From the Wall Street Journal:
Timothy Geithner didn't pay Social Security and Medicare taxes for several years while he worked for the International Monetary Fund, and he employed an immigrant housekeeper who briefly lacked proper work papers.
Those issues, and a series of other tax matters, scuttled a tentatively scheduled confirmation hearing Tuesday for Mr. Geithner as Treasury secretary, Senate Finance Committee aides said. The tax matters were instead the subject of a closed-door meeting between the nominee, currently president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and members of the Senate Finance panel, in whose hands his confirmation lies.
Several senators said after the meeting that they intended to remain supporters of Mr. Geithner, who has playing a central role in tackling the financial crisis. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D., Mont.) called the issue serious, but not disqualifying.
"I still support him," said Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) as he emerged from the meeting. "He's a very competent guy."
Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the committee's senior Republican, didn't give Mr. Geithner a pass. "It's serious, and whether or not it's disqualifying is to be determined," Mr. Grassley said after the meeting.
