blackout of news from District court Hawaii

[Cobalt Shiva]

Because it smells like leftwing myth. Just like rightwingers like to believe bulls**t about the Clintons, leftwingers are prone to believing bulls**t about Bush.

Also, Doug Thompson had been taken in about 18 months earlier by a charming rogue of a con-artist, been professionally humiliated, and publicly swore off using anonymous "sources."

That vow lasted all of about three weeks.

[LPC]

Factcheck.org describes the story as "unsubstantiated, to put it charitably."

http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/d ... ion_a.html

[alohabunny]

As I said before, I was not there. But I noticed that the Fact Check site is also "guessing" if this is true or not, so we still do not know if Bush said that "the Constitution was a G.D. piece of paper" or if he did not say that. Just because the people at Fact Check say something without any more proof than what Mr. Thompson said, does not PROVE that he did not say that. I am sure that Fact Check has been wrong before too. Which leaves each of us to form our own conclusions based on who George Bush is and what kinds of things he has said in the past.

I noticed that Fact Check noted "Thompson is a former REPUBLICAN congressional aide and political consultant. So your assurtion that it is a "leftwing" myth is also wrong. Or is Fact Check wrong about that???

[alohabunny]

Except that the "proof" you are offering is no more proof than the original allegation, which you seem unable to grasp......

[grixit]

No, you don't seem to grasp. The side making the assertion has the burden of proof. Asserting something withtout proof done not have equal weight with pointing out that there is no proof.

Otherwise i could say that "Alohabunny is known to have had sex with orangutans on numerous ocassions", and say it has equal validity as the denial.

[alohabunny]

How very silly.........

[Demosthenes]

Tax Protester Convicted On Tax Charges

POSTED: 7:05 am HST April 16, 2008

HONOLULU -- A Big Island architect is awaiting sentencing on six tax counts involving failure to pay some $891,000 in taxes on more than $2 million in income over a five-year period.

Federal officials said Hamlet C. Bennett designed luxury homes and then poured the profits into corporations and bank accounts he set up to evade taxes.

The charges describe Bennett as an activist who preached against paying taxes.

Instead of tax returns, Bennett filed so-called annual statements with the Internal Revenue Service from 1999 until he was indicted in 2006.

Officials said the statements were based on materials obtained from an unindicted coconspirator, and failed to report Bennett's true income or taxes he owed.

Sentencing is set for August.

[Demosthenes]

So much for the victory dance the movement did when Lucky Bennett got a hung jury the first time around.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 - 2:49 PM HAST

Big Island architect gets 6 years in tax case
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

A Big Island architect has been sentenced to prison for tax evasion and was ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in back taxes and restitution.

Hamlet C. Bennett, a Holualoa resident, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 78 months in prison for “conspiring to impede and impair the functions of the Internal Revenue Service and for federal tax evasion.”

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Honolulu, Bennett, 69, was also ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution to the IRS and prosecution costs of $35,330.

U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said Bennett was advised by a convicted tax offender, Royal Lamar Hardy and his organization, The Research Foundation, that he could avoid paying income taxes simply by not filing returns or by setting up a trust to hide his income.

The case went to trial in federal court in Honolulu and Bennett was convicted of one count of conspiracy and five counts of income tax evasion for the years 1999 through 2003.

[Imalawman]

So much for the victory dance the movement did when Lucky Bennett got a hung jury the first time around.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 - 2:49 PM HAST

Big Island architect gets 6 years in tax case
Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

A Big Island architect has been sentenced to prison for tax evasion and was ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in back taxes and restitution.

Hamlet C. Bennett, a Holualoa resident, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 78 months in prison for “conspiring to impede and impair the functions of the Internal Revenue Service and for federal tax evasion.”

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Honolulu, Bennett, 69, was also ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution to the IRS and prosecution costs of $35,330.

U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said Bennett was advised by a convicted tax offender, Royal Lamar Hardy and his organization, The Research Foundation, that he could avoid paying income taxes simply by not filing returns or by setting up a trust to hide his income.

