Quick Picks: Lawmakers Take a Tax Test and Grill Their Bailed-Out Donors — ProPublica

Quick Picks: Lawmakers Take a Tax Test and Grill Their Bailed-Out Donors

by Alexandra Andrews

Feb. 11, 2009, 5:15 p.m. EST

Quick Picks focuses on a select few of the day's stories from "Breaking on the Web."

CEOs from eight banks receiving bailout bucks are testifying on the Hill today, but Capital Eye reports they "may find that the hot seat is merely lukewarm." That's because those CEOs' companies also helped fund the campaigns of most of the lawmakers on the House Financial Services Committee. Nearly every committee member "received contributions associated with these financial institutions during the 2008 election cycle, for a total of $1.8 million."
Given the slew of surprise tax problems popping up in Washington recently, Politico decided to investigate how many others might be lurking under the rug: It asked all 99 U.S. senators to answer a few questions about their tax returns. Fifty-six senators responded, eight of whom admitted prior tax snafus. Six admitted having to pay back taxes. And Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) had the unique problem of dealing with paychecks the House of Representatives continued to send after he'd already left.

Check out more of our roundup of the best investigative stories around the Web.

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