Government

Busted: Capitol Hill Employees Owed $9.3 Million in Back Taxes Last Year

According to IRS data cited in a Washington Post report, Capitol Hill employees owed $9.3 million in back taxes at the end of last year.

Neither the report nor the IRS information identify delinquent taxpayers by name, party affiliation, or job title, and neither indicate whether members of Congress are among the debtors. Still, the report does show the total number of delinquent employees: 638; or about 4 percent of total Hill staff.

Among other findings mentioned in the article:

  • According to additional documentation obtained by the Post, three employees at the Office of Government Ethics owed a combined $75,000. And 41 employees at the Executive Office of the President owed $831,000 altogether.
  • From 2004 through 2006, the last three years that Republicans were in power, the total amount of back taxes owed each year by congressional workers hovered just below $9 million. But in 2007, when Democrats took control of both houses, it dropped to $6.8 million. Since then, it has increased by 37 percent.
  • During 2008 and 2009 — during the financial crisis — the Senate debt increased 80 percent and the House debt increased 25 percent.
  • The average unpaid tax bill is $12,787 among the Senate’s delinquent taxpayers and $15,498 among those working in the House.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) introduced legislation earlier this year to fire federal workers who owe back taxes unless they have entered into a payment plan.

“We have over 600 staffers on Capitol Hill not paying their taxes. That’s just not acceptable,” Chaffetz told POLITICO in March. “It’s disingenuous to take federal taxpayer dollars and not pay your full share of taxes. It’s wrong.”

According to the Post, eight Republicans co-sponsored Chaffetz’s bill, as opposed to zero Democrats.

Comments (72)

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  • Azmodious
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:29pm

    There are no penalties for these people. They are a different breed and not subject to the same rules as the great unwashed.

    Report Post »  
  • scseahawk
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:09pm

    Correct me if I am wrong…if you are in debt and owe money, lots of money, you cannot get a security clearance until all debts are cleared. To work on capitol hill you need to have a security clearance. And oh by the way…if you or I did this, the IRS would have us in court and or jail!!!!

    Report Post »  
    • marlaco
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 4:36pm

      They get hired, THEN starting cheating cause they think they got it made. The IRS going after there own…I don’t think so.

      Report Post »  
    • pattyto
      Posted on September 11, 2010 at 3:40pm

      Bingo!!!!!

      Report Post »  
  • barking dogrrr
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:07pm

    The LA Times article linked on Drudge cites that employees in the Homeland Security Dept. owe north of $37 Million in back taxes…for the record.

    Report Post » barking dogrrr  
  • CharlieB
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:06pm

    This could be easily resolved by deducting their taxes from their pay like the rest of us employees. We common folk who collect a paycheck from an employer don’t get to choose to pay or not to pay. The IRS can just take it. So what are they waiting for?

    Report Post »  
  • haditup2here
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:04pm

    Not too surprising. Seems like government officials in D.C. think the rules don’t apply to them, and often times they don’t. We just keep on letting them get away with whatever they want by re-electing them and/or not making them accountable.

    Report Post »  
  • Time 2 Revolt
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:02pm

    Those making the rules not abiding by them. The end of the Republic is not far off if this keeps up. Taxes today, liberty tomorrow.

    Report Post » Time 2 Revolt  
  • Sunnyr
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:01pm

    Wow, what a shock…..y a w n. What do you expect when the head of the DemocRAT party, Barack Obama, crawled out of the same cesspool of corruption. It’s the Chicago way. Remember in November.

    PS
    These parasites should be given 30 days to pay up or be FIRED. The money can be collected in court.

    Report Post » Sunnyr  
  • bulldawg
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:45pm

    When you file your 2010 taxes in April when you get to the pay section just write in the Rangel rule or the Geitner Rule etc. This is complete BS, the American people are fighting to keep their head above water and the people who are supposed to be leading are robbing us blind. Obama is a crook and every one of his puppets are just as bad. God will help us when we help ourselves in November.

