Robin Hayes is scared. Caught in the growing tsunami of Republican incompetence and dishonesty, there's only one thing he can think to do: Go for the gutter. My fear is that Larry Kissell may be too nice a guy to punch back hard and fast.
And then there's this site.
Comments
Consider it DONE
Hayes can't hide from the unemployment and economic downturn he helped create with these distractions.
I think the Charlotte Observer seemed to portray Hayes' attack as rather petty as well.
Awesome response
By the way, I found a picture of Hayes out on the interTubes.
Hayes is terrified.
And rightfully so. Voters in the 8th are finally prepared to come out and hand him the very same thing he provided many here with: unemployment. Unfortunately, we can't simply do it with some sketchy backroom arm twist in the cloakroom from Denny Hastert. We'll have to do it the old fashioned way: head out en masse to the polls to retire Robin.
Hayes had it right in early 2005, pre-CAFTA, when he said, "It's not in the best interests of a core constituency I represent."
The bad news for Hayes?
Niether is he.
What's Larry's reaction? Defend yourself!
My last comments disappeared, so I’ll try again…
Wait a minute…
Before I pile on here, because Lord knows I’d love to -Kissell doesn’t do such a hot job of defending this. Matter of fact, his campaign doesn’t defend it at all.
He should put out a one-pager or something, right?
This ad is running, and hasn’t been pulled from the networks, so that leads me to believe that it’s factually accurate – if not, couldn’t Kissell get the ad torn off the air?
Sorry, I'm new to all this....
I agree that this seems early and quasi desperate by Hayes, but the fact still remains, I thought only Republicans defended this type of behavior. Since when do we support candidates who don’t pay their taxes?
Perhaps I’m out of line... but Kissell needs to address this, and soon if he hasn't already.
Jim
Read the Charlotte Observer story
Most of Kissell's staff members appear to be working on a contractual basis, rather than as full-time employees. That's pretty common in campaigns. Flipper is making something out of nothing because that's the only flimsy leg he has to stand on.
J
I guess Flipper probably wants to have a word with Erik the Prince of Blackwater, whose independent contractors who have been on the payroll for years, sucking down billions in taxpayer dollars. Oh, I forgot. IOKIYAR.
This is NOT about not paying taxes.
although I'm sure thats what the Hayes campaign wants you to believe.
Hayes is claiming that last time the Kissell campaign didn't have the money to have people on the payroll.
And guess what? He’s right! The Kissell campaign didn’t have enough money, so what?
Most people were hired on a consultant basis, most even from week to week as far as I know.
So what Hayes is claiming is that Kissell didn't pay for benefits for people who worked for his campaign, which is true. I never heard one person on Kissell's "staff" complain about this, they knew what they were in for.
So now we have a Republican complaining about people have to buy their own private health insurance... LOL
From what I know, the Kissell campaign this time does have a whole payroll set up.
Hayes' is crapping his pants, he knows he better start packing.
So get ready for buckets and buckets of more sleaze and slime for the next 5 months, it’s the only thing the Hayes’ campaign can come up with.
What a sleaze bag.
Flipper/Hayes/Larry
I read you but have never talked with you. My daughter helped set this up. I am waiting on a call for three deliveries and I will make about $3,500 total if I make them all and then I will owe and pay taxes. I have a little business - it is profitable and I pay my bills on time, including my taxes.
I am not a Hayes fan. He got the big tax cuts from Bush and I got the change. Larry was all over this last election too. Only the rich can get out of paying taxes. Not necessarily true I see.
I have read two papers today and Larry has admitted that he did not pay the taxes. How many of you other readers can do this and keep out of trouble? Am I mad? I am. I work hard. I have a family. I have employees. I pay taxes on my employees - and the one time I was late I was penalized.
I am disappointed too. Larry is supposed to be different. Maybe he has changed. Or maybe he is not the man I thought he was. But from the comments I read here, surely we can't honestly defend someone who admits to not paying taxes and then thinks nothing is wrong with that. The republicns don't have to worry as much as I thought they would if Democrats are going to champion tax evaders.
