Remember the Republican first-time candidate, Brian Watson, who implicitly called one of Colorado’s most beloved statesmen a jackass on his mailer–and managed to make a grammatical error, too?
Well, maybe he couldn’t afford the extra e to spell “asses,” because it turns out Watson’s in debt, deep, to the second-worst folks to be indebted to, after the Mob. He owes $279,000 in taxes, according to KVDR’s Eli Stokols.
Watson, who often cites his business ownership as an asset in the tight HD3 race, blames mismanagement of a business he purchased for his tax woes. In a letter to investors in Aspen Moving and Storage (accountable for nearly $150K of the debt), Watson cited the purchase of that company as an investment he now wishes he hadn’t made.
Frank McNulty, desperate to hold onto the Speaker’s gavel, defended Watson and attempted to spin his nearly $280K tax debt as a positive:
“Compare that to Daniel Kagan who hasn’t earned a dime in his own life, who has investments offshore,” McNulty told FOX31 Denver, perhaps in a preview of attacks to come from Watson’s campaign.
“I think the contrast bodes well for Watson to represent that district because he actually knows the struggles his constituents are going through.”
“The Speaker’s accusations ring hollow, as usual,” said House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, who noted that Kagan saved his parents’ textile company and managed it for 10 years.
Actually, Mr. Speaker, I’d imagine that very few of Watson’s prospective constituents own multiple properties on which they’ve failed to pay more than $279,000 in taxes. The luxury of buying a business, ignoring your tax debt, and explaining it all to your investors in an email blaming mismanagement (when you own the company!) isn’t one that’s open to most of the 99%.
Maybe if Watson’s elected, although it hardly seems likely, he can arrange for the piddly salary and per diem paid to state representatives to go straight back to the Colorado treasury?
Of course, it’s hardly likely that Watson would prioritize his spending that way, considering how he’s using his corporate cash while the $279,000 tax debt looms overhead:
Despite the debts, Watson’s company, Northstar Commercial Partners, made a political contribution, a $500 donation to the Colorado Republican Party on April 27, 2012, which FOX31 Denver found by doing a simple search on the Secretary of State’s TRACER website.
Brian Watson: Can’t pay his taxes, but can cut a check to the Colorado Republican Party. Some rising star, Repubs.
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Several under Brian Watson, and a few more listed as ‘Robert B. Watson’ and ‘Robert Watson’, all in Greenwood Village and all employed by Northstar; Watson is listed at Northstar Commercial Partners as ‘R. Brian Watson’.
Donations are:
$250 to the RNC
$500 to Romney
$400 to Eric Weissman
$750 to the Legacy Political Fund
Yes, he owes more in back taxes than I owe on my house. And yes, the reason for that is because he has invested in more property than I could conceivably afford right now, and I’m not among the poor.
But we can at least give Watson credit for not coming close to maxing out contributions while under these liens. Okay, so it’s a really small bone to throw out to the Republicans – but I’m almost feeling sorry for them in the past month or two. Almost.
But it’s nice of you to try.
Not even the righties here are reaching out a hand to Watson; everyone needs some support sometime, right?
that the people who hate government always seem to be the ones who can’t pay their taxes on time and then when they get caught, they start screaming at the top of their lungs and with huge tears streaming out of their eyes that they are a victim of government harassment. And it always seems to be Republicans who make up this sub-culture.
Go figure.