The case went to trial in federal court in Honolulu and Bennett was convicted of one count of conspiracy and five counts of income tax evasion for the years 1999 through 2003.

Looks like he won't be spending his retirement years in Del Boca Vista Phase II.

[Famspear]

Looks like he won't be spending his retirement years in Del Boca Vista Phase II.

No, he'll be residing at the more exclusive - and I do mean exclusive - "El Patio de la Cárcel".

[SteveSy]

$891,000 in taxes on more than $2 million

People ought to almost puke at the amount this guy owes. That's almost 50% of his total earnings, he surely had expenses, probably making it more than 60%+. Then I'm sure Hawaii is also collecting on that income probably taking it up to around 80%+.

Anyone screaming hooray for the Taxman is a moron IMO. Yes, you can try and distance yourself from the reality of the situation and say "I'm not saying the tax is fair, fairness is irrelevant though, he broke the law and he must pay the consequences." People are breaking the law in China trying to have freedom of speech and assembly, I suppose they're just low life criminals too, they deserve the harsh punishments they receive also. Whatever....

[Imalawman]

$891,000 in taxes on more than $2 million

People ought to almost puke at the amount this guy owes. That's almost 50% of his total earnings, he surely had expenses, probably making it more than 60%+. Then I'm sure Hawaii is also collecting on that income probably taking it up to around 80%+.

Anyone screaming hooray for the Taxman is a moron IMO. Yes, you can try and distance yourself from the reality of the situation and say "I'm not saying the tax is fair, fairness is irrelevant though, he broke the law and he must pay the consequences." People are breaking the law in China trying to have freedom of speech and assembly, I suppose they're just low life criminals too, they deserve the harsh punishments they receive also. Whatever....

Is it the law, they should be punished. They have every right to protest, but they must face the consequences. Work to change the law. Oddly enough, its people that make that kind of money that simply pay their taxes and enjoy life, while those the don't make a fraction of that and don't pay a fraction of that are big bitchers and moaners. I suppose you were speaking in hyperbole and you know full well your numbers are off.

[Famspear]

Anyone screaming hooray for the Taxman is a moron IMO.

Uh-oh.

Can't pass that up!


"Hooray for the tax man!
Hootie-hoot hooray!
He’s sort like an ax-man --
Chopping off my pay!
Stevie-Sy don’t like ‘im
But who are we to say?
Hooray for the tax man -
I paid my tax today!

"Hooray for the tax man!
He spends it all so well!
All the programs that we like
From government – do tell!
The tax man doth deliver
The better things in life.
Hooray for the tax man;
Oh, wait -- he took my wife!

"Hooray for the tax man!
He also took my kids.
Because I didn’t pay the tax,
My life is on the skids.
If only Steve could tell me
How not to owe The Man,
I’d gladly just forget it all
And live inside a van.

"I’d live down by the river,
Chris Farley – to a tee!
My bank account would quiver --
Devoid of hard money.
I’d sit alone and ruminate
On how I got this way.
Hooray-hooray for Tax Man!
Enough rhyme for today."

[Famspear]

$891,000 in taxes on more than $2 million

People ought to almost puke at the amount this guy owes. That's almost 50% of his total earnings, he surely had expenses, probably making it more than 60%+. Then I'm sure Hawaii is also collecting on that income probably taking it up to around 80%+.

I haven't read the details on the guy. I would suspect that the above figure includes penalties and interest.

Here's why.

Worst case scenario, if you had a W-2 with gross wages of $2,000,000 for the year 2007 alone (i.e., all the income piled into one year), single individual, 25 years old, no dependents, nothing special, your federal income tax would be (my rough calculation) $676,805, which is an effective rate of about 33.8%. Add $6,045 in Social Security tax and $29,000 in Medicare tax, you have $711,850 in federal taxes -- so an effective rate of about 35.6%.

Assuming, instead, $2,000,000 in net earnings from self-employment (i.e., an independent contractor) for 2007 (this is NET -- after the business deductions), that comes to $665,316 in federal income tax, for an effective rate of about 33.3%. Add self-employment tax of $65,653, you come to total tax of $730,969, or an over all effective rate of about 36.5%.

