Shocking Politico Question: Is Romney Guilty of a "Federal Felony?"

[kpete]

Romney 'would be guilty of a federal felony' by claiming 1999 departure

Earlier this month, FactCheck.org stated that if Mitt Romney had not left Bain Capital in 1999, he "would be guilty of a federal felony by certifying on federal financial disclosure forms that he left active management of Bain Capital in February 1999."

FactCheck.org made that argument to dismiss complaints by the Obama campaign, but a new Boston Globe report on Mitt Romney's true tenure at Bain Capital -- which reportedly lasted until 2002, three years longer than Romney has stated -- brings FactCheck's statement into sharp relief.

..."In fact, if the Obama campaign were correct, Romney would be guilty of a federal felony by certifying on federal financial disclosure forms that he left active management of Bain Capital in February 1999."

.......................

"Both the FactCheck.org News Desk and the Annenberg Public Policy Center, of which FactCheck.org is a part, could not be reached for comment early Thursday morning.

More to come..."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/07/factcheck-romney-would-be-guilty-of-federal-felony-128733.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/12/1108982/-Shocking-Politico-Question-Is-Romney-Guilty-of-a-Federal-Felony

***********************

Mitt Romney stayed at Bain 3 years longer than he stated



Firm’s 2002 filings identify him as CEO, though he said he left in 1999
http://bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2012/07/11/government-documents-indicate-mitt-romney-continued-bain-after-date-when-says-left/IpfKYWjnrsel4pvCFbsUTI/story.html

Here’s what Romney has said:

Mitt Romney Public Financial Disclosure Report, Aug. 11, 2011: Mr. Romney retired from Bain Capital on February 11, 1999 to head the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. Since February 11, 1999, Mr. Romney has not had any active role with any Bain Capital entity and has not been involved in the operations of any Bain Capital entity in any way.

Romney’s signature appears on the line that states: “I certify that statements I have made on this form and all attached schedules are true, complete and correct to the best of my knowledge.”

Making false statements to the federal government is a serious crime (under 18 USC 1001) carrying possible fines and up to five years in federal prison.

http://m.factcheck.org/2012/07/factcheck-to-obama-camp-your-complaint-is-all-wet/

[Enrique]

1. I'll be interested to see how FactCheck.org handles this

they were very forceful in their dismissal of the Obama campaign's arguments, and the campaign appears to be right. It seems pretty clear that Romney was in charge until 2002.

Kudos to Dylan Byers for picking up on this...

[Ruby the Liberal]

54. This is how. They backpedaled.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002938786

[myrna minx]

2. This is a very big deal. I'm curious how Fact Check is going to handle this.

[democrat_patriot]

4. Didn't Rachel Maddow basically tear apart factcheck.org?

Sounds like they lean a bit to the right in their 'narrative' of the facts.

[myrna minx]

5. Maddow has taken on Politifact - which I agree with her - is a farce.

Factcheck.org is a different operation, but hopefully they can maintain their reputation by correcting their record on this error. If not, they will be as accurate as the silly and erroneous politifact.

[uponit7771]

8. Right now FC.org is mum, their fluff peice on rMoney was disgusting along with WAPO saying that

...that the managment of Bain was basically "soft" management and that he was just the owner as if there's a freaking difference

[democrat_patriot]

3. I'd like to see the FBI raid his home(s) and offices.

Or his 'apology': "If my misstatements regarding Bain capital caused anyone harm I am truly sorry. I am hoping that the economy tanks, so we can move the narrative. Thank You."

[Sheepshank]

9. Raiding won't help...Mittens scrubbed *all* computers clean when he left office in Mass.

[zeemike]

13. Not going to happen.

there are different rules for them and the rest of us...any excuse or explanation they give is accepted no matter how weak of even silly....FBI raids are only for the little people.

[KansDem]

6. Was Clarence Thomas guilty of lying on six years' worth of disclosure forms?

Thomas Cites Failure to Disclose Wife’s Job

WASHINGTON — Under pressure from liberal critics, Justice Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court acknowledged in filings released on Monday that he erred by not disclosing his wife’s past employment as required by federal law.

Justice Thomas said that in his annual financial disclosure statements over the last six years, the employment of his wife, Virginia Thomas, was “inadvertently omitted due to a misunderstanding of the filing instructions.”

