Latest Nominee with Tax Troubles Is V&E Partner Ron Kirk
The Vinson & Elkins partner nominated to be U.S. Trade Representative has agreed to pay nearly $10,000 in back taxes.
Most of the shortfall stems from Ronald Kirk’s failure to pay income taxes on $37,752 in speaking fees he donated to his alma mater, Austin College, over a four-year period, according to a press release.
The shortfall “pales beside the lapses of some Obama Cabinet picks, though independent tax experts agreed that Kirk had made some ‘careless’ errors,” the Dallas Morning News reports. Reuters, the Associated Press the Tex Parte Blog and TaxProf Blog also published stories.
Other errors highlighted by the Senate Finance Committee: Kirk deducted more than $17,000 in business entertainment expense for season tickets to Dallas Maverick basketball games, but was only able to substantiate about $10,000 of that amount, according to the stories. He also deducted a larger percentage than warranted for tax and accounting fees, and owes about $1,000 in taxes as a result, the press release says.
