Caroline Kennedy faced tax 'problem' and nanny issue, says source close to Gov. David Paterson

[maddezmom]

Source: NY Daily News

ALBANY - Caroline Kennedy, who stunningly quit her push for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, is dealing with a "tax problem and a potential nanny issue," a source close to Gov. Paterson said Thursday.

"She was facing some potentially embarrassing personal issues" that came up during the vetting process, the source said, adding that the governor had decided she was not up to the job anyway.

Kennedy cited "personal reasons" when she released a terse one-sentence statement announcing she was quitting her Senate bid.

A source close to Kennedy insists she quit because her husband, Edward Schlossberg, decided he didn't want her to move to Washington.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/01/22/200...

[Generator]

1. Whew

Thank GOD it wasn't S E X. LOL.

I liked her too. But these personal problems are cliches.

[NJCher]

yeah, how many times have we heard this story

Nanny.

Taxes.

Gets 'em every time.



Cher

[ProudToBeLiberal]

4. I think sex was involved too

Gossip columns have reported for more than a year that Kennedy's marriage to Ed Schlossberg is essentially over, and the gossip site Gawker.com has reported rumors that she's been linked to New York Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0109/The_real_re...

[mitchum]

33. Geez...apparently, she shares her mother's taste in men

[CTyankee]

6. Me too. I guess I was living in a fool's paradise, like others of my generation.

This is just not right. First it was her spotty record of voting now a violation of our tax laws. She is not fit for the job of U.S. Senator. We have re-instituted proper standards of conduct now with the Obama Administration. She doesn't measure up to those standards, IMHO.

[JeanGrey]

54. Why is it that the richest people who love to lecture the rest of

us about what we do, end up doing the same shit. And they can AFFORD to pay the taxes. I'm disgusted. Go away, Caroline..............

[marshall]

67. They've got time to worry about such things

The rest of us are too busy trying to earn a living.

[Bake]

71. Some of us tried to point out the folly of Kennedy worship

But nooooo, we got creamed for even suggesting such a thing.

Bake

[toopers]

76. You mean like nominating Geithner to oversee the IRS . . .

It appears the standard of conduct has not really improved.

[HopeHoops]

2. OH good grief - she's old enough to tell her nanny to piss off already!

Sounds like a taxing problem indeed.

[Marrah_G]

66. No tax problem- Patterson is a liar and trying to cover his ass

[closeupready]

3. Seems remarkable, in this day and age, that an emancipated woman lets her husband make decisions for

her. I just find that hard to swallow.

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. I have worked with many male potential candidates for public office who decided to not run because

of their wives' objections.

[EFerrari]

10. No kidding. You have to have the partner on board, even sometimes

a separated or divorced one when there are children.

[No Elephants]

21. Colin Powell's wife supposedly decided he would not run for Pres.

[NashVegas]

14. Nah, It's All Damage Control

It's Paterson who needs to save face more at this point than CK.

[Clareman]

24. Yeah, the Paterson people are scrambling

It's the Paterson (and Cuomo) people pushing the nanny and tax story. If it's true, it's kind of odd that it didn't surface a month ago.

And it's especially odd that Obama trusted Caroline Kennedy to vet the VP candidates. If she had a nanny or tax problem of her own, what does that say about Obama's judgment? Did Obama really have a "tax cheat" (as some of you are calling her) making sure that Biden and all the others had no tax or nanny problems?

Whatever the problem was, somebody better get the real story before it sticks to Obama... who, by some accounts now, had a "tax cheat" vetting his VP choices.

What a fiasco.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Clareman]

41. Insults won't change the situation

If the person who was in charge of vetting Obama's VP turns out to have the most obvious problem, the classic nannygate a la Zoe Baird or Kimba Wood, it does look horrible. So yeah, it's a serious embarrassment.

Calling me a Freeper (which is pretty funny considering I spent the fall canvassing and phonebanking for Obama) doesn't change that fact.

[Cha]

27. Obama's judgment is just fine..

You need to stop cackling.

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[superconnected]

58. That person only called you a freeper because you act like one.

[spotbird]

5. It must be something to do with her kids

The other issues she would have known would become known at the outset. And her husband wasn't going to stop her, that's just silly.

[clear eye]

51. Not Silly. If They're About to Separate, Ease of Shared Custody

becomes a major issue. Poster above says rumor mills have been grinding out gossip about them going their separate ways, and remaining married in name only. And an estranged spouse is a whole lot less tolerant of inconvenience than a loving one.

