Given the slow news day, I’ll throw out a tip for those who hope to be gearing up campaigns soon, after the legislature gets done hashing the new census data with a fresh box of crayons.
A campaign is a business entity, and has to operate within legal boundaries as such. One thing to remember is when bringing on staff, it is the campaign’s responsibility to document W-4 and I-9 information if the staffer will be an employee, or to have a formal independent contractors agreement signed in advance, with proper tax ID information, if the staffer is to receive a 1099.
Failure to do so, hypothetically, could lead to an embarassing round of phone calls t0 former staffers after a campaign is over, trying to get data that the campaign should have had on file prior to ever issuing a check so the campaign can meet its own tax filing deadline. This could, hypothetically, extend to well meaning staffers doing things even more stupid, like threatening to fine an ex-staffer for not producing said documentation immediately. And this could, hypothetically, become even more embarrassing for the campaign if the former staffer were to make all this public, especially if there were a chain of emails from months ago where said staffer attempted to get the proper income forms from the campaign so staffer could file their own taxes, but was rebuffed. Hypothetically, of course.
So future candidates and campaign managers, a bit of rigor in organizing details at the front of campaign can help avoid stupidity and embarassment after the campaign, hypothetical or otherwise.
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No worries Charlie, that’s what amended reports, and amending amended report are for. There are no significant civil penalties in simply not reporting what’s required by law, so long as an amended return is filed, as evidenced by the fact that nothing will come from Governor Deal’s amending his amended reports.
Same goes for lobbyists when purchasing influence. There will be no significant civil penalty, if any, for Commonwealth Research Associates failing to register its lobbyist then giving Speaker Ralston and his family and Ralston’s Chief of Staff and his wife a $17,000 Thanksgiving European vacation.
Right , David. Of course, no one will amend their filings until they are caught, exposed in the media, and forced to make a public act of contrition. As Charlie cleverly states, its all hypothetical, until it hits the media.
And that doesn’t address that “common knowledge” allegations of impropriety as gross as Richardson’s are off limits to investigation unless made by those with first hand knowledge. George Anderson complaint no doubt included no first hand knowledge of Commonwealth Research Associates failure to register. Complaint dismissed. Next.
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