gibbs added.

Well, remember.  Democrats get to raise taxes. Republicans get to pay them.  That seens like a fair apportionment of responsibilities!