New round of financial questions dogs Al Franken

The Star Tribune reports:

Responding to new Republican charges that DFL U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken hid income from California tax authorities for years, Franken's campaign said Thursday that his accountant is trying to sort out whether taxes are owed.

Campaign manager Andy Barr said Franken is eager to resolve the matter, the latest in a series of controversies surrounding his personal corporation, Alan Franken Inc.

"Al feels that because his name is at the top of the organization, he takes ultimate responsibility for everything that goes on," Barr said. "But if there's a mistake that's been made, he's pretty insistent that the accountant fix it. He's been pretty vocal with [the accountant] on this point."

"Al spent the week doing an economy tour of the state," Barr said, adding "We're not hearing about this except from the Republican Party. ..."

The latest questions about the personal corporation Franken set up to handle his entertainment enterprises came in the wake of news last week that Franken owes California $5,800 in back taxes and penalties for failing to file state income tax returns for the corporation from 2003 to 2007.

The dollar figure represents a minimum tax charged to corporations with or without reported income.

The campaign explained that no returns were filed because Franken hadn't done business in the state since 2003, and that the accountant was unaware that the corporation, Al Franken Inc. (AFI), had to be formally dissolved.

But Republicans now say Franken has in fact done business in California on many occasions. Using the Internet and information programs such as Lexis Nexis, party researchers found 32 public appearances that Franken made in California from 2003 to 2007, at least eight of which charged an admission fee. For instance, Franken spoke at universities, addressed the Urban Land Institute and debated conservative pundit Ann Coulter for a lecture series.

Some Democrats don't want to pay their "fair share" of taxes.But,they want you to.