U.S. Rep. John Spratt was late in paying property taxes on two occasions at his home in Washington, D.C., resulting in $1,382 in late penalties and interest, his office confirmed to The Herald.
Meanwhile, Republican challenger Mick Mulvaney's development company made late tax payments on four different properties between 2005 and 2009, according to York County tax records.
Spratt said he paid the bills as soon as he discovered the missed deadlines. One payment was made three weeks late in September; the other was five days late in April.
Mulvaney did not want to elaborate on his company's payments and said he looks forward to talking about things people care about.
But GOP operatives pounced on Spratt's late payments as a campaign issue, pointing out the York Democrat helps run the federal budget as chairman of the House Budget Committee.
"Be it willfully or mistakenly, is it any wonder the nation's balance sheet is deep in the red when Barack Obama's budget chairman can't manage his personal finances?" asked Andy Sere, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Spratt supporters fired back Thursday that Republicans shouldn't be so quick to criticize.
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