EricPWJohnson on November 20, 2007 at 11:29 AM

Mitt went through the process required. You don’t like the outcome. I get it. But he went through it just the same and was found eligible to run for governor.

But just like your insinuations that the commission was corrupt, all the arguments you are making are unfounded and based on a preconceived desire to find something wrong.

Romney had to make restitution

also The Mass commission does not vett they allow or disalow chalenges to Ballot questions

The Tax issue is outside their jurisdiction, had Romney not confessed and redo his taxes he may have gone to jail in one or both states

Deven – its a serious serious matter to lie for tax breaks guy, its not an oversite – it was several documents over a period of time.

Not some forgot to put a stamp on it or sign the third page of a deposition – it was a serious serious matter.

He had to testify for several days – usually the testimoney is not requested or is kept to a minimum

Nice dodge

case in Point

Romney signed an affidavit in UTAH under penalty of Perjury to get his homeowners exemption. He then knowingly and willingly moved his personal banking (not that easy to do in those days) for several years to UTAH. He then filed two tax returns each year in 1999 and 2000 falsely.

What does false mean to you?

He blamed it on his accountants

so did Ken Lay he blamed his accountants too.

So regardless of the commission and his residency you need to focus on the question:

Why was Romney so eager to be a Utah resident?

Because Mass has a much much higher income tax rate for top bracket earners than Utah.

So focus on why he lied to two states at least two years defrauding each

, composed of three Republicans, a Democrat and an independent, unanimously ruled that Mr. Romney had maintained his residency status in Massachusetts while serving as head of the Salt Lake City Olympic committee.
EricPWJohnson on November 20, 2007 at 9:08 AM

What are you inferring? That everyone is corrupt? I would like to see proof of that. Is the democrat and the independent corrupt also?

I don’t have any sympathy for your accusations. The fact is that ALL this has been properly vetted by independent review and he was found to be eligible to run for governor. If you are going to set yourself up as judge, jury, and executioner for the commission and judge them guilty, you need to understand that that position is contrary to the public record.

We are at the Llama Butchers have had some fun with the much antipated, oft-delayed and rather frustrating “will he or won’t he” Presidential candidacy of Fred Thompson. But the former Senator’s campaign seems to be falling victim to a……

in 2000 Romney defrauds the State of Utah by knowingly and willingly claiming he was a resident – depriving the state of 27,000 dollars in taxes on his 1999 return

consequently he defrauds in 2000 the State of Mass of 5.7% income tax on his 6 million or so in earnings or over 300,000 dollars (ironically the same tax he refused to lower later as gov apparently the good people of Mass can pay taxes but not Mitt)

Now in 2001 Romney repeats his frauds in both states

In April 2001 Romney’s told that he is inelible to run, in May to beat out a commission ruling in June Mitt amends his returns for 1999 and 2000 stating he falsely claimed tax deductions that he was totally aware of and makes 7 figures in restitution to become eligible for the race

Also apparrently the MSBC is a toothless institution – both the Republicans and the Democrats couldn’t remove a guy from the ballot who falsely claimed he was in the service and also faked the signatures required

MASSACHUSETTS MAN MAKES BALLOT BUT PARTY SHUNS HIM
By FOX BUTTERFIELD, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES
The Massachusetts Ballot Law Commission today upheld the candidacy of Gregory S. Hyatt, the only candidate still running in the Republican gubernatorial primary this fall, whose nominating petitions had been assailed by both Republicans and Democrats

caught red handed in half truth number 3164

The Massachusetts Ballot Law Commission, composed of three Republicans, a Democrat and an independent, unanimously ruled that Mr. Romney had maintained his residency status in Massachusetts while serving as head of the Salt Lake City Olympic committee.

(The independent was a republican)

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E0DC173EF935A15755C0A9649C8B63&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Organizations/D/Democratic%20Party

some questions on Romneys Truthfullness in fact the reason the commission ruled in his favor is he went back and amended his return so he could be eligible (in golf its called a mulligan):

Until early June, Mr. Romney said that he had paid his taxes as a Massachusetts resident while in Utah. Later he acknowledged that in April, after deciding to run for governor, he amended his 1999 and 2000 tax returns to say he was really a Massachusetts resident.

So he lied, really, the bestest best besty CEO in the world forgot that he was a resident of Utah, stayed in Utah, moved his banking and home and furniture to Utah but was at heart at Mass resident forgetting that he brought up the same thing while campaigning against Ted Kennedy

The only way Romney could run if he returns with penalties and interest all the tax breaks he took pretending to be a Utah Resident

Shows a little of his character

So another missed trees in the forest for CSDeven

I, too, get the impression sometimes that Fred doesn’t really want the presidency…

…and that may be a really good reason to give it to him rather than to one of these other maniacs who’ve been craving the damn office since they were in diapers.

