Grassley and Geithner

Grassley Carrying Senate GOP Ball Again

Once again, Chuck Grassley is showing his colors as one of the national leaders of the Republican Party. The Wall Street Journal reports:

Sen. Charles E. Grassley, ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is raising questions about a housekeeper who worked briefly for Treasury Secretary-nominee Timothy Geithner without proper immigration papers, and multiple years when Mr. Geithner didn't pay Social Security and Medicare taxes for himself.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D., Mont.) has summoned committee members to his office this afternoon to air the matter ahead of any public confirmation hearing.

All this partisan action is interesting from a guy who's up for re-election next year in an increasingly blue state. But Senate Guru follows up on yesterday's post:

My column yesterday on the prospect of Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley retiring must have touched a nerve because I received an e-mail from none other than Chuck Grassley's Communications Director noting: "Senator Grassley has held eight fundraisers since election day, and another 10 are scheduled. Like he's always said when asked by Iowa reporters and others, Senator Grassley is running for re-election in 2010."

SG, fallttered by the attention, takes CG at his word--for now, but notes that Pete Domenici was gearing up for re-election at this point two years ago, too.

As for Geithner, the statement from the transition team says he "made a common, honest mistake on his taxes" and "We hope that the Senate will confirm him with strong bipartisan support." It also seems Team Obama knew about it beforehand.