‘Offensive and Horrific’: NY Congressman Condemns NY Post Chimp/Stimulus Cartoon

"Do you think that The New York Post is calling the president of the United States a chimp?"

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February 18, 2009 at 5:41 pm - MSNBC
Dateline: New York, NY
Eileen for Freedom/Liberty   February 18th, 2009 - 5:41 pm

Forget about the identification with the stimulus bill…you need to focus on this horrific act perpetuated by this chimpanzee.

For anyone that read, or heard the 911 calls, you know how horrific this was.

That in itself was the travesty of this cartoon…to have a policeman shooting a chimp as if it’s a joke or something to make a cartoon of after what that chimp did to those women.

Where is your sensiblity for these poor women…the cartoon was in poor case just on that basis alone.

No wonder you newspapers are going under!

You side won. Get over it   February 18th, 2009 - 5:47 pm

Publicated? is that e-bonics?

Gotta love the liberal media. Think the MSM has used similar cartoons (monkey for G W Bush) and worse. Get a little thicker hyde. We’re in for a long, long long-long four years . . .

Chis is still an @ss, however.

JustAnotherGuy   February 18th, 2009 - 5:56 pm

Is this part of the same “Liberals can’t take criticism”, so we’ll make speech illegal deals. I would say this guy is next in line for the Fairness Doctrine but he probably can’t pull the ebonics out if his ignorant ass long enough to pronounce it. Oh, I’m sorry. Is that being racist?

OBNOXIOUS & TERRIBLE TASTE   February 18th, 2009 - 5:56 pm

It is a pretty obnoxious cartoon, both for its nasty intentions toward Mr. Obama (or the Congress or whoever they intended to refer to) and also for making light of a horrific tragedy involving that chimp who viciously attacked the woman and tore off her face and ate her hands!

JUST NOT FUNNY and IN HORRIBLE TASTE, all the way around.

OBNOXIOUS & TERRIBLE TASTE   February 18th, 2009 - 5:58 pm

It is a pretty obnoxious cartoon, both for its nasty intentions toward Mr. Obama (or the Congress or whoever they intended to refer to) and also for making light of a horrific tragedy involving that animal who viciously attacked the woman and tore off her face and ate her hands!

JUST NOT FUNNY and IN HORRIBLE TASTE, all the way around.

Tommy C   February 18th, 2009 - 5:58 pm

You liberals never cease to amaze. Just to summarize – a chimpanzee was shot in NYC yesterday, the Post was making reference to that event and relating it to the joke of a stimulus bill that was written and voted on by the “monkey’s” in Congress. Obama did not write the bill. Stop trying to divert attention from the fact that you all just ruined America.

JohnnyAmerican   February 18th, 2009 - 6:01 pm

Mr Meeks, Publicated….. What, I think it is awewome. free speech!!!! We only have 2 years until we can start voting out the Dem’s

Joey Potts   February 18th, 2009 - 6:04 pm

The cartoon is saying the stimulas bill is dumb and careless. Even a monkey could write it. Get it? hahaha. ITS FUNNY! GET OVER IT YOU BIG BABIES

CENSORED WORDS   February 18th, 2009 - 6:07 pm

BB would not post the original comment because it had the word “CH*MP” but when that word was changed to “ANIMAL”, the post appeared.

For heaven’s sake, BB, can’t you LIGHTEN UP on your HYPERSENSITIVITY and ENORMOUS LIST OF BANNED WORDS ON THIS SITE??

SuperSarge229   February 18th, 2009 - 6:07 pm

Ah, come on, this President thinks his “stimulus package” is somewhere between his belly button and his but ho-le!
He’s way to lazy and simple minded to have the in depth knowledge required to write a legal document! That’s what the ape is for!

Forerunner   February 18th, 2009 - 6:19 pm

“I’m with you, Congressman Meeks.” Followed by a quote to twist the bias more. You can see Congressman Lungren on the bottom grimacing at this blatant and unapologetic media bias.

“Thank you very much, it was a great debate.” Indeed.

[...] here to see the original: ‘Offensive and Horrific’: NY Congressman Condemns NY Post Chimp/Stimulus Cartoon Filed Under: Latest News VideoTagged: pcu [...]

[...] Breitbart, I would have preferred “atrocious,” “traumatic,” or “nauseating [...]

[...] Breitbart, I would have preferred “atrocious,” “traumatic,” or “nauseating [...]

DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH   February 18th, 2009 - 6:33 pm

I FIND THE CRIME RATE OF BLACKS “HORRIFIC AND OFFENSIVE” –

LOOK – http://WWW.NEWNATION.ORG

Fox   February 18th, 2009 - 6:34 pm

Way to go Diversity, show everyone you are a racist pinhead.