--more--
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/us/politics/25thomas.html

A Supreme Court Justice of the United States "misunderstood" the filing instructions? For six years? Really?

If you believe that, I've got a palm tree in Wisconsin to sell you...

[TahitiNut]

29. I didn't know ...

... there were palm trees in Wisconsin. I love palm trees ... and the oils. How much?

[KansDem]

37. I'll get back to you!

Just as soon I check with my supplier...

[TahitiNut]

38. Well, I think that's nice.

Imagine! Helping beautify Wisconsin by shipping in those palm trees for the protest. That shows real commitment to the community.

[Jackpine Radical]

39. There are indeed palm trees in Wisconsin.

Not only were they first glimpsed on a Fox News story about violence during the protests, but there have been many documented sightings. Here is a pic of one I took myself in about March of 2011:

[KansDem]

47. Hey, we've got those in Kansas!

Well, electric ones anyway...


(Wichita)

[alittlelark]

52. I have a bridge to sell to those who believe his tripe.

[uponit7771]

7. If rMoney took management deductions on taxes based off his management of Bain...

Last edited Thu Jul 12, 2012, 11:03 AM - Edit history (1)

...then that could be the smoking gun the SEC can't ignore.

[myrna minx]

11. That's exactly why he needs to release his tax returns.

[bonniebgood]

34. That's exactly why he wont. Face a Felony AND

lose the Presidency or just take your 50-50 chance of winning the presidency? After all the Voter ID to when is

"DONE". Mitt is gambling on the racist vote, voter purge, money PAC, and ultimately the Supreme Court to "Select" him.
So why release any returns? He can get there without doing so.

[corkhead]

45. should be an interesting Republiconvention.

[tibbiit]

12. Is there a way

He can amend his tax returns to make them look like what he claims, then release them? If he can amend them and not tell people, then they will claim he was telling the truth all along. If he can do something like this, then this is what they are busy doing, rewriting then releasing.
tib

[neeksgeek]

19. No!

As far as I know, you have three years to amend your returns.

Of course he's special, so maybe he gets more time.

[uponit7771]

33. true...The amendment would be recorded either way

[Poll_Blind]

14. ^ This. I think.

That would be hardcore.

PB

[msanthrope]

15. And that is why we have not seen the tax returns....nt

[riderinthestorm]

23. rMoney must have a team of tax attorneys though - at least one would call foul I presume

if their work is mis-represented.

I mean, maybe he can buy them all off, and get away with releasing false filings but that seems pretty hard to believe....

The possibility that he'd simply re-write his returns and release the falsified returns has definitely crossed my mind. I think the guy is majorly crooked and wants the Presidency so badly he'd do something like this.

The one return he filed though was 55 pages long. A lot of information on those pages will be cross-referenced. Changing his returns will be tricky without making a single error for multiple years.

[xtraxritical]

36. An amended return is quite clearly labeled on top as "amended return". You can't miss it.

[riderinthestorm]

43. I'm not talking about him releasing a legitimate amended return. I mean a completely false one

that he puts out there as his "real" one.

Who would know? The IRS presumably but do they have the ability to call him on that kind of falsification?

I wouldn't know if the returns he releases are "real" or not.

I store all my returns on my computer and could go in and change data and print something off that looked very different than what I really submitted to the IRS. You wouldn't know that my return was falsified.

[VWolf]

10. "to the best of my knowledge"

Rmoney will use this as his escape clause.

"I just don't recall"

Better to be exposed as incompetent than a felon.

[progressoid]

40. I was about to post the same thing.

Ronald Reagan all over.

[Amonester]

50. Or he would say: "Vote for me and Rs in Congress so we'll...

CHANGE those (pesky) laws" (before his final conviction).

That's the way they R, Rn't they?

[JBoy]

16. Need a Bain investor to come forward and sue him for misrepresentation

If the investor said they invested in Bain because they thought Romney was in charge, as was stated, and he actually wasn't, there'd be grounds.

[siligut]

17. No, see here, Romney signed a severance agreement with Bain in 2002, but it was retroactive to 1999!

Romney did not finalize a severance agreement with Bain until 2002, a 10-year deal with undisclosed terms that was retroactive to 1999. It expired in 2009.

http://bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2012/07/11/government-documents-indicate-mitt-romney-continued-bain-after-date-when-says-left/IpfKYWjnrsel4pvCFbsUTI/story.html

Oh yeah! If he gets away with this, I am going to buy 1,000 shares of APPL and just make it retroactive to 2000.

