In a most striking move of utter unintentional self-parody, the 1600 Crew sent what it thought was a bullet-proof judicial nomination to the Senate. For a Tax-Court Judge, a 15 year tenure job that no one has ever opposed a nominee for, until now. A quick run through the Federal Election Commission Database reveals a Glen L. Bower of Illinois, who donated a total of $7150.00 in the 2000 election cycle to President Money Changer, the RNC and Denny Hastert. Okay, so he's got a few bucks. Donated to buy a job. Nice for him. Problems?

Bower, a former director of revenue for the state of Illinois, had to amend his federal income tax returns for 1999, 2000, and 2001 after Finance Committee staff found improper deductions in each year totaling about $2,000.

The money does not add up to much, but Senate investigators from both parties raised red flags over Bower's deduction of a $150 Royal Doulton pharmacist's mug he gave to then-Gov. George Ryan, a $109 Tiffany bowl he gave to Ryan's secretary and several meals for staff written off improperly as business expenses.

"Mr. Bower's conduct evidences a belief that the American taxpayer should reimburse him for his personal expenses," Baucus said in a statement released yesterday. "He is wrong."

The deductions were bad enough, Democratic tax aides said, but what really angered Baucus was Bower's insistence that many of the deductions were, in fact, proper, a stance that Baucus said "raises questions about his knowledge of . . . the most basic tax laws -- and his suitability to be a competent U.S. Tax Court judge."

Bush administration officials stood by Bower yesterday. Ashley Snee, a White House spokeswoman, said Bower is well qualified for the job and has addressed the tax matter to the committee's satisfaction.

I_Can't_Stop_Laughing...Honor and Dignity indeed. Maybe they need to re-examine those returns of Ol' Glen Bower, perhaps that $7150.00 is in there somewhere too, as a 'job search expense'...he might be an evil tax-dodging mastermind, and they've missed it altogether.