Does Geithner Have An Illegal Housekeeper Problem?
Ah, the classic nominee scandal. Sen Chuck Grassley of Iowa has raised concerns about an undocumented housekeeper who worked for Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner. It’s a stupid mistake for a public official to make, if true, though we also think it’s ridiculous how often nominees get held back by this. This isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker, but it will be a test of whether Obama wants to spend some political capital on what was thought to have been a breeze nominee. If Geithner really is Obama’s man, he might be ready for a fight. Off the top of our head, past nominees that have been felled (in part) by this issue include Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood (Clinton noms for Attorney General), Linda Chavez (Bush Labor nom) and Bernard Kerik (sort of, though ultimately he went down for a lot more). According to people familiar with the matter, Mr. Geithner employed a housekeeper whose immigration papers expired during her tenure with Mr. Geithner, currently president of the Federal Reserve Bank of