[ACTION BASTARD]

8. C'mon now she's a Kennedy...y'know "something" is wrong with her somewhere.

[Nye Bevan]

9. So, a super-rich socialite who is also, you know, a tax cheat.

I think it's fair to say that she would have had some trouble holding the seat in 2010. Good move to withdraw.

[Hannah Bell]

13. now who was the obama pick who hadn't paid his taxes?

like caroline is exceptional in this regard.

[Nye Bevan]

15. Geithner was an excellent choice in every other respect.

Caroline Kennedy was more like the Democratic version of Sarah Palin.

And, we don't need to worry about Geithner facing reelection in 2 years. Every Senate seat is critically important, given that we have an excellent chance to go above 60 in 2010.

[Hannah Bell]

17. so being a tax cheat doesn't disqualify one from office, like i said.

[MilesColtrane]

20. I agree that this was stunt casting, but c'mon....

...that's an extreme comparison.

Kennedy's got a little more on the ball than Palin.

She is a lawyer, after all. Palin's a failed state beauty pageant contestant.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. "Caroline Kennedy was more like the Democratic version of Sarah Palin."

So a graduate of Radcliffe and Colombia Law School is suddenly the leftest version of the moose brain with diarrhea of the mouth who flunked out of 5 schools before finally stumbling through the 6th to get a degree in communications, afterwhich her trailer background reasserted itself and she promptly started out-of-control reproducing of herself not unlike what was shown in the movie "Idiocracy"?

'Mkay...

I'm not a NY state resident but geebus... that comparison was way out in right field.

NY is about as corrupt as some of the more newsworthy corrupt states and certainly the downstate/update battle is raging there, regardless of whether a Kennedy or a Cuomo was under consideration.

[SOS]

68. Also, CK graduated in the top 10% of her class at Colombia Law School

and passed the notoriously difficult NY bar exam.

Let's see Palin do that!

[terisan]

70. She doesn't have to. She got elected to high office without that baggage.

[SOS]

73. True, she doesn't have to

but then again she couldn't, so the point is moot.

Extensive knowledge of the law and the Constitution is not "baggage" for an elected official.

[terisan]

69. uh have you seen Gore's transcripts? ,,,and Abe Lincoln wasn't Ivy League

Bill Gates was smart enough to drop out of Harvard.

Democratic Elitists, sigh...........

I prefer the self made types--who don't need Ivy League stamped on their fannies in an attempt to prove their worth.

Trailer trash? Your respect for poor people is overwhelming----please don't run for office.

[SOS]

74. Gates had a 1590 on his SATs, Palin 841

It is not elitist to want intelligent people running the country.
Bush was such poor student that the University of Texas Law School rejected him.
Haven't we had enough of people like Bush and Palin in charge of things?

btw- Gates is hardly self-made. Gates’ great-grandfather was a state legislator and mayor. Gates’ grandfather was the vice-president for a national bank. His father was a prominent attorney.
His father lent him a quarter milion to start Microsoft.
Gates is no rags to riches story.

[undeterred]

72. Wow, that's harsh.

"Caroline Kennedy was more like the Democratic version of Sarah Palin."

There is an IQ separation of at least 50 points between Palin and Kennedy- and if you made up a Political IQ test it would be even greater. I think Caroline would do fine in politics, but she needs to take it one step at a time. You don't go from shunning publicity to being a US Senator in one step.

[Baby Snooks]

30. You mean our new Secretary of the Treasury?

I love Obama. I can do without his table. Something tells me as time goes on Obama will find he can do without his table as well.

She had this odd look on Tuesday at the inaugural ceremony. Before Ted Kennedy collapsed. An out of place look. A look of sadness. Maybe worry? Maybe a lot of things. Maybe something that caused Ted Kennedy to worry. And collapse. Whatever it was or is, I doubt it had anything to do with Edwin Schlossberg deciding moving to Washington would destroy the marriage. But it sounds good.

Obviously it is a serious tax problem. Otherwise no one would have cared. They don't seem to care about the tax problem with our Secretary of the Treasury.

The final act of Camelot. The curtain has fallen.

[Marrah_G]

63. IRS says no tax problem- Patterson is a liar.

[KamaAina]

11. "adding that the governor had decided she was not up to the job anyway"

That's your story in a nutshell.

