Damn. Damn. Damn.
The Miami Herald reports that we've shot ourselves in the foot yet again. The IRS has slapped a $200,000 lien on the Florida Democratic Party for failing to pay employee taxes in 2003.
The Florida Democratic Party, out of cash and out of power, has been slapped with a federal tax lien for failing to pay nearly $200,000 in Social Security and payroll taxes.
The latest hit -- coming just as the party's most recent former chief revs up a campaign for governor -- stands to further marginalize a party that has struggled in recent years to compete financially and politically with organized and well-financed Republicans. And it could give ammunition to the Democratic and Republican rivals of Scott Maddox, who left the party's leadership post last month to run for governor, touting his run as chairman.
The Internal Revenue Service has dunned the party for nearly $200,000 in unpaid taxes dating to when Maddox led the party, freezing the $98,000 the party has left in its bank account.
Well, I suppose the field of Democratic candidates for Governor just got 33% smaller.
I really didn't expect to win the Governorship back, but, damn, I didn't expect this kind of black eye either.
I realize there are rational explanations for this, but unless I hear some REAL convincing evidence, I am one pissed-off Florida Democrat.
Aside from the lien, party officials said there's a potential $900,000 gap in party finances -- and the party's budget committee voted Tuesday for an independent audit of the books.
''It's stunning,'' acknowledged Jon Ausman, a member of the party's budget committee. ``We've got to reinstall confidence in our donors and in the party that we can account for our money and it's going to campaigns to elect Democrats.''
I'll continue to support individual candidates financially, but the FDP is going to have a difficult time "reinstalling confidence" in this donor.
Damn, damn, damn.
