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DEL.ICIO.USThe Politico: Congressman Scott’s finances are a tangle, and he owes taxes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Update at 9 a.m. Friday: The AJC take on this can be found here.
The Politico has put out an article this afternoon claiming that the finances of U.S. Rep. David Scott, an Atlanta Democrat, are in disarray.
The article states that Scott, his wife and a company owned by the couple have generated more than $182,000 in unpaid federal, state and local taxes. That includes $23,000 in property taxes on the couple’s Inman Park home.
The article says that Scott’s campaign has sent $634,000 the way of Scott’s family, the couple’s company, and its employees.
Scott has hired Georgia attorney Mike Williams to sort through the questions. Williams has accused the news web site of pursuing a “politically motivated” story.
Comments
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By Harry
May 24, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this
Why does U.S. Rep. David Scott have a home In Inman Park if he represents the 13th congressional district? The boundary of the 13th is quite a distance from Inman Park, at least 10 miles.
By phil
May 24, 2007 9:17 PM | Link to this
Has the AJC research Politico story to ascertain if it is true or not?
By John
May 24, 2007 10:12 PM | Link to this
Good question Phil. The Politico is a right-wing tabloid; I wouldn’t believe a word they write.
By KEN
May 25, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
If this thing doesn’t go awat the dems need to replace him with
By Paul
May 25, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
Congressmen do not have to live in the district they represent. The outrage is that a Congressman votes on and passes the tax laws we all live under. It is a violation of the public trust for a Congressman to not pay taxes and quite hypocritical. No one is above the law.
By Washington
May 25, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this
John, You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. I read Politico every day, and it has zero bias. Politico, Roll Call, and The Hill are all non-biased news sources covering Capitol Hill. They are far from tabloids, and certainly less biased than the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
By MrLiberty
May 25, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this
Republican, Democrat, white, black, hispanic - politics is the home of scoundrels and scumbags. The gentlemen who founded this country realized well and good that government was the worst of all institutions. They did what they could to try and educate the populace and to limit the size and scope of government at all levels. The two parties in power, all except for Ron Paul, see the role of politics as providing the financial lining to their pockets and their retirement accounts. They throw around phrases like (for your security), and (to keep us safe), but the reality is that once elected their love of power, their lack of respect for the constitution, and their lack of moral principles always get the better of them. The political process is so corrupt that it is totally ineffective for achieving real change. One need only look at the backlash that Ron Paul is getting for telling the truth about 9-11, our foreign policy, and the terrorists to see that. Just wait until he begins telling democrats and republicans that their socialist spending sprees need to stop as well.
David Scott is no different from any other congressman. He probably believes that 400 years of slavery entitle him to this, but why should he think differently. We turn our head to comparable abuses all the time and call it ok. That’s just part of the collective guilt we are supposed to feel.
The republic was nice while it lasted. It will be interesting to see how long the empire makes it for.
By Inman Park?
May 26, 2007 12:47 AM | Link to this
The Clayton and Henry county parts of Scott’s district aren’t just far away from Scott’s house, but they are practically different planets than Inman Park. Guy has got some guts to represent the Southside while living in Swankyville.
And he pays his wife to run his campaigns while she also runs the family business???
By U R in Big Trouble Dave-O
May 26, 2007 11:02 PM | Link to this
Paying your family to work a campaign is ALWAYS bad news. Let them volunteer. And the guy represents the Southside and lives in Inman Park?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-campaign14apr14,0,2363055.story?page=3&coll=la-home-headlines
Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a campaign finance watchdog group in Washington, said the practice should be prohibited. Campaign payments to family members could potentially become a way to get around the ban on the personal use of political funds, he said.
“In many races for Congress, there is no serious opposition, and members build up substantial war chests that can easily lead to the temptation to start making payments to family members, which can in effect become payments … to the benefit of members themselves,” he said. “This kind of activity does create problems in terms of public perceptions. It does create the potential for self-dealing.”