Scott   February 18th, 2009 - 6:38 pm

So any time we make a funny comment about Obama we’re racist? The US has elected a black president, can’t we get past the hysterical racial accuastions now?! What’s horrific and offensive are the things the “stimulus” package is going to do to our nation. And yes, a monkey could do a better job writing that package. It’s called HUMOR!!! It’s the only thing that will get some of us through the next four years.

Maximus   February 18th, 2009 - 6:43 pm

What is the big deal?
Did you stop and think that the people that wrote the stimulus bill might have the IQ of a chimp?

markmywords   February 18th, 2009 - 6:51 pm

Wow, anything connected to the animal kingdom is off limits is our PC environment, but the president can destroy the very fabric of what has made America the great nation that it WAS and the watchdogs (sorry about that reference) do not howl and wail or even hang the tail.

Maximus   February 18th, 2009 - 6:53 pm

I don’t believe it has to do anything with the pigmentation but it has all to do with the mental capicity of these chimps in the government. Now get your thumbs out your mouth and get a job.

Don   February 18th, 2009 - 6:56 pm

You can’t compare a black man to a chimpanzee and not see the racism in it! You people disgust me. Racist Xian extremists.

md   February 18th, 2009 - 7:04 pm

I was just taking a look through the Way-back Machine, trying to find any example of Chris Matthews making a stink whenever some liberal or media personality laughingly referred to President Bush as “Chimp,” thus denigrating both the office of the President and the human being who served there.

Didnt find one time where Matthews or any other media figure objected to President Bush habitually and nauseatingly referred to as a chimp. In fact, I didnt find one single instance of Matthews EVER objecting to ANY negative characterization of President Bush.

Funny how that works.

PeterTerp   February 18th, 2009 - 7:06 pm

The last time I checked, it was the legislative branch that wrote the law, not the executive branch.
The cartoon clearly states that the police shot the entity responsible for writing the stimulus bill.
Therefore, this cartoon is clearly about the legislature…which has been behaving quite like a deranged primate as of late. This cartoon is not about the President, who does not write law.

Don   February 18th, 2009 - 7:10 pm

Markmywords,

You are an imbecile. Nobody in their right mind would conclude that a reference to any animal is racist. There are only three such valid references: ch!mps, m0nkies, and g0rilla’s. Any 4th grader knows this.

I guess homeschooling isn’t always the correct educational choice, eh? Xian extremists like yourself need to leave our great country.

[...] Breitbart, I would have preferred “atrocious,” “traumatic,” or “nauseating [...]

[...] Quick Take: ‘Offensive and Horrific’: NY Congressman Condemns NY Post Chimp/Stimulus Cartoon → Read full article… [...]

[...] Quick Take: ‘Offensive and Horrific’: NY Congressman Condemns NY Post Chimp/Stimulus Cartoon → Read full article… [...]

RUFUS   February 18th, 2009 - 7:11 pm

WELL, IF ANYTHING SHOWS TOTAL IGNORANCE, IT IS THE STUPIDITY AND SHALLOW EXPERIENCE OF BOTH THE RACIST NY SENATOR AND CHRIS MATHEWS OF MSNBC ( WHO NOONE EXPECTS MUCH BRILLIANCE FROM ANYWAY)

LOOK…STOP SEEKING RACIAL ISSUES IN EVERYFRIKIN THING!

THIS CARTOON WAS A PARODY ON THE OLD STATISTICS STATEMENT DEALING WITH RANDOM CHANCE, THAT SAID IF YOU PUT 2000 MONKEYS AT 2000 TYPEWRITERS FOR 2000 YEARS, THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY THAT THEY COULD RECREATE THE BIBLE IS 100%.

AFTER THE INCREDIBLY RACIST ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER THAT JUST CLAIMED AMERICANS ARE COWARDS BECAUSE THEY WON’T DISCUSS RACIAL ISSUES OPENLY, I SUPPOSE THAT THIS IS THE RESULTS OF JUST MAKING EVERYTHING LOOK LIKE A RACIST INSULT.

I AM INSULTED THAT NEW YORK ELECTS SUCH A STUPID CONGRESSMAN. AND I AM INSULTED THAT CHRIS MATHEWS TAKES HIS STUPIDITY TO POKE AT ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE AN INSULT TO MATHEWS “LEG CHILLING” PRESIDENT BOY.

THIS IS A GREAT PLACE FOR AMERICANS TO TALK ABOUT RACE. BLACK PEOPLE….GET OVER IT!

CLEARLY, WHEN A PERSONA HAS A NEED TO HAMMER, EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE A NAIL.