    Report Post » bulldawg  
  • LTinUT
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:33pm

    I’m proud that Jason Chaffetz is my representative! I hope this legislation gets another chance. They all need to be fired! I had a Federal job for 8 years and saw all kinds of waste. People showing up long enough to collect a paycheck and spending the day mostly sleeping at their desks. They were nearly impossible to fire. (But, I do have to say there were a lot of hard workers as well.) These cheaters just make it easier for others to justify doing it themselves because there are no consequences.

    Report Post » LTinUT  
    • VegasGuy
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 10:53pm

      This is another reason why I totally respect Chaffetz. He walks the walk. I was at Beck’s American Revival in Salt Lake. Chaffetz received an enthusiastic standing ovation on par with Beck’s. I honestly felt embarrassed for Orrin Hatch who only received a polite applause. I am looking forward to seeing more from Chaffetz.

      Report Post » VegasGuy  
    • pattyto
      Posted on September 11, 2010 at 3:37pm

      I too worked for a state goverment and some people I worked with and for should have been ashamed to take a pay check. They were always yelling at me for doing my job when it was supposed to be done. And the waste was unreal. If the goverment was run as a business it would have been out of business a long time ago. That was before “to big to fail”

      Report Post »  
  • Docrow
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:30pm

    Is it November yet?

    Report Post » Docrow  
  • Debrabate
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:24pm

    Turbo-Tax strikes again!!!!!!

    Collect those taxes to pay toward the debt.

    Report Post » Debrabate  
  • gentleman greg
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:22pm

    I think every one of them should be fired!!!!!!. We [the working taxpayers] are fed up with being ripped off by those who are entrusted with money.We pay them in taxes. We need to strip the cadillac plans and expensive retirement plans given with only 4 years service in congress or the senate. We need to take away their right to vote themselves a raise when their decisions have brought our country to the brink.

    Report Post » gentleman greg  
    • baldwin4freedom
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 6:42pm

      I agree. EVERYONE. This will be some good ones that go, but it is a necessity.

      Report Post »  
  • Joseph
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:12pm

    Another typical day in Obamas Circus, soon to come to you town and pocketbook…

    Report Post »  
  • njpatriot
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:09pm

    If it was any one of us regular folk, we would be facing fines, interest, enormous legal fees, and possibly jail, not including harassment by the IRS. Clearly the government is above the law in too many instances.

    Report Post » njpatriot  
  • beekeeper
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:05pm

    There really must be some way to garnish their wages, just like would happen for other “non-Captial Hill” taxpayers…

    Eight Republicans with zero Democrats supporting a bill to terminate employees of the federal government that fail to pay their federal taxes – that is a telling ratio.

    Report Post » beekeeper  
  • AMERICANCITIZEN
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:01pm

    This news is not shocking, because most Americans know how corrupt Washington is.
    The issue is “why” are these people not being prosecuted or steps taken to get the money.
    We must hold those responsible accountable. Write your congressman/ senator and demand steps to be taken to correct these criminal acts. What happened to “ Draining the Swamp”?
    All Washington workers need to be on alert, The people of this great nation are AWAKE and we are not going to stand for these double standards anymore, either fix the problem or you will be FIRED!
    Please write you rep/sen

    Report Post »  
  • blessings
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:58pm

    AND….
    Aides to Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) declined to comment
    AND
    Aides to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did not respond to a request for comment.

    Report Post » blessings  
    • ron the veteran
      Posted on September 11, 2010 at 4:25pm

      of course dems dont pay taxes they want you and i to pay but when it comes to what they owe we are out of luck. its up to us to hold them all to account. its about time we acted like the seiu boneheads. its time we showed up on their lawns and demand they pay up. im afraid its going to take us demanding they all go to jail for not paying up. they of all people should know better.

      Report Post »  
  • JJMinor
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:58pm

    Just look as to Timothy Franz Geithner as an example of what corruption looks like. You mean we can’t all use the “My TurboTax computer software did it” defense? Why not? Seriously, why should the elites be the only ones that get to lie, cheat and steal?

    Report Post »  
  • flashlight
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:54pm

    There is no info in this whatsoever. Who, why they owe, or if they are allready trying to pay off there personal debt. There are a lot of people in the same boat. The IRS is non-political, they go after all equally.

