President Donald Trump’s budget chief nominee may have failed to complete the paperwork proving the legal employment status of a nanny who worked for him between 2000 and 2004.
In response to questions about the matter, Rep. Mick Mulvaney’s spokesman responded on Monday: “He made a mistake ... made as he sought help to care for new-born triplets just home from the neonatal ICU,” said John Czwartacki. “As soon as he discovered the error, he fully disclosed the matter and immediately paid the back taxes owed.” Czwartacki offered no further explanation.
However, Mulvaney, a Republican from South Carolina, told one Senate Republican that the nanny was in the country legally.
The Congressman has already been the subject of attention for hiring the nanny. He admitted in his Senate ethic’s disclosure form that he failed to pay $15,000 in payroll taxes during the time of employment. He said in the disclosure form that he has since paid federal taxes and is waiting on a South Carolina state tax bill.
Every employer must file an I-9 form on every employee, to verify his or her eligibility to work in the United States. The news about the possible failure to complete the I-9 form 15 years ago comes on the eve of two Senate hearings Tuesday for Mulvaney’s confirmation as director of the Office of Management and Budget. The matter could come up during hearings.
A Senate aide said it is “unclear whether or not Rep. Mulvaney verified that this individual could legally work in the United States.” Mulvaney was not serving in an elected office when he hired the nanny.
The form has been required for all U.S. hiring since 1986. According to the official Homeland Security website on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens.”
The website notes that all employees “must also present his or her employer with acceptable documents” and that the “employer must examine the employment eligibility and identity document(s) an employee presents” to determine if they are “genuine.”
Lindsay Wise of the McClatchy Washington Bureau contributed.
Matthew Schofield: 202-383-6066, @mattschodcnews
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