House Republicans fear double-digit losses this November.  Senate Republicans are defending six open seats and lag the Democrats in fundraising by a 2:1 margin.
Nevertheless, the latter think they may be able to hold the damage to a net loss of two seats, due in part to big, fat tax deadbeat Al Franken:
Minnesota is trending Democratic, and both President Bush and the Iraq war are wildly unpopular in the state. Minnesota voters elected Democrat Amy Klobuchar to an open U.S. Senate seat in 2006 by a 20-point margin.
Mr. Franken, roiled for more than a month by questions about his personal finances, announced Tuesday that he owed about $70,000 in unpaid taxes in at least 17 states where he performed between 2003 and 2007. He blamed bad accounting and said he overpaid taxes by that much in Minnesota and New York.
Critics smelled a cover-up and dubbed the comedian a “scofflaw” and a “tax deadbeat.”
A Rasmussen Reports poll shows Mr. Coleman captured 50 percent of surveyed voters for the first time and opened a seven-point lead over Mr. Franken. The incumbent had a thin lead, 48 percent to 46 percent, in March and Mr. Franken enjoyed a three-point lead in February.
Of course, the 1980s were supposed to be the Al Franken decade, and that did not work out like he thought it would, either. The Washington Times has more races to watch in both the Senate and House, so RTWT.
I’m disinclined to be too rough on Franken about this. From what I understand, revenue-hungry states are getting more aggressive about shaking down deep-pocket celebs who are just passing through. They’re a natural target for the tax man, since they earn income several states (even if for only one day), but they can only vote in one state. I’d certainly hate to have to navigate the tax laws of all fifty states, if I were in his shoes.
This is a case where I would have to side with the Hollywood guy. In the event of an event where a company in one place pays a guy from another place to do something in a third place and pays him through a source based in another place when the guy who performs doesn’t actually sign a check but gets paid automatically, I can’t see any clear-cut way to blame the performer. I’m sure his agent’s agency is to blame, but they’re probably based in Barbados.
Of course, it would be very nice if he cuts some checks pronto.
Al Franken would do everything he could to exacerbate the problem though. He’s a big socialist and not particularly bright. He would a lot be a good representative for Minnesota people.
I’m disinclined to be too rough on Franken about this. From what I understand, revenue-hungry states are getting more aggressive about shaking down deep-pocket celebs who are just passing through.
I don’t know about your use of the word “getting”, SI.
In the 80-90’s one of my best friends was a professional baseball player. He had to pay taxes in every state he played a game in, and he knew it. It’s the way it’s been for a long time, and if Franken didn’t realize that it’s his own fault.
Well, Al holds himself to an well-nigh impossibly high standard of telling teh truth. Here’s a fount of material from his books:
http://www.frankenlies.com/
presumably Al can blame his editor.
Exit Joke: What’s the distinction between Al Franken’s Senate Staff and his book researchers? The Senate staff gets paid.
or he should have the sense to hire people that know what the laws are.
Trust me — when our local newscritters got after him about this, he hung his accountant out to dry. I kept waiting for one of our critters to mention the Boys’ Club, but it never came up. Guess that’s because it’s a New York thing, and not a Minnesota thing. Couldn’t be any other reason, really.
Franken is funnier as a political hack than he ever was as an alleged comedian.
Franken has been in the biz since before the Al Franken decade and should have known better. For that matter, his first tax problem should have caused him to check whether he had that problem with regard to other states (the press did that much). Not only did he blame his accountant, his accountant won’t talk to the press… and why is that, if not at Franken’s direction?
The complexity of the tax laws stink; believe me, I know. But Al Franken is not about making them simpler or less onerous, so the karma here is entirely deserved, imho.
The complexity of the tax laws stink; believe me, I know. But Al Franken is not about making them simpler or less onerous, so the karma here is entirely deserved, imho.
perfect.
True on both counts. Maybe this’ll be a little life lesson for him.
People like him seem to be impervious to life’s lessons. Instead of adjusting their thinking, they prefer to rail at the unfairness of it all.
Considering that Franken’s been in the entertainment business for 20+ years, with multiple income streams (books, TV, personal appearances, several corporations in several states, residuals, Air America, etc) the notion that he had one unsophisticated accountant doing his returns all those years who told him he only needed to file one state plus his federal return is approximately as probable as his voting a straight Republican ticket during the same time frame. Tax law didn’t suddenly change: he just suddenly got caught. FWIW, he also owes $25K in NY for Workers Comp premiums his corporation never paid; the state billed him, he didn’t pay, they billed him again, he didn’t pay, again, same, they sued him, he didn’t pay, they got a JUDGMENT, he didn’t pay, the state had apply a judgment lien on some property he owns, so now he’s finally having to pony up. To me, that’s even bigger than the other stuff.
I earn income in another state yet pay taxes in two states, the one I earn the income and the one I live plus an additional city tax in the state I live yet I can’t vote in the state my income is earned; my very expensive tax accountant informs me that in the end it’s a wash.
That said; quite of number of NYers claim residence in Florida yet live high on the hog in NYC avoiding that all-important ‘city tax and on top of that most end up voting in both states.
I don’t feel sorry for Franken, it isn’t my fault he was stupid enough to hire a cheap accountant.
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_theswamp/images/obama_time_cover_102306.jpg
Or cheap enough to hire a stupid accountant.
Time’s covering the Little Rascals reunion?