Husband of Labor Nominee Settles Tax Liens

0

The husband of President Obama’s choice to head the Labor Department paid about $6,400 Wednesday to settle tax liens that had been outstanding for as long as 16 years against his business, the Obama administration said Thursday.

The disclosure came shortly before a scheduled meeting of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will vote on U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis’ nomination as Labor secretary. The hearing was postponed to give the administration time to look into the tax matter and report back to the committee, said a spokesman for Sen. Edward Kennedy, the committee chairman. Solis is a California Democrat.

Los Angeles County records showed 15 outstanding state and county tax liens against Sayyad and his auto repair business, totaling $7,630. Two other liens worth $981 were released in 1999 after Sayyad repaid the taxes owed, according to county records.

Solis and Sayyad were unaware of the liens until USA TODAY asked about them Tuesday, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said. Vietor said Sayyad went to the Los Angeles County tax office and paid what he was told he owed , which was about $6,400 , to settle all of his outstanding liens. But Sayyad plans to appeal, Vietor said.

Vietor said Sayyad believes he had already paid all of his taxes in full. He said Solis had no reason to know of the liens because her husband’s business is a sole proprietorship.




Read the full

USA Today

story.

No posts to display