On the afternoon of Tuesday January 13th 2009, news emerged that Treasury Secretary-nominee Timothy Geithner has a few tax problems in his recent history. As a result, his confirmation hearing scheduled for that date was postponed. Instead, behind closed doors, members of the Senate Finance Committee huddled with the nominee to discuss the specifics of his particular case. Similar tax issues in the past have derailed other candidates for high office.

Rather predictably Democratic senators emerged from the meeting reiterating their support for President-elect Obama's nominee. According to The Wall Street Journal, "Obama aides said they didn't think these issues would present a problem, given what they characterized as the minor nature of the infractions and the gravity of the role Mr. Geithner has been nominated to take. Mr. Geithner's 'service should not be tarnished by honest mistakes, which, upon learning of them, he quickly addressed,' Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement."

Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the committee's senior Republican, did not 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. A new hearing, which promises to be contentious, has been scheduled for Friday January 16th.