WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (UPI) -- Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle's confirmation as U.S. secretary of health and human services has bogged down, observers say.
But, Republicans call it a matter of complexity and not impropriety.
The GOP staff on the Senate Finance Committee slowed things down as staff examined the former Democratic senator from South Dakota's tax records and his association with an education-loan provider also under committee scrutiny.
Republican committee aides said they had not determined there is a problem in any of their examinations, The Wall Street Journal reported.
But, they said they would not schedule a confirmation hearing for Daschle until they have answered some questions, meaning the nomination likely will not be considered by the panel until after President-elect Barack Obama is sworn into office.
Some committee staff members are looking also at Daschle's interaction with EduCap Inc., a nonprofit lender that faces a separate probe into possible abuses of its status as a charity. Aides said EduCap flew Daschle on its corporate jet several times after he left the Senate, including flights to vacation spots.