Kensington on November 19, 2007 at 11:10 PM

I’d rather listen to someone who clearly states his positions than someone who hyperventilates and makes do with sound bites.

Stay the course Fred, keep talking straight. You’re doing ok in my book.

EricPWJohnson on November 20, 2007 at 6:11 AM

Everyone (dems and reps alike) got their fair hearing and the Massachusetts State Ballot Law Commission ruled that Romney was eligible to run for governor. Does that little fact even matter to you?

tommylotto on November 20, 2007 at 2:47 AM

I love the responses of “Hillary does it too!”. Yeah that convinces me. This country has never elected a lobbyist and we certainly will no elect a lobbyist who hides behind the letter of the law to break the spirit of the law by funneling campaign cash to his son.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg. He still has to convince us that giving legal advice to terrorists and lobbying for a dictator is behavior we are A-OK with.

Well according to open secrets Hillpac collected millions upon millions of dollars and gave out thousands upon thousands of dollars in a ratio worse than freds

But what was interesting was the Tax and Election Fraud that Romney engaged in while being the bestest best smartest besty CEO CFO EIEIO in the world

Why on earth would you declare Utah your home to evade higher Mass taxes and then try to run for governor the next year? Knowing that there is an absolute 7 year residency test. Why, if you are the smartest bestest best CEO in the world would you declare yourelf a Utah resident on your Mass tax statement declare yourself a non-resident and then run for Governor of Mass?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm….

And the WSJ just now discovered that PACs are not used by politicians they way they like but turn their backs on Fraud?

Imagine that!

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404E7DA163FF93AA25755C0A9649C8B63&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Organizations/R/Republican%20Party

If Fred cares like he says he does, then if he loses this time, it won’t be the last we hear from him. If he fades away, it proves his critics right.

Here’s Hillarys

I notice that she spends most of her stuff on herself and her close circle of friends

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/expend.asp?strID=C00363994&cycle=2006&sort=N&Format=&Page=6

What Romney did was lie about his legal residence and did not meet the residency requirements to run for governor

Lucky for him the Dems dropped the complaint

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9404E7DA163FF93AA25755C0A9649C8B63&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Organizations/R/Republican%20Party

Yes and he used those for reimbursement for time and travel

did you see the part where hundreds of other politicians do it too?

did you see the part where hillary spend 2 million in salaries and only 2 million in donations?

Why does anyone care, especially when they all do it?

Why didn’t the Wall Street Journal detail everyone else?

Cause they are pushing Mitt and Romney

This is why the Editorial board after 100 years has a new boss..

Freds son is active, very active in republican forums and policy and those were reinbursement for travel expenses to Republican functions

EricPWJohnson on November 20, 2007 at 1:42 AM

Stop the nonsense!!! Check out the link provided by csdeven. Fred’s son was paid in 20 installments of $8,000, $6,000, $4,000 or $2,000 at semi-regular intervals over a 14 month period. You would have to be stoopid or delusional to think those regular fixed sums payments were reimbursements for anything. Fred was draining the account by funneling the money to his son. The WSJ liking Mitt and Rudy does not alter that fact.

Also Fred gave away 150,000 the day he left office which is not counted in the totals so its 600,000 in donations to 224,000 in reinbursements to his son for Republican and lobbying activities, and the totals for Fred’s pac exceed well over 1 million dollars in donations to Republican causes

the Wall street Journal likes Rudy and Mitt

the WSJ article also said this

Mrs. Clinton’s HILLPAC has paid about $2 million in salaries since 2002, while contributing $2 million to Democratic candidates for office. Mr. Edwards’s PAC paid about $1 million in salaries while contributing $200,000 to Democrats when he used it during the 2002 and 2004 elections. Mr. Edwards primarily used his PAC to fund his political career, rather than to contribute to Democratic candidates. Mr. Obama, who only had a PAC for the 2006 election, paid about $500,000 in salaries and donated $770,000 to Democrats.

The fees to Mr. Thompson’s son were first reported by Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

Mr. Thompson is one of hundreds of current and former lawmakers who have such a political account, called a leadership PAC. Politicians use the accounts to raise money from individuals and companies in order to fund their political activities.

Leadership PACs are typically used by senior members of Congress in safe congressional districts to donate large amounts of money to colleagues facing tough re-election campaigns. Some politicians also use the accounts to fund their early presidential runs by dipping into the accounts to pay for their travel around the country.