Sen. Carper Votes In Committee To Confirm New Treasury Secretary

WASHINGTON – As his first vote as a new member of the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) voted with the majority of his committee colleagues today to confirm the nomination of Timothy Geithner as U.S. Treasury Secretary.

 

Sen. Carper said:

“It is hard to imagine anyone better prepared to lead the Treasury Department during these perilous times than Tim Geithner.

“From his time as the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to his leadership positions at the Treasury Department, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Council on Foreign Relations, Mr. Geithner has gained invaluable experience in both the workings of the financial world and of the federal government.

“Mr. Geithner is not an ideologue. He does not view issues as liberal or conservative, left or right, but instead he wants to find the best way to rebuild our broken economy and put Americans back to work. That is why I supported his nomination in the Finance Committee, and why I will vote for his confirmation when it comes before the full Senate.”

Sen. Carper also commented on Mr. Geithner’s failure to pay his FICA taxes for several years while he was working overseas for the IMF:

“We all make mistakes. Some refuse to accept responsibility for mistakes, instead choosing to blame everyone else.

“Let me be clear: Mr. Geithner made a mistake in not paying his self-employment taxes in 2001, and he repeated that mistake in other years. But it is to his credit that he did not deflect the blame; instead, he has fully accepted it.

“In his own words, he has described his earlier action as careless and avoidable, but completely unintentional. He has paid every dime he owes, and the IRS, in a Republican Administration, chose not to fine him for his carelessness.

“In the end, Mr. Geithner accepted full responsibility and I take him at his word.”