YES, I AM WHITE. I AM A MAN. I AM A HETEROSEXUAL FATHER OF FOUR, STILL MARRIED. I AM A WAGEEARNER. I AM 67 YEARS OLD AND WAS PART OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN MY COLLEGE DAYS. NOW, I GET TO TELL YOU BLACK PEOPLE TO STOP MESSING UP WHAT WE AND MLK JR. AND LBJ BROUGHT TO THIS NATION IN THE 1960s. YOU DON’T HAVE IT ANY WORSE THAT THE REST OF US THAT HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVING.

Gandi's Fist   February 18th, 2009 - 7:26 pm

Having drawn political cartoons for major papers, I can say that this particular artist must have had a screw loose. Recently, the news story of a chimpanzee mauling a woman and then being put down by officers is the source of the imagery, but it is not apt, nor is the sketch even well made. I think it is very possible, the cartoonist simply thought the chimp was a good metaphor for the authors of the “stimulus package” It would be my guess that his image slipped by due to this. Frankly, it is even possible that a completely non-racist, or more to the point, an individual with no preconceptions could come up with this picture. They’d just have to be incredibly naive. In doing this, the artist opened the door to racial grandstanding, which is what Meeks is certainly doing. Mind you, his Ebonic gaff certainly didn’t help break stereotypes much. In stead of getting pundits like these two up there, hows about getting some individuals with a little expertise on the subject. Two decades ago, there were 2000 political cartoonists in the country. Today there are less than 200 on staff. If anything is offensive–that is. Politicians hate political cartoons and have for years. In fact, it was the corrupt boss Tweed who remarked, “Let them write what they want, I don’t care. It’s those d*E!@d cartoons that get me.”

Joni   February 18th, 2009 - 7:28 pm

Obama being compared to a chimp? No way, he’s not smart enough!

Leo Sawyer   February 18th, 2009 - 7:32 pm

The spendulous bill was written by the first “lady”. As such, the cartoon is entirely correct.

Floyd   February 18th, 2009 - 7:35 pm

They’re saying that Obama is an African-Chimpanzee-American. That’s what they’re saying. They’re saying that he’s a monkey man.

Fox   February 18th, 2009 - 7:38 pm

Actually Scott I was referring to the link posted by the previous poster, not the cartoon. The cartoon about the pork-ulous bill could have been done better either way.

Randy   February 18th, 2009 - 7:42 pm

LOL!!!!! They have found N3groes that will go on camera and say they are “offended.” Newsflash!

Marjo   February 18th, 2009 - 7:43 pm

The true racist is the person who reads race into everything. When I saw the cartoon I thought “haphazardly written,” “something a monkey could do,” etc. Especially since anyone that knows anything about the 3 branches of government know that the President did not (nor could he) write the Stimulus Package.

Looks like the PC Police and True Racists are in hyperdrive. Its going to be a long 4 years.

Russ   February 18th, 2009 - 7:43 pm

Once again pmsnbc just can’t run fast enough to their racial accusations.Nancy and Harry wrote the stimulus bill,everyone knows it and the cartoon is perfect for those two.But yet again,we have the haters of the country and some black congressman running to the microphone to scream racism when no such thing is there.Maybe thats why so many people are getting sick of the racial accusations,they always come from the same group of lying haters and crybabies.Anyone calling pelosi and reid ,chimps,is hitting the nail on the head,actually,they were being to easy on them.Little pissy chrissy needs to get a life and try sometomes to get better ratings than the cartoon network.

Stan   February 18th, 2009 - 7:46 pm

Meeks is now, and has always been, an idiot. And, as has been observed, liberals can’t handle criticism. Dissent is obviously no longer patriotic.

You have to be dim beyond all help to think the Post cartoon was calling Obama a chimp. Everyone know Obama didn’t write the bill. The point is the bill was SO BAD a chimp MUST have written it.

We’re in for a long four years where humor-free Democrats attempt to play the race card at every turn.

Chimps Ahoe!   February 18th, 2009 - 8:03 pm

Hold the phone-are they trying to say that if you call a ‘white guy’ a chimp it’s ‘ok” – but not if the guy is black?
Why the double standards there darckie!

SSDD   February 18th, 2009 - 8:10 pm

I thought Pelosi & Reid wrote it! so Obama had cover when the rubber hits the road on this… it’s only his if it works remember!!!!
so lets just wait the 4 years it’s gonna take for the full effect of this bill then you can start crying foul.

Stepford America   February 18th, 2009 - 8:18 pm

when his High-ness’s middle name is used by critics they are accused of being racists due to the “tone” they use when saying “Hussain”.

well Chrissy & Mr Congressman what “tone” was the cartoon drawn in…. now you have your answer.

IDIOTS!

