A Senate committee put off its vote on Representative Hilda Solis's nomination as labor secretary, one day after her husband paid to settle tax liens, Bloomberg reported.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Solis's nomination wasn't in trouble even though the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions today delayed the vote. Her husband paid about $6,400 yesterday to settle the liens.
Solis is the fourth of President Barack Obama's nominees to top posts whose family's taxes have become an issue in the Senate's confirmation process. Three have said they had failed to pay all their taxes, and two withdrew from consideration.
Gibbs said Solis wasn't involved in the liens and shouldn't be blamed. "We're not going to penalize her for her husband's mistakes," Gibbs told reporters at the White House. "Her tax returns are in order."
Former Senator Tom Daschle, a South Dakota Democrat, withdrew Feb. 3 as nominee for health secretary after questions arose about errors on his federal taxes. Hours earlier, Nancy Killefer withdrew from consideration as deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. She also cited a personal "tax issue."
Timothy Geithner was confirmed as Treasury secretary on Jan. 2, overcoming concerns that he underpaid federal taxes in previous years.