[lin_e65]

78. The way the governor handled this ...

showed he wasn't up to the job, either. Did anyone even think a bit---I'm sorry, I'm not the smartest person......that Caroline dropped out Wednesday---the day after Teddy had his seizure. Maybe, just maybe, she dropped out to be with the only person who consistently was a father figure in her life...in order to spend the remaining time with him. Also, after Teddy's gone, it will be Caroline who will be the matriarch of the family. Why are people who blog always looking at the negeative side of people???. Ya'll sound like Rushies!

[NashVegas]

12. I Almost Feel Sorry For Paterson

The more these leaks come out, the worse he looks for dragging it out.

[sdfernando]

16. I can't believe some of you

Labeling her as a "tax cheat" when you don't even know the full story.

What about Timothy Geithner....is he a tax cheat as well???

[THUNDER HANDS]

18. well, yeah

he's a tax cheat, but at least he's a qualified tax cheat.

[Nye Bevan]

19. and does not face reelection 2 years from now (nt)

[sdfernando]

23. so I guess you're happy

that a criminal will be running the Treasury Dept....just like before.

[high density]

29. OK let's lock him up and throw away the key instead

[NashVegas]

34. At Least It's Not a Girl

They all have cooties, you know.

[onefreespiritedchick]

59. Oh yes, the double standard here

Why? Because she's a woman.

[RCinBrooklyn]

22. Sounds like a bit of sour grapes from that source to reveal this.

[pattmarty]

25. Jesus Christ, the Dems are starting to dig themselves a hole..................

.............First it was Il and Roland Burris, now it's NY and a Kennedy. Come Saturday, Patterson should tap Coumo and that will be the end of the NY fiasco. I swear, Democrats are so fucking good at cutting their own throats.

[Alcibiades]

36. You got that right!

The epic fail would be if Congress fails to enact President Obama's agenda. This is minor, compared to Blago. This will blow over, though, but it looks like you're right--some folks are looking for a way to fail.

That's part of what being a Democrat or has been--I hope we've left that behind.

[pattmarty]

52. Amen

[high density]

28. Patterson really is a piece of work.

Why is this dirty laundry going out at this point? Awful.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

38. because Bruno is still pulling Paterson's strings

[bottomtheweaver]

44. Someone is.

It takes a lot of nerve to deny the President his personal pic. Who is Bruno though?

[ElsewheresDaughter]

57. Bruno Says Obama's Like Spitzer: ....

Bruno - Spitzer - Troopergate ...after Spitzer resigned paterson got busted for the same ofensives with hookers but Bruno let him stay as long as Bruno got to play puppetmaster and Paterson gratefully kisses his ass.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/nyregion/06spitzer.ht...

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/02/a-new-nadi... /

The dysfunctional relationship between Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the Senate majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, has hit a new low.

Mr. Bruno, the state’s top Republican, railed about the governor for nearly an hour this afternoon, in the wake of Mr. Spitzer’s call for a state review of Mr. Bruno’s use of taxpayer-financed helicopter flights.

He called the governor “an overgrown rich spoiled brat who has tantrums all over the place.”

He said the governor, a Democrat, was “too temperamental to be the chief executive of 19 million people.”

He said the governor “does not understand that he is not a dictator, he is not a tyrant, he is not a king.”

He said the governor had done “practically nothing” to create jobs.

He said the governor would “make a great salesman” because he has no capacity to hear people say no.

He called Mr. Spitzer’s recent speeches lambasting Senate Republicans “a lot of well-thought-out fiction.”

He said the Senate would take a hard look at the governor’s nominee to head the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, H. Dale Hemmerdinger, because he had played host to a fund-raiser for the governor.

Mr. Bruno recounted a heated phone conversation with the governor in recent budget negotiations, during which the governor demanded that he come immediately to his office. “I am going to hit you so hard you’re going to go down and you’ll never get up,” Mr. Spitzer said, according to Mr. Bruno. The governor’s staff has disputed the account.

“Make a mud ball, throw it up against that wall, some of the mud sticks, right?” Mr. Bruno said. “He’s hoping enough mud sticks, slows me down, makes me less effective.”

[NashVegas]

61. I Suspect He Is, More Than Many Will Admit

Only a nicer version. We'll find out soon enough.

[Virginia Dare]

31. Oh GMAFB, half of Manhattan faces that issue I'm sure..

it's okay for Geithner not to pay taxes, but we're going to hang Caroline Kennedy for it? Please.

[Baby Snooks]

35. Who said it was okay for Geithner?

A lot of people don't think it's okay. A lot of Democrats. A lot of people had a problem with Hillary Clinton. A lot of people don't think the obvious conflict-of-interest is okay. A lot of Democrats.