DEM CONGRESS IS THE RABID APE

ninguem   February 18th, 2009 - 8:21 pm

Eight years of chimp jokes directed at Bush. There’s a bushorchimp.com website. The Smirking Chimp. On and on and on and on and on. One Bush is a chimp joke after another.

Philip Slater’s column in the Huffington Post in 2007. “New Scientific Study Reveals Bush is a Chimp.”

Eight years of this. And now, one cartoon, I guess implying that Obama is a chimp, or at least some are taking it that way. Now look at the outrage. Talk about a double standard.

Monkey see - Monkey DO!   February 18th, 2009 - 8:29 pm

WE SHOULD BE SO LUCKY!

brewitt   February 18th, 2009 - 8:38 pm

I thought it was kind of funny.

JGalt   February 18th, 2009 - 8:41 pm

Democrats in congress wrote the stimulus bill. Not Obama. So the simple truth is that this cartoon compares congressional democrats to chimps.

You can publicate that as fact.

dad always said   February 18th, 2009 - 9:19 pm

Dad always said : Never trust a party that uses a jackass as a symbol, or it will make one out of you .
How do you dems feel now.

Russs   February 18th, 2009 - 10:12 pm

Did Obama WRITE the stimulus bill?..I thot it was the congress. Why is everything published “racist” these days? I didn’t find it racist in the least, since I cant find ANY WAY it could have been in reference to BLACKS… Maybe the stupid DEMOCRATIC legislators that wrote the original stimulus package without any Republican input… and who, if I recall are mostly white.

No peace   February 18th, 2009 - 10:12 pm

When will black people let white people live in peace-this country will have no peace of mind until black and white cultures allowed to do what comes naturally-segregate

i don't get it   February 18th, 2009 - 10:15 pm

Why are blacks so sensitive about monkeys.

jandj   February 18th, 2009 - 10:18 pm

MATHEWS IS GONNA CRY ALL WEEK OVER THAT ONE IT WAS A GOOD ONE OLD GEORGE STEPH WILL BE MAD TO

Truth Lives   February 18th, 2009 - 10:19 pm

Blacks need to spend more time stopping the out of control assaults and rapes performed by their young men.Blacks always place more emphasis on the sin of racist words(legal)but ignore the sins of violence(illegal). Remember Mark Fuhrman goes to jail for saying nogger, OJ aquited by blacks of murder.

Matt- Illinois   February 18th, 2009 - 10:43 pm

you can make fun of white people ALL DAY LONG. but even remotely associate a black man with a chimpanzee, and OMG! out come the p.c. police..

and besides, like everyone else with a brain is pointing out, WHO writes legislation? hint: (it’s NOT the president)

steve   February 18th, 2009 - 11:03 pm

Just the thought that Sharpton is belching out his racist narrow-minded, mis-guided rhetoric is sickening. He exploits Blacks more than any White person. BTW – it is wrong to say nappy headed whore but ok to say blond-headed bimbo. Now we got the loud-mouthed DC politicains calling Americans cowards. Who are the cowards? The Black punks selling crack to their brothers or the white majority who make it possible for them to remain on welfare?

Cara C   February 18th, 2009 - 11:06 pm

It was okay to call Bush a chimp all day every day for eight years. But Obama’s people cry “Racist!” when they think he’s being a called a chimp.

If one thinks it acceptable to call a white president a chimp, it is racist to apply a different standard of treatment to a black president.

zzyzxroad   February 18th, 2009 - 11:11 pm

Magyarfrau   February 18th, 2009 - 11:35 pm

Man, Chris Matthews is offensive– does every negative comment or reference to Congress or the White House now have to be labeled racist? How about the Attorney General’s comments that America is a nation of cowards when it comes to race. I find that offensive! How does he know if I desegregate or segregate on the weekends? It is just insane! LIBERALISM IS A MENTAL DISORDER!
Unfortunately , our nation is becoming gravely ill because of the the libs running the show. Organize yourselves at the grassroots my friends — we are in for one crazy carney ride– let’s vote as many of them out as we can on the Local, State & National level in two years and keep on rolling in four.

Justin Bailey   February 18th, 2009 - 11:43 pm

Let us see, we’re not allowed to do drawings of Obama or the false-prophet Mohammed?

Hmm. Not going to happen. I’m drawing on.

claspur   February 19th, 2009 - 12:06 am

Floyd’s close…

More like a Peter Gabriel tune…

Wayyy, we gonna shoot they monkay… eh..

It’s gonna be a long for years….*sigh

claspur   February 19th, 2009 - 12:10 am

It’s bad….They did crap like this against Bush, and not a thing was ever said agianst that by the MSM.

Go eat your monkey meat, MSM!

