Bernard Kerick could get up to 61 years in prison for false tax returns and lying during the vetting process for leading the Department of Homeland Security, but Timothy Geitner does the same and gets no jail and gets confirmed...corrupt or not?

First of all they did not do the same thing at all. One was a small error similar to the errors in reporting many Americans make every tax season. When the error was discovered it was resolved. The other involved an on-going intent to deceive, hiding assets, false filings and perjury.

Intent is the key difference here.

Your assertion that they "did the same thing" is a simple broad accusation that does not adequately address the vastly different situations these men find themselves in.

Well, it is not about what you know (or in this case what you've done), it is about who you know. This is doubly true in Washington.

I don't like Geitner but I don't think he lied during the vetting process. He got caught before and paid all of his back taxes.

Here is an up-date for you all. By the way it should be pointed out Kerick a republican lied to a republican White House during his vetting process to head the Department of Homeland Security.

He was already skilled in the area of security you know? One of his accomplishments was to assist the married Giuliani in keeping an apartment to see his then mistress and transporting said mistress. Corrupt or not? Nice way to get an appointment to head a major federal department eh?

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/11/05/us/AP-US-KerikInvestigatio.html?_r=2&emc=na

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) -- Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik pleaded guilty Thursday to lying to the White House and said he would also admit to tax crimes.

The plea bargain, which included an anticipated eight charges, included the prosecution's suggestion that the crimes are punishable by 27 to 33 months in prison. It was designed to resolve three pending federal criminal trials.

Kerik, who was police commissioner when New York was attacked on 9/11, won glowing reviews for his leadership. He eventually was nominated for the Homeland Security post in 2004 but withdrew as corruption allegations mounted. The lies to the White House occurred during that vetting process.

The first of his trials had been scheduled to start Monday in White Plains.

Before he began formally entering his pleas, Kerik told Judge Stephen Robinson that, in addition to the White House lies, he would admit to counts that included cheating the IRS, helping to prepare false tax returns and making other false statements to the federal government.

Robinson warned Kerik that the maximum sentence for the counts to which he was pleading was 61 years in prison; the judge said he was not bound by the terms of the plea agreement.

Kerik said he understood and told the judge he was giving up his right to appeal.

Kerik denied to the White House that he'd had any financial dealings with firms trying to do business with the city. The tax charges included hiding income from his returns and illegally claiming charitable deductions.

In the agreement, he promised to file amended tax returns for 1999, 2003 and 2005.

It helps to pay your taxes. If you're caught don't pull a Republican and claim you're being persecuted.