1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I’m writing again to urge you to oppose the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz, but also to investigate his alleged tax evasion. The recent revelations about Dr. Mehmet Oz's tax filings raise many red flags about his suitability to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). He’s unfit for any number of questionable medical practices and his likely mission to wreck CMS. That’s one problem Now as the facts emerge that Oz may have neglected to pay over $400,000 in Medicare taxes on millions of dollars in income from his media company is legal jeopardy that only the wealthy can escape. As the potential head of CMS, an agency responsible for overseeing Medicare and Medicaid with a $2.6 trillion annual budget, Oz must be held to the highest ethical and legal standards. This would not pass the test. It is equally important that regardless of whether he survives the nomination process, it is imperative that a thorough investigation be conducted into Oz's tax affairs to determine if he deliberately avoided paying his fair share of taxes. His conflicting claims about his level of involvement in his company's activities also warrant scrutiny. The American people deserve full transparency and assurance that the nominee to lead CMS has not engaged in any unethical or unlawful behavior regarding tax obligations. I urge you to support the notion that Oz should release his tax returns from the past five years, as requested by Senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren. Only through complete disclosure can his financial dealings be properly vetted and evaluated. Failing to do so would damage public trust in the integrity of the nomination process and the CMS itself. Given the gravity of these allegations, I urge you to oppose and block Dr. Mehmet Oz's nomination until the matters surrounding his taxes are comprehensively investigated and resolved.