Spanky   February 19th, 2009 - 12:12 am

TRUTH NEEDED: do monkeys really fling feces?

claspur   February 19th, 2009 - 12:16 am

Publicated? that’s real good grammar.

claspur   February 19th, 2009 - 12:18 am

Yes Spanky…yes they do… *sigh

Stymie   February 19th, 2009 - 12:23 am

MSNBC really should change the name of that show to Eightball.

Phil   February 19th, 2009 - 12:26 am

All Liberals have thin skins & thick skulls.

GET A SENSE OF HUMOR…it was Congress, not your Anointed One, in the cartoon.

Spanky   February 19th, 2009 - 12:39 am

Thanks claspur. The rumor is true… *sigh

He stole “publicated” from da’ Kingfish who first coined that word!

As Phil said, Liberals are always getting offendicated.

Mama Monkey   February 19th, 2009 - 1:03 am

Didn’t Nancy Pelosi write the stimulus bill? Shouldn’t Italian-Americans be rioting because this was obviously an “Organ Grinder” joke?? I mean come on people look at the big picture not just what gets publicated by Congressman Meeks!

Lawrence   February 19th, 2009 - 1:22 am

Its i the eyes of the viewer is he Obama or congress or pelosi or reed ? will we ever no!

[...] Now, Sam Stein of the Huffington Post and Al Sharpton are up in arms about an editorial cartoon in today’s New York Post. The cartoon, playing off a news story about a rabid chimpanzee who was shot by police officers,uses… [...]

Roger Fishwife   February 19th, 2009 - 1:56 am

What a bunch of thin-skinned, self-righteous hypocritical BS. We had 8 years of ever-so “funny” comparisons between GW Bush and chimps, and you liberals laughed and laughed. Well, the shoes on the other foot now, so suck it up. President “Curious George” Obama is just going to have to deal with it, and so are you lefties.

dr jay   February 19th, 2009 - 1:58 am

the thought police are just getting started amigos. as the stress level in our country rises so will a concerted effort be made to brainwash our citizenry. the backlash wont be easy on the thought police though.

confused   February 19th, 2009 - 2:07 am

I was always told if you have to explain a joke or cartoon, it probably isn’t very funny. Who says the chimp in question represents our president Think we are supposed to put in context of the old saying “put a hundred monkeys (exactly the right number of the true authors of this bill) in a room with a hundred typewriters,eventually you will get every great piece of literature written by man” However, even as a true Repub. I have to agree it is somewhat distasteful. I do question the need for Brother Chris to run out and get some geeked up racist to interpret the meaning through his eyes (yet another example of Ofay scorn against the Black community), Topped off with the hosts unrebuted approval. Oh well it’s Chris, I shouldn’t be surprised.

EMC   February 19th, 2009 - 2:50 am

Wow, you can find a thousand pictures of Bush as a chimp on the web. Whats the big deal? I thought we all came from monkeys any way according to the liberals. I think it should be acceptable to compare anyone to a chimp. Obama is not only a chimp he is a chump of the democrat party.

DanielTUSA   February 19th, 2009 - 3:24 am

Even Mathews knows this stimulus bill is a steaming pile, I have no doubt he probably believes that Obama took an afternoon and wrote the bill all by himself. It’s amazing how little the “experts” know about the constitution and the political process. Comparing the people in congress who “crafted” this bill with a chimpanzee is an insult to chimpanzees.

juandos   February 19th, 2009 - 3:50 am

Naturally the whiners and fools that had no problem with Bush being portrayed as a chimp are now whining that the EXCELLENT Delonas editorial is oh so terrible… ROFLMAO!

Bob   February 19th, 2009 - 7:27 am

I think comparing the idiots that wrote the stimulus bill to a monkey is offensive…

To the monkey….

KeithJ   February 19th, 2009 - 7:43 am

Remember those vile racist cartoons featuring Condi Rice? I do! WHERE WAS CONGRESSMEN MEEKS THEN?
I am sick to death of the selective outrage of the Congressional Black Caucus. What about the way Michael Steele was treated during his senate race? HUH?
I will not stand for 4 years of this junk. I am your worst nightmare liberals: a conservative black man who believes in freedom and the greatness of America. Not BHO’s United Socialist States of America.

fande3rls   February 19th, 2009 - 8:02 am

KeithJ said : I am your worst nightmare liberals: a conservative black man who believes in freedom and the greatness of America. Not BHO’s United Socialist States of America.

TEll them like it is Keithj , welcome to the right side my friend.

Sarah Palin   February 19th, 2009 - 9:00 am

THE REAL IMPORTANT NEWS NOT EVER SHOWN ON RIGHT WING WACKO SITES AS THIS ONE!! ***********
**********

Palin owes back taxes on per diem, state says ****************

Gov. Sarah Palin must pay income taxes on thousands of dollars in expense money she received while living at her Wasilla home, under a new determination by state officials.
The governor’s office wouldn’t say this week how much she owes in back taxes for meal money, or whether she intends to continue to receive the per diem allowance. As of December, she was still charging the state for meals and incidentals.