[TahitiNut]

31. You might do better with CSCO.

[C_U_L8R]

18. When does the GOP throw Willard under the bus?

I don't sense a lot of love for Mitt and
I'm curious when the GOP opportunists
(that's you Santorum etc...) start
sticking knives into their 'pal'

[Iliyah]

20. Confirmation hurt doesn't it?

But nah, nothing will happen to the wealthy guy, just like Clarence Thomas who, if he had any conscious, could have recuse himself with the ACA matter cause his wife is a loony tune tea nut and one of the heads that brought suit against ACA.

Factcheck.org were wrong, and they should fuss-up to it.

[Blanks]

46. Really Thomas's wife was part of the team?

[cbdo2007]

21. This is too bad, I would rather him be the nominee than some of the other guys.

He would be really easy for President Obama to beat. Should have saved this until after the convention.

[GarroHorus]

30. It's too late, he's the nominee guaranteed.

He has over 1400 delegates who are required to vote for him on the first ballot. He only needs a few over 1100.

No matter what, Romney is the nominee.

They. Are. Stuck. With. Him.

[seabeyond]

22. is FactCheck.org the one that maddow has been going after, with their nontruth, truths? nt

[Dawgs]

24. Not sure about FactCheck.org, but she's been after Politifact.com many times. n/t

[seabeyond]

27. i thought it was Politifact.com. thanks for the confirmation.

and



to you, too.

[spanone]

25. k&r...

[catbyte]

26. But this is so less important than Obama's grade school transcripts...

Diane
Anishinaabe in MI & mom to Taz, Nigel, and new baby brother Sammy, members of Dogs Against Romney, Cat Division
"Dogs Aren’t Luggage--HISS!”

[surrealAmerican]

28. Wouldn't it be something ...

... if instead of spending four years in the white house, he got to spend four years in "the big house".


...Ah, dreams....

[evilhime]

32. And if it was one of us

common folk? We'd be indicted and in jail before the ink was dry on the papers .

[Historic NY]

35. Rmoney and his oops problem ....

"A Romney campaign official, who requested anonymity to discuss the SEC filings, acknowledged that they “do not square with common sense.” But SEC regulations are complicated and quirky, the official argued, and Romney’s signature on some documents after his exit does not indicate active involvement in the firm."

Yes regulations are quirky, but Mr. Romney you call yourself a professional investor businessman/capitalist. You wouldn't forget to sign you IRS Tax Return would you, especially knowing your getting money back. If your signing documents it means your still the principle. Why else???


http://bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2012/07/11/government-documents-indicate-mitt-romney-continued-bain-after-date-when-says-left/IpfKYWjnrsel4pvCFbsUTI/story.html

[caseymoz]

41. Quirky? Are you working there or not?

There's no ambiguity to be had there. The only quirk is in Romney's lying brain.

[caseymoz]

42. It would be something if the guy

goes to the election under investigation. That sets the record time for Presidential scandals: under investigation before he's in office.

So, if he's elected (may it never come to pass) he'll be impeached an hour after he takes the oath?

What should it tell conservatives that every presidential candidate they've had this year has either been a liar, corrupt, crazy, dumber than a Bush, or all four?

[Historic NY]

49. The only oath I want him to take is on the witness stand....

So Mr. Romney is that you signature or not?
Yes or No.

[Stuckinthebush]

44. Of course he is NOT guilty of a federal felony. Don't be silly.

He is too rich and too connected for that to happen.

Oh, and he is the nominee for president for one of the two major political parties. Move along...nothing here to see.

Mark my words - nothing will come of this.

[TeamPooka]

48. who runs factcheck? because they contradict themselves in the article twice...

once about Mitt stating he would be "part time" and they call that "retired"
Then then decline to call filing FCC compliance paperwork "management activities"
so who do they really work for?

[underpants]

51. WOW there is a "Truth"er turn around no one saw coming....other than the people who took the time

[proud patriot]

53. lawrence o'donnel spent the whole hr on this .. had the SEC person on

the kicked ass

[magnifisense]

55. They're calling it BAINGATE now!

I love it. The Romney campaign is imploding!

Ron Paul just may get his chance at their convention. And what a circus that would be. It's turning into a total fiasco.