If you spread that $2,000,000 out over five years, the taxes would be somewhat lower. So, I think the figure SteveSy is quoting may include penalties and interest.

[The Operative]

Anyone screaming hooray for the Taxman is a moron IMO.

A Big Island architect is awaiting sentencing on six tax counts involving failure to pay some $891,000 in taxes on more than $2 million in income over a five-year period.

...ordered to pay $1.3 million in restitution to the IRS and prosecution costs of $35,330.

The only moron I see is the guy who could have paid $891,000 but now has to pay $1.3 million.

[The Operative]

$891,000 in taxes on more than $2 million

People ought to almost puke at the amount this guy owes. That's almost 50% of his total earnings, he surely had expenses, probably making it more than 60%+. Then I'm sure Hawaii is also collecting on that income probably taking it up to around 80%+.

First, Mr. Bennett was a self-employed architect. So, his tax amount includes self-employment taxes. Second, the amount of taxes is the amount owed on MORE THAN $2 million in income. In fact, he had more than $2.3 million in taxable income (meaning after business expenses) during the years he failed to pay taxes. While the amount of taxes he was supposed to pay is still large, it is not as bad as you made it out to be.

[alohabunny]

Sadly poor judgement has big consequences in this case. At his age, it will not be easy to do 6 years in prison and then pick up the pieces to start again. Unfortunately it appears that an appeal will be more wasted resources in a futile stubborn position. It makes one wonder how his attorney(s) can feel good accepting the retainer for an appeal. Ignorance on the part of the client is understandable, ignorance on his attorney's part is not.

Mahalo Demosthenes for the updated status.

[Nikki]

Sadly poor judgement has big consequences in this case. At his age, it will not be easy to do 6 years in prison and then pick up the pieces to start again. Unfortunately it appears that an appeal will be more wasted resources in a futile stubborn position. It makes one wonder how his attorney(s) can feel good accepting the retainer for an appeal. Ignorance on the part of the client is understandable, ignorance on his attorney's part is not.

Mahalo Demosthenes for the updated status.

You may now stop holding your breath, AlohaBunny.

[alohabunny]

Nikki, I know Mr. Bennett, I have had a brush with his problems, when it hits close to home one can not help but wondering what will come out of this sort of case. After years go by, if holding ones' breath were considered a way to handle anything, for sure you would be way dead.

[SteveSy]

$891,000 in taxes on more than $2 million

People ought to almost puke at the amount this guy owes. That's almost 50% of his total earnings, he surely had expenses, probably making it more than 60%+. Then I'm sure Hawaii is also collecting on that income probably taking it up to around 80%+.

First, Mr. Bennett was a self-employed architect. So, his tax amount includes self-employment taxes. Second, the amount of taxes is the amount owed on MORE THAN $2 million in income. In fact, he had more than $2.3 million in taxable income (meaning after business expenses) during the years he failed to pay taxes. While the amount of taxes he was supposed to pay is still large, it is not as bad as you made it out to be.

What about Hawaii, what about all of the other hidden taxes he had to pay, like the excise tax on phone service nearly 33% of all bills, the increased price of goods etc due to the cost of taxes? Whatever 33% of his gross earnings going to the federal government is absurd. This also forgets people are paying taxes on money they use to pay the government with. So if you make a 100k, 33k of that goes to the government, you only had benefit of 67 of it but are taxed on the entire 100 even though by law (supposedly) 33k is not yours its theirs. I guess we're taxed for the luxury of paying taxes. People currently work 113 (taken from The Tax Foundation) days a year, every year, just to pay off the taxman. It's really no wonder people are challenging the legitimacy of such a system. If people would just think to themselves every year for the first 113 days I just worked my entire day just to pay my supposed "fair share" to the taxman things would change. The politicians and the socialist whiners, attempting to justify the theft, have an uncanny ability to drowned us in obfuscation.