“The amount of taxes owed is a private matter,” Sharon Leighow, Palin’s spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. “If the governor collects future per diem, those documents would be a matter of public record.”

The revelation about Palin comes as U.S. senators, including Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, are under scrutiny over back taxes. A survey by the political newspaper and Web site Politico (www.politico.com) found that Begich was one of seven senators who acknowledged having paid back taxes.

Some other state employees also owe back income taxes for travel payments and will be getting revised tax forms, Annette Kreitzer, state administration commissioner, said in an e-mail.

She wouldn’t say which, or how many, employees will be receiving the notifications.

The payments became a touchy issue for Palin last fall when she was running for vice president and campaigned as a budget watchdog.

The Washington Post published a story in mid-September that said she had charged the state almost $17,000 for meals and incidentals while staying in her own home.

The state considers Juneau, where she lives in the Governor’s Mansion, to be Palin’s official duty station.

Palin billed the state for 312 nights spent in her Wasilla home during her first 19 months in office, according to the Washington Post. She received $60 a day tax free, money intended to cover meals and incidentals, while traveling on state business, her travel forms show.

“Last fall we raised questions about longstanding practices within the Department of Administration regarding tax treatment of per diem payments,” Kreitzer wrote in an exchange of e-mails over the past few days with the Daily News.

“At the Governor’s request, we reviewed the situation to determine whether we were in full compliance with the pertinent Internal Revenue Service regulations,” Kreitzer wrote. “As a result of this review, we determined that per diem needs to be treated as income, requiring a revision of W-2 forms for any affected employees.”

The new determination by administration officials won’t affect state lawmakers, said Pam Varni, director of the Legislative Affairs agency.

Under IRS guidelines, legislators receive tax-free payments to help with living expenses while in Juneau for the legislative session — if their home is at least 50 miles away, Varni said.

The current rate, set by the U.S. Department of Defense, is $189 a day. That goes to everyone except the three Juneau-based legislators, who get smaller payments that are taxed as compensation.

Legislators can also charge the state $150 a day for time spent on state business when the Legislature is not in session, but those payments are taxed as income, Varni said.

Begich’s situation came to light through a political survey released last week by Politico about senators and their taxes.

Fifty-five senators, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, didn’t answer the questions, and a few others owed money but didn’t consider it “back taxes” for one reason or another.

On his way out of a meeting with veterans on Monday, Begich answered a few questions about the back taxes he paid on a vehicle provided to him by the city when he was mayor.

“I refused the car the first 10 or 12 months,” Begich said. “I didn’t want the car.

“Then they told me I had to have it because of liability and a need and security and blah, blah, blah. So I ended up getting a used car. The first time a mayor has gotten a used car.” It was a former police SUV.

The tax obligation came to his attention in late 2007, as he remembers it, after a regular IRS audit of city issues. The city then sent him revised tax statements.

“They gave me a letter and said you got to pay taxes on it. So they revised my W-2s.” He wouldn’t say how much he owed. “It’s irrelevant,” Begich said.

Generally, people are supposed to pay income taxes on the value of an employer-provided vehicle that is for personal use. Police vehicles are among the exceptions — officers can drive them home and not be taxed on the value of the commute.

There’s no specific exception in the law for mayors or governors. Palin has had a state Chevy Suburban.

Begich said a mayor is always on the job. No other Anchorage mayor ever had to pay income taxes on a city vehicle, he said.

“That’s the point. I’m always on call. Always. … And I think that’s what the city’s view was, for the city manager and me, was that we were always on call,” Begich said. “But the IRS viewed it differently.”

“After that issue came up, I got rid of the car,” Begich said. He was in a downtown parking lot getting into the Toyota Highlander hybrid he bought in late 2007 to replace the city rig.

The Politico story about the survey said his situation echoed that of Tom Daschle, who had to step down as President Barack Obama’s pick for health secretary after revelations about back taxes, including taxes owed for a limo and driver.

“For Politico to say it’s the same as Daschle — that’s bunk,” Begich said.

My goodness… I thought only Democrats picked running mates and cabinet members with tax problems. FIX NOISE and the other right wing mouthpieces got it wrong again. Go figure.

