Timeline: The Daschle Affair
Following revelations that he recently paid off $140,000 in back taxes and interest, former Senate majority leader Tom Daschle is facing tough questions as he seeks to be confirmed as President Obama's secretary of Health and Human Services.
CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder spoke to Daschle associates and White House aides to get a timeline on how Daschle got to this point and a sense of where things now stand. Read his report below.
Daschle and his accountant forgot about this issue until December, when they were in the process of tabulating his new tax burden arising from the charitable contribution mistake and an additional $83,000 that Intermedia forgot to put on his bill to the IRS.
The political question is why, during this period from December 15 or so through January 4, did Daschle NOT inform the transition team about the car issue?
Since he knew it could out as soon as he paid his taxes, it's hard to imagine him wanting to cover it up.
His team says that Daschle had a lot going on; his brother is very sick; and that he wanted to present the information to the Finance Committee in one package, not piecemeal.
White House aides say that they knew about everything BUT the car-and-driver until Jan. 4.
Aides say that there is NO diminution of the President's support for Daschle, adding that Daschle has been in close contact with White House officials.
The Daschle aides note that Max Baucus's statement this morning is positive, which, from their perspective, is a good thing, because Baucus and Daschle have had a rivalry for years.
As to why Obama hasn't spoken to Daschle yet – that will probably change, although Obama does not want to prejudice the process.
Daschle has been out of town for ten days visiting his ill brother and arrived back to Washington last night.