    Report Post »  
    • marlaco
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 4:30pm

      Riiiiight….and you know this because??? Bet they got a slap on the wrist just like little Timmy G. did.

      Report Post »  
  • GraceSullivan
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:54pm

    Add that in to what the federal employees owes and it comes up to over 100 million. The republicans set a a you cut site, that allows voters to vote on what cuts they want to be brought up and this is one of them. The house of course is ran by the democrats and they have voted down almost every cut the republicans have brought up. Here is the cut that the republicans want to see brought up:
    Require Collection of Unpaid Taxes From Federal Employees
    Savings of potentially $1 billion
    In 2008, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reported that over 97,000 federal employees were delinquent on their federal income taxes, owing a total of $1 billion in unpaid taxes. This includes 1,151 employees who owe $7 million at the Department of Treasury which oversees the IRS. By requiring at a minimum that the IRS to work with federal agencies to withhold a portion of each employee’s paycheck who is determined to have a “seriously delinquent tax debt,” we can ensure that federal employees are paying their fair share of taxes. Failure to pay required taxes should result in disciplinary actions designed to ensure that the taxpayers are made whole. In addition to collecting back taxes already due, this reform will ensure future unpaid taxes are also collected.

    Report Post »  
    • GraceSullivan
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:14pm

      In my post I said the federal employees owe over 100 million, when it is actually over 100 Billion.

      Report Post »  
  • Squishyface
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:52pm

    Maybe they are trying their hand at wealth redistribution at a personal level :P. Every one of them should pay up or get fired. Rangle too!

    Report Post »  
  • Skandelon27
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:49pm

    We, common folks, would go to prison for this, but I guess its ok to offend the beast if you work for her???

    Report Post »  
    • Jeff in Miami
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:07pm

      The Rangel – Tax Cheat Timmy defense doesn’t work either. The IRS will just laugh it out of court unless you are one of the chosen leaders. So now there is officially 2 laws, for them and a stricter one for us.

      There used to be one rule of law but not any more. The divide between right and wrong keeps growing. There is no longer any law that is for everyone.

      Report Post » Jeff in Miami  
  • M31Sailor
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:48pm

    or Tim Geitner

    Report Post » M31Sailor  
  • Mike777
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:46pm

    Most of Obama’s staff have cheated on there taxes, so I am not surprised at all. The DC in Washington must be really true. District of Criminals ! ! !

    Report Post » Mike777  
  • warriorcop
    Posted on September 10, 2010 at 1:44pm

    Ok, now is anyone really shocked here? They must have had the same accountant that Charlie Rangle has

    Report Post » Obama Bin Lying  
    • BurntHills
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 2:17pm

      no shock here at all, we would go to jail for this, and they just get more perks. since Jan 2009, it’s been a free-for-all, all of obama’s goons can do whatever they want.

      Report Post » BurntHills  
    • Rock Knutne ND
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 3:17pm

      The Tea Party has its work cut out for itself…

      Report Post » Rock Knutne ND  
    • gracentruth
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 4:43pm

      If “We the People” – against all odds – do what our founders did, the government will be returned to its enumerated constitutional powers and federal employees will have to find jobs and pay their fair/flat or whatever taxes. It won’t be easy. One nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all – marching orders from on high.

      Report Post » gracentruth  
    • Drydave
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 6:17pm

      Oh no, I’m shocked! How can anyone not be?

      After all, these are the most upstanding, ethical, transparent people we’ve ever had in government. It’s probably just because Bush, who personally wrote the tax instructions (after he conjured up a hurricane or two in the Oval Office), made them as difficult and as complicated as possible. It‘s Bush’s fault!

      Report Post »  
    • calijohn
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 6:26pm

      about the same amount as during the bush admin. go t the wash post website and read the complete article and look at the graphs. some interesting numbers concerning the military and their taxes.

      Report Post »  
    • baldwin4freedom
      Posted on September 10, 2010 at 6:33pm

      @GRACENTRUTH
      I agree with you whole heartedly. This is what it is going to come down to if we are ever going to restore our Country fully.

      Report Post »  
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