I’m not seeing too many right wingers in defense of Sarah anymore . . . Probably too many facts slapping them in the face. Seems to be nothing more than a Dan Quayle with a pony tail only much more deceiving! And you idiotic right wing wackos thought the public couldn’t see through this B.S. No wonder the Regugs got shellacked in the elections!

iggy   February 19th, 2009 - 9:08 am

What about all the years GW Bush was called a chimp or monkey. No one in the press or elite WA thought that was offensive. What about when he was called a stupid Redneck? Come on people…the more we’re dictated to become “racially diverse” the more we move towards racial problems. Stop pointing out the racial issues and the emphasis on our differences will cease. I never looked at people with different skin color as different, until I was lectured to, reminded and reprimanded at how prejudice MY skin color was. All these “diversity” programs have done is emphasized how different we are….nothing about common ground like the fact that we’re all made of the same stuff…blood, skin, DNA….we’re human beings, but the way the liberal educational system would have it is we’re just a diverse group of “things” that can’t see past the color of eachothers skin. It just pisses me off! Let it go! Stop being so politically driven. Today’s liberal is truly a messed up creature.

Chris Matthews the blow master   February 19th, 2009 - 9:38 am

Aaah, for it to be Chris Matthews being the monkey now THAT would be funny. LOL!!

Jimmy Chittwood   February 19th, 2009 - 10:10 am

Barry did not write the bill. The reference is obviously to his “chimps” working for him in congress (let by lead chimps Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid who appear to be white). Chris is not an @ss, he is a dumb @ss. When are they going to drop the race card BS and the “don’t trust whitey” mantra.

Fuzzy77   February 19th, 2009 - 10:35 am

To Sarah Palin,

Let me ask you something…where was your rage when the lefties had tax problems? You had no rage, you justified it. But now there are tax issues with 1 of our people and it is a scandal…truly hypocritcal as usual.

BTW, she simply did not pay on per diem, which has to be counted as income…and the tax amount is 18K…a pretty far cry from 150,000K don’t ya think!

And Daschel’s tax problem was him flat out not paying on what he knew to be income from LOBBYIST groups!!

And one last thing…it wasn’t the Repubs who threw a fit over Daschel…his own party threw him under the bus…so your rage is totally aimed at the wrong people.

You have a great day, you obviously very happy, happy person!

Jimmy Chittwood   February 19th, 2009 - 10:43 am

“Sarah Palin” is a typical unemployed (or employed or laid off star bucks employee) liberal with too much bitter time on their hands.

Sean R.   February 19th, 2009 - 10:50 am

It’s disgustingly clear to me that these jackass liberals have NO SENSE OF HUMOR! Have these pathetic useful idiots heard of the word “satire”? Apparently these buffoons on the left never heard of that word, I happend to be black myself, and I don’t find this cartoon offensive. Watch folks, next thing Al Sharpton and Jesse HiJackson may find some sheister lawyer from NYU, Harvard-Law, Yale, Princeton or any friggin Ivy League Institution and sue the NY Post!

Liberalism is a Mental Disorder!!!!

http://www.thomasmore.org

Don   February 19th, 2009 - 11:25 am

Get over it Meeks, the bill was written by monkeys, not the president. Go find something else to be outraged over. Personally, I do see a resemblence between Barry S. and Curious George, though.

Don   February 19th, 2009 - 11:31 am

And one more thing:

Keithj @ 7:43am is right; where was MEEKS when the Condi Rice cartoon came out?? C’mon MEEKS, weigh in on that one.

(sorry Curious George, but I still see it……)

STEPHEN WILLE   February 19th, 2009 - 11:33 am

It’s the commentators that are racist. They introduced Obama into this as their acutely racist minds are incapable of taking something at face value. Obama didn’t write the porkulus bill, but monkeys and jackasses did. This cartoon is poignant and funny!

*if it referred to Bush, this wouldn’t be an issue.

[...] Media leech Chris Matthews interviewed Congressman Gregory Meeks NY on Hardball who condemned the cartoon as “Offensive and Horrific” [...]

Uncle Tom   February 19th, 2009 - 12:30 pm

I didn’t hear -any- protest when Bush’s Secretary of State was mocked as “Congo Leeza.” Where was the outrage then????

Festus   February 19th, 2009 - 12:56 pm

Ooh, I’m with YOU congressman Meeks! You’re so clean and articulate, you send a tingle up my leg!

il2   February 19th, 2009 - 1:23 pm

Since when did the president “write” the stimulus bill? I believe this represents the general consensus of honest Americans who are actually responsible and don’t want / need the Government’s “helping hand”. Come on people…the president will have to take a hell of a lot worse from the global community. The Post is hardly a concern.

ALJ   February 19th, 2009 - 2:17 pm

“Do you think that The New York Post is calling the president of the United States a chimp?”

You mean he isn’t? Besides, wasn’t it “President Pelosi” and “Greedy Reid” that wrote the so called “stimulus bill”?

