President Obama has some explaining to do. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) yesterday revealed that 3,700 federal contractors — who were recipients of $24 billion dollars in stimulus funds — are tax evaders. In total, they owed the government at least $757 million dollars – probably more since the IRS databases don’t include those who didn’t file taxes or haven’t yet been assessed. And it goes even further than that. The Washington Times reports:
Opponents of the farm bill are digging in for a fight. A coalition of nearly 30 taxpayer watchdog groups yesterday wrote lawmakers pleading to reopen debate on a section of the bill dealing with trade. And two Republican senators have vowed to prolong debate despite the long odds they face. Because of a clerical error, House and Senate votes overriding President Bush’s veto didn’t include a 34-page section of the bill on trade. Farm bill supporters would like to move quickly and approve the measure, but Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) …
The clock is ticking as the Senate prepares to vote on a one-year earmark moratorium. With appropriators and lobbyists mounting a last-ditch effort to save their pork-barrel projects, earmark warriors took the Senate floor to deliver passionate pleas for a temporary timeout. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a freshman from Missouri, was the first Democrat to sign on to Sen. Jim DeMint’s amendment to freeze earmarks for one year. Her brave stand against pet projects doesn’t sit well with her party’s leadership. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) …