Larry needs to apologize, pay his taxes and put this mess behind him or we will have Hayes for 2 more years. I pay my taxes. I bet everyone writing today pays his or her taxes. Larry needs to pay his too. JG
Nonsense
No employer pays taxes for independent contractors. I am an independent contractor and no one pays my taxes. Or my healthcare. Or anything.
That's the deal I have with the companies I work with, pure and simple.
You're misreading this whole situation ... which is exactly what Robin Hayes wants you to do. This is not about anyone not paying taxes. This is about manipulation of the truth for political gain by Robin Hayes.
I can't believe you'd accept anything Robin Hayes says on face value. He's lying to you and you're giving him the benefit of the doubt.
If the workers on his campaign were contractors,
he doesn't owe employment taxes. The contractors are responsible for paying their own taxes, as they are , in effect, their own business doing work for the campaign.
I don't believe Larry Kissell is a tax-evader. I believe that Robin Hayes is using typical Republican tactics, straight out of the neo-con, elitist handbook. He cost his district millions of dollars, and the only thing he can do is come up with a lie.
The Kissell campaign does need to respond. A simple statement is all that's necessary to show the rest of the world what an ass Robin Hayes is.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors
You misunderstand...which is Hayes goal
I have both worked as and employed independent contractors.
The only tax obligation the Employer has to the contractor is to issue them a 1099 form, which the contractor uses when filing their personal income taxes.
The contractor, by legal agreement, is responsible for paying any taxes owed on that income.
Larry Kissell is not a tax evader. He has not neglected to pay any taxes. Under the legal agreement of contractual employment, he does not have any tax responsibility.
I'm sure you and everyone reading this DOES NOT PAY taxes that they DO NOT OWE.
Get it?
Hmmm...
Anyone keeping track of the Minn. Senate race probably can see where the idea of this ad came from. Once they found that Franken hadn't paid on some of his employees, a memo probably went out from the NRSC and NRCC to investigate all Dem challengers to see if this attack would work against them. Sadly, the Franken allegations were true and did cause him some trouble. But in this case...
...if only there was a BlueNC TV where the REAL Kissell employees could answer back...
;)
Good dot connecting, Cap
I hadn't put those things together ... but should have.
Thanks.
Just like Dole
Hayes is running ads this early because he has the disposable campaign income and is running scared.
The Kissell campaign should abandon introducing Larry to the voters and start introducing the voters to the incumbent; Hayes.
Hayes did this in 2006; don't let him get away with it this time.
When you get punched in the mouth, punch back; and land a haymaker!
W-2 vs 1099, to be or not
As an employment lawyer I frequently litigate the factual and legal distinction between employee (W-2) and independent contractor (1099). It's not just a 'tax' thing. The fair labor classification affects other workers’ rights including overtime under wage & hour law, as well as protection under certain federal statutes, such as Title VII. I won't bore you to tears with a lengthy legal treatise about the 20 factor test applied by the IRS or common law analysis by NC courts and the 4th Circuit; suffice it to say that Hayes’ general accusation that Kissell is ‘cheating’ his campaign staff is specious (or my favorite idiom found in Black’s Law Dictionary – ‘full of crap’). From a former candidate’s bird’s eye view, most campaign staff job descriptions do not meet the IRS/FLSA definition of ‘employee.’ Therefore, whether a campaign committee chooses to treat staff as employees and pay additional employment benefits is purely voluntary.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, who raised $4.5+ million in 2006, never paid taxes on his campaign staff.
Robin Anderson for Labor Commissioner
Thanks Robin!!
I'm glad you weighed in on this issue - good to see you around!
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors
Thank you, Robin.
Nice to have a true expert on labor law clear this up with some facts.
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." - Harry Truman
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
Yes. Thank you.
Dang I wish you were going to be our Commissioner of Labor.
Speaking of that. . .
Have you voted yet? Go do it now!
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors
Good lesson in legalese
But, Hayes is giving us all a lesson in ambivalence; its never a genuine statement of fact.
Remember Hayes' "fined for negative campaigning" ads in 2006, we all know that was more than misleading, it was totally false.
I like that Democrats refrain from this, although its been effective for republicans; maybe we should attack back!?
Unfortunately, the majority of voters consider watching an attack ad as part of "researching the candidate."
You've got to admit we live an age where our society is deteriorating by way of mass media.