Senate Sends Geithner to Treasury

Timothy Geithner may be a tax dodger who helped funnel taxpayer funds to his banking buddies, but we need that kind of cunning right now. That’s the thinking on Capitol Hill, anyway. The Senate confirmed President Obama’s pick to head Treasury on Monday, over the grumbles of 34 senators.

Geithner’s remarks following his swearing-in can be found here.

New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Timothy F. Geithner was sworn in as secretary of the Treasury on Monday evening, confirmed by a Senate majority that concluded that his experience in government and finance outweighed concerns about recent disclosures of some $34,000 in past tax delinquencies.

The vote was 60 to 34.

The tax controversy had delayed Mr. Geithner’s confirmation, keeping him from taking office right after Barack Obama’s inauguration last Tuesday as administration officials had hoped, given the economic emergency.

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Wikimedia Commons / Presidencia de la Nación Argentina

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner