Charlotte Observer – by Greg Hadley
An Oklahoman congressman is under fire after he seemingly dismissed the notion that his constituents pay for him to go to Congress, calling the idea “bullcrap” in a viral video making the rounds on social media.
Markwayne Mullin, speaking at a town hall Tuesday in Jay, Oklahoma, was responding to a question from the audience when he responded to a claim that constituents pay for him to work in Congress.
“You say you pay for me to do this. Bullcrap. I pay for myself. I paid enough taxes before I got there and continue to through my company to pay my own salary. This is a service. No one here pays me to go,” said the 39-year-old Republican who represents Oklahoma’s second district, which covers much of the eastern part of the state.
When several audience members pushed back against this claim, Mullin went on, “I’m just saying this is a service for me, not a career, and I thank God this is not how I make my living.”
A spokesperson for Mullin later told the Tulsa World that he was referring to taxes he has paid as a private citizen and as a business owner. Mullin owns several plumbing companies, per the Tulsa World.
“Like all business owners, Congressman Mullin pays his taxes, which contribute to congressional salaries,” the spokesperson said.
In the Constitution, Congress is tasked with deciding its own members’ salaries, which is taken from the U.S. Treasury and paid for by taxpayers. In 2009, that pay was increased to a base of $174,000 per year plus benefits and has not changed since. However, members who reach leadership positions are eligible for higher salaries. Mullin holds no leadership positions.
Mullin first joined Congress in 2012 and has won his past two elections with more than 70 percent of the vote. However, like many other members of Congress, he has faced a hostile reception back home at town halls.
Mullin also announced Tuesday night that he was canceling another town hall, citing safety concerns.
Due to safety concerns, tonight's town hall meeting at Sequoyah HS has been cancelled. We will reschedule for another time for Cherokee Co.
— Markwayne Mullin (@RepMullin) April 11, 2017
“Over the past few weeks, we have seen an escalation of protesters at congressional town halls across the nation. We have even seen them right here in the Second District. I have continued to hold town halls and answer questions from constituents across the district, including those who have been vocal in their disapproval of my positions,” Mullin said in a statement.
“It is my intent to provide a safe environment for all attendees which is why we have established protocols at each of our town halls to ensure each person’s voice can be heard. Despite working with the venue for the Tahlequah town hall, we could not reach an agreement using our protocols that guaranteed the safety of everyone, so I chose to cancel the town hall after much consideration.”
However, Mullin’s announcement came just a few hours before the event was scheduled to begin and after attendees had already entered the building. The Associated Press reports that when the cancellation was announced, the crowd booed. Mullin later hosted several town halls on Wednesday.
According to federal filings, Mullin made at least $610,000 in 2015 and raised more than $600,000 in the 2015-2016 election cycle.
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article144264444.html#fmp#storylink=cpy
This sh!t has gone past stupid.
I suggest the locals find this guy like the towns folk did in that Dr. Frankenstein movie.
Pitch forks…torches….
And maybe a little napalm.
Equal parts of gasoline and Tide detergent. ..
Until it becomes a gel.
As my Vietnam Vet friend once told me.
Yeah… they’re right…
Those fkng vets are dangerous as fk.
I hear you can add Styrofoam to gas, the gas melts it into the mix thus thickening it, I’ve never tried it.
SINCE HE DONT “NEED THE “MONEY” CUT THAT FOOLS SALARY OFF!!!!
THEN SEND IN FLEES “CHICKS WITH GUNS” TO STRAIGHTEN HIS ASS OUT..
Good Luck getting re-ejected next time around
#ChicksWithGunsFNLivesMatter
This bull continues to perpetuate the notion that the justifiable reason for “income taxes” is to pay the salary of representatives. NO!
Only an uneducated/ignorant, regarding the income tax laws, person would say such a thing because they have not read Cracking the Code nor studied http://losthorizons.com.
“Like all business owners, Congressman Mullin pays his taxes, which contribute to congressional salaries,” the spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Mullin later told the Tulsa World that he was referring to taxes he has paid as a private citizen and as a business owner.
Not ALL business owners are involved in a taxable activity which results in the payment of income taxes. Mullin should be rebutting and correcting erroneous information returns on himself and his workers, or simply cancel all the red tape bull doo ignorantly entered into upon starting his company. And yes, as a “private citizen” working in the private sector as opposed to the public sector(govt.) no taxes should be payed as no taxable ACTIVITY was performed. The activity is the issue of the income tax laws NOT the actual $ amount. Perhaps Mullins is involved in govt. contracts with his plumbing business which would then require the payment of income taxes.
Internal Revenue Code, Section 7701(a)(14): “Taxpayer: The term ‘taxpayer’ means any person subject to any internal revenue tax.”
“The revenue laws are a code or system in regulation of tax assessment and collection. They relate to taxpayers, and not to nontaxpayers. The latter are without their scope. No procedure is prescribed for nontaxpayers, and no attempt is made to annul any of their rights and remedies in due course of law. With them Congress does not assume to deal, and they are neither of the subject nor of the object of the revenue laws.” United States Court of Claims, Economy Plumbing and Heating v. United States, 470 F.2d 585, at 589 (1972)
He thinks that because he pays taxes, he pays his own salary? How moronic. That would only be true if he were paying as much in taxes as he receives in salary each year, which would leave him a net income of zero (as with a true volunteer position).
He is 100% correct. We do not pay public servants salary, a private organization called the Federal Reserve and many special interest groups do. They work for them, not us slaves. That’s what makes us a fascist nation…how dumb are our neighbors to believe otherwise?