Bush Contributor Menard in Tax Problems

[RetroLounge]

IRS says Menard owes $5.9 million in back taxes, penalties

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE - The Menard Inc. home improvement chain owes $5.9 million in back taxes and penalties because it paid too high of a salary to owner John R. Menard in 1998, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service says.

Additional interest was not discussed in a filing made last week in a U.S. Tax Court case. But Craig Zetley, a Milwaukee tax attorney not involved in the matter who reviewed the filings, said that could add $4.6 million to the sum.

John Menard started the business in 1962 and it now has about 200 stores in 10 Midwestern states.

Judge L. Paige Marvel ruled in September that Menard Inc. overpaid John Menard by more than $13 million in 1998. Marvel compared what Menard earned to the pay of his counterpart chief executive officers at the Lowes and Home Depot home improvement chains.

http://www.gazetteextra.com/menardtaxes012105.asp

You can see his donations to bush** and others here.

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtZip=&txt2004=y&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&C1=ON&R1=name&txtName=menard%2C+john&submit=Go%21

Just more Republican moral values...

RL

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Good.

He's a bit of a typical rightwing selfish shit, that's for sure. Treats employees like crap, too. He's a small-time WalMart - same standards of employee care, same standards of contributing to the communities.

[Jo March]

2. I, for one, am shocked.

Shocked, I tell you. Shocked and awed.

And laughing so hard I might pee a little bit.

[AllyCat]

3. Jerk. He'll probably get a medal though. Or a cabinet appt. n/t

[dragonlady]

4. Lowe's in Milwaukee, Costco in Grafton

The Lowe's store on 60th street north of the Wal-mart is finished and should be opening any day now. Does anyone know what their politics might be? I know Home Depot and Menard are to the right.

Also, there is negotiation going on now to bring a Costco to Grafton. That would be great! The last I heard it was at the planning commission stage.

[Lisaben2619]

5. More trouble for Menard's

EEOC sues Menards over lack of hiring reports
Jan 25, 2005 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Author(s): Joel Dresang [e-mail]

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a federal lawsuit against the home improvement chain Menard Inc. for allegedly failing to file hiring reports required by federal regulations.

The suit, filed Friday in federal court in Madison, asserts that Eau Claire-based Menards has refused to file the reports despite requests and warnings from the civil rights agency.

According to the EEOC, employers with more than 100 employees are supposed to file annual reports on the number of female and minority employees in their work force. The agency compiles the reports to chart the progress of minority groups in the workplace and keeps information from individual employers confidential.

The reports "are an integral part of Congress' scheme for eliminating discrimination in the workplace," John P. Rowe, director of the EEOC's Milwaukee district office, said in a statement. Rowe noted that the lawsuit didn't involve any discrimination charge against Menards but that the reports are useful in investigating charges.

Jean Kamp, Milwaukee regional attorney for the EEOC, said she could not comment on whether the agency is investigating any charges against Menards. She said the lawsuit is rare because the reports are a "pretty routine requirement."

In its suit, the EEOC is seeking a court order demanding that Menards file reports for each year since 2000.

A spokeswoman for Menards did not respond for comment.

Earlier this month, the Internal Revenue Service ruled that Menard Inc. owes the government $5.9 million in back taxes and penalties because it paid owner John R. Menard too much salary in 1998. The company has until next month to challenge the amount, which could include an additional $4.6 million in interest.

Copyright 2005, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.)