More Back Tax Issues for an Obama Nominee

ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper - March 2, 2009

This time it's United State Trade Representative nominee Ron Kirk who owes back taxes, joining the ranks of other tax-addled Cabinet nominees such as Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, former Health and Human Services Secretary designate Tom Daschle, and former chief performance officer nominee Nancy Killifer.Kirk owes $9,975 in back taxes, most of that from speaking engagement honoraria. Kirk had told organizations to give speaking fees directly to his alma mater, Austin College. In all, $37,750 of honoraria were not reported as income for tax years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the Senate Finance Committee reported, saying that Kirk should have accepted the money directly, made the donations himself, and then claimed the cash as charitable donations. By not doing so, Kirk avoided approximately $6,000 in taxes, the committee said.In addition, Kirk had declared as an entertainment expense more than $17,000 in tickets to Mavericks' games. The committee told Kirk to go back and look at his records, and to pay personal income taxes on any game when he couldn't recall the name of the person whom he took to the game and (continues...)