A lot of people had a problem with Caroline Kennedy stating she would make financial disclosure AFTER she was appointed. A lot of Democrats.

Obviously she realized part of that disclosure would disclose the tax problem despite someone obviously telling her initially it wouldn't. And given the obvious "look the other way" attitude of Congress, it must be a serious tax problem. Not something that can be dismissed as an accounting error.

[lanlady]

37. nanny issue? how old are her kids?

I thought her kids were all grown up.

[Freddie Stubbs]

42. 20 & 18

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_kennedy#Personal_...

[lanlady]

46. the rich really are different

Oh boy, I'd love to know why an 18- and 20-yr old need a nanny. I'll bet the person in question is actually some kind of personal maid to CK but she dare not call her that in public.

[Ms. Toad]

47. The nanny issue doesn't need to be a current nanny

Just because whatever problem there was occurred in the past doesn't make it not a problem for this current appointment (and in any event, the tax/illegal worker issue - whichever variation of nanny problem it is supposed to be - would be the same whether it was a nanny or a personal assistant).

[lanlady]

49. a "housekeeper issue"

Another news source is claiming the person in question was a housekeeper. Guess we'll never know and it doesn't much matter anymore.

[Kali]

53. hell, more useful for that age set than younger!

[Marrah_G]

65. Patterson is lying- there is no tax issue- no nanny issue

[cherish44]

40. just some rambling thoughts on CK

She's the last surviving member of a mega wealthy family. She and John-John inherited hundreds of millions of dollars. Remember the Kennedys owned Merchandise Mart, her mother married a billionaire and after she died, they auctioned off her stuff and people went APE SHIT with the bidding and were willing to pay $1000 for Jackie O's dryer lint.... And since her brother died without any heirs, she mostly likely inherited a good chunk of his estate. I'm sure she can affored to hire some very savvy accountants who know a few tax tricks. But don't tell me that US Senate members (who I'm willing to bet are mostly are millionaires themselves) don't have a few "creative accountants" doing their taxes. As far as the nanny goes...mostly an undocumented immigrant which would be enough to cause all the GOP members to have major strokes and wet themselves. Think of the carpet cleaning bill. I think she's just too reserved for the nasty game of politics. She'd be dealing with some cutthroat, bitter motherfuckers with this current Congress. You have to be tough and being a woman, she'd have to be a raging bitch to get any headway with them and she just doesn't seem to the proverbial "balls". Caroline probably got her feelings hurt from all the criticism. Anyway there's all kinds of things she can do and I hope she finds her niche. It's obvious she's inspired and wants to serve.

[Freddie Stubbs]

43. Probably not an undocumented immigrant?

Why would someone hire an undocumented immigrant other than to save a few bucks? Is she is so wealthy, why would she do this?

[JeanGrey]

55. A point I made upstream. They do seem to do it though.

Obviously whatever it was it was an embarrassment, and besides, she's not qualified.

[Freddie Stubbs]

60. I don't agree that she was unqualified, but I beleive that there are better choices

[JeanGrey]

62. I think it was painfully obvious from the beginning she wasn't

qualified, and somebody got some dirt on her.

[bottomtheweaver]

45. A source close to Paterson,

published in the NYT. Would that be the Mayor of Paris any chance?

[alarimer]

48. Why do rich people think they are above the law regarding these issues?

It derailed quite a few Clinton nominees as I recall and it has come up with Geithner too. PAY YOUR FUCKING TAXES ALREADY, you rich assholes! That is why they have accountants, since they are apparently too stupid to figure it out themselves.

[bottomtheweaver]

50. It's a rumor from the office of the guy who sold Caroline down the river

and doesn't want to admit it.

[JeanGrey]

56. Well she thre Hillary under the bus, didn't she?

Paybacks can be hell. Wonder where this "info" came from. Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Marrah_G]

64. Patterson was LYING- there is no tax issue

[eilen]

79. Mebbe it was a NYS tax issue, who knows? nt

[TEXASYANKEE]

75. Shameful.

I don't know who I'm less impressed with -- the Media or the people buying what the Media is selling. Everyone is dissing Kennedy based on .... what, exactly?? An unnamed source in the Paterson camp. Good grief. Can we please at least wait until we know all of the facts? I *HATE* the way our Media breaks a story and then adds in their own opinions (or those of unnamed sources) when they need to fill up space. This is disgraceful.

[jsamuel]

77. she may have hired an illegal alien for a nanny

but claimed her as an employee on her taxes anyway?