Wütender Wikinger   February 19th, 2009 - 2:28 pm

Heck, black artists even sing “The Monkey Time” and “Do The Monkey Round” so what about that? I think this is all about nothing. Sly even had a song out “Don’t Call Me Ni**er Whitey.” I didn’t see too many people getting upset about that either. This country is in trouble for the next four years.

Fank Booth   February 19th, 2009 - 2:40 pm

I never would have equated a chimp with Obama, until Sharpton brought it up, but now that you mention it there is a striking resembance. Wasn’t there a cartoon of W as a chimp flying around a while back?

Neal E   February 19th, 2009 - 3:34 pm

http://img104.exs.cx/img104/8914/Bush_-_Curious_Monkey.jpg

What about this Rev Al? Where is the phone outrage over that?

Hibbert   February 19th, 2009 - 4:31 pm

Ok let me explain this. The only, and I mean THE ONLY people who think this is racist are racist people. THEY are the ONLY ones comparing obama to a chimp. When they see a chimp, they think obama – therefore, they are the racists. It’s not complicated and it’s anything but horrific. The chimp deserved to die – the woman’s fate is truly tragic. Glad to clear that up and feel free to use some LOGIC every once in a while, instead of being ruled by emotions.

Rick   February 19th, 2009 - 5:27 pm

Love the cartoon, nothing wrong with it.I seen much worse cartoons about Bush over the last eight years but no lib morons whined about that. You dems don’t want to be equated to chimps then quit acting like one. In reality, the chimp probably had far more brain power than the entire US congress put together.

condoractual   February 19th, 2009 - 6:02 pm

Meeks has the victim has act down pat. Perhaps he could write an op-ed to the Post and hope they “publicate” it. also, I would like to know who “they” are. And Lundgren was partially right. Congress is actually a barrel of A$$monkies. Matthews, irrelevant.

John Smith   February 19th, 2009 - 6:35 pm

The cartoonist simply meant a bunch of monkeys wrote the stimulus bill and judging by the result, he’s absolutely right. Matthew’s and Meeks are race-baiting again…get over your hyper-sensitivity!

Ding Dong Daddy   February 19th, 2009 - 6:39 pm

How bout the monkey being the 200 pound gorilla in the room i.e.the “porkulus bill”. Great God amighty, socialists have no sense of humor at all. The big ears do remind me of someone though.

ImpoliticWon   February 19th, 2009 - 7:53 pm

HERE ARE 24 IMAGES OF G.W. BUSH AS A MONKEY…GOOGLE IMAGES HAS MORE EXAMPLES THAN YOU CAN COUNT. BUT OF COURSE, HE WAS (TO PARAPHRASE BARRACK HUSSEIN NOBAMA), JUST ANOTHER GUY THAT LOOKS LIKE THE GUYS ON THE CURRENCY:

http://filipspagnoli.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/bush_monkey.jpg

BAbs   February 19th, 2009 - 8:44 pm

It is notable that the “whitest” man on TV “chris matthews” is the one who most wants to hump the leg of nobama, I just don’t get it, does he want a stimulus package LOL Hump, stimulus, package….. get it?

MiloBix   February 19th, 2009 - 9:13 pm

Were all the cartoons of Bush as a chimp really implying that Bush was Black?

vince   February 19th, 2009 - 9:25 pm

I hate having to listen the slime ball racist comments most blacks have to say about other blacks.

I hate hearing the slime ball media sycophants bitching or preaching that which they practice (bitching about) or don’t (what they preach).

I hate pseudo-journalists that never report the news, but make it up… lie… slur the good and honor the bad…

That is 97% of Network TV and 75% of print.

I was amazed to hear of the incident on CNBC, where the Stock exchange bellied up to the bar and stuck in in the ‘aboves’ face.

But, that the media asks this question?

It is kind of like Tomás de Torquemada asking what do you believe?

or, believing Al Gore talking about anything, especially ‘manmade global warming’…

Yes, newsies, there ain’t no Santa, and Algore is reaping a fortune with that lie (which, you retell to death.)

Rastus   February 20th, 2009 - 1:35 am

Is Eric Holdem the only negra in woodpile.

Tyler   February 20th, 2009 - 6:00 pm

Only race-baiters see this stuff and automatically throw the red flag. They’re comparing the cops shooting the chimp in Massachusetts/Connecticut, who was living or being confined to living as a human being. I’ve heard that the animal was even fed anti-anxiety pills and allowed to drive the car on limited occasions. The rub is the chimp-as-a-human-being could have written a stimulus bill, be it better or as bad as Congress did. President Obama didn’t write it; he’s not referenced in the cartoon in any way; stop using your hyper-sensitivities in everybody else’s faces.

Michael Koter   February 20th, 2009 - 7:02 pm

Everyone got it wrong. Obama wasn’t the money, it was pelosi. She wrote it, not him. he did not even know what was in it.

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