From a Republican perspective…
The good news: GOP Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land
raised $3.4 million in the second quarter of 2014, slightly more than her
Democratic opponent, Gary Peters, has raised all year.
raised $3.4 million in the second quarter of 2014, slightly more than her
Democratic opponent, Gary Peters, has raised all year.
The bad news: Her campaign cash and her personal wealth
have provided fodder for the Democrats and the media.
have provided fodder for the Democrats and the media.
As recently as this morning, the Michigan Democratic
Party’s taunting continued, with a press release claiming that the Republican contender “keeps
hiding her business experience and family fortune from Michiganders.”
Party’s taunting continued, with a press release claiming that the Republican contender “keeps
hiding her business experience and family fortune from Michiganders.”
Land has consistently bested Peters in the cash contest
but that’s partially because the presumptive GOP nominee — by one measure the
wealthiest U.S. Senate candidate of 2014 — has self-funded about one-third of
her campaign.
but that’s partially because the presumptive GOP nominee — by one measure the
wealthiest U.S. Senate candidate of 2014 — has self-funded about one-third of
her campaign.
With an estimated net worth of $32.8 million (along with
her husband), Land has donated $2.9 million to her own campaign fund. That’s
not exactly a populist campaign that the frugal folks from west Michigan – Land’s
roots — are accustomed to.
her husband), Land has donated $2.9 million to her own campaign fund. That’s
not exactly a populist campaign that the frugal folks from west Michigan – Land’s
roots — are accustomed to.
In addition, Land has yet to fully explain some of the oddities
surrounding her personal finances.
surrounding her personal finances.
The former Michigan secretary of state has reported in federal election documents that she
and her husband have stocks, retirement accounts, a multistate real estate
portfolio and other assets. Yet, she filed a federal tax return separate from
her wealthy husband last year that reported 2012 income of just $44,726. She
paid $1,196 in taxes, for a tax rate of nearly 2.7 percent.
This year, she
reported to the IRS, again in a separate
return, that her 2013 income was $89,729 and she paid $1,999 in taxes, a rate
of around 2.2 percent. Her extraordinarily low tax rates are apparently due to charitable contributions and other large deductions.
and her husband have stocks, retirement accounts, a multistate real estate
portfolio and other assets. Yet, she filed a federal tax return separate from
her wealthy husband last year that reported 2012 income of just $44,726. She
paid $1,196 in taxes, for a tax rate of nearly 2.7 percent.
This year, she
reported to the IRS, again in a separate
return, that her 2013 income was $89,729 and she paid $1,999 in taxes, a rate
of around 2.2 percent. Her extraordinarily low tax rates are apparently due to charitable contributions and other large deductions.
While Peters’ less-than-energetic campaign still has not
demonstrated the dominance over Land that many Democrats expected, the GOP
candidate has been hounded by holes in her biography that have frayed her campaign
fabric.
demonstrated the dominance over Land that many Democrats expected, the GOP
candidate has been hounded by holes in her biography that have frayed her campaign
fabric.
The media began to dig deeper with the recent revelation
that her family’s company, Land & Co., tore down her homestead, a west
Michigan trailer park, and sent everyone packing (with financial assistance
provided). That property, targeted for redevelopment, remains a bulldozed,
barren parcel.
that her family’s company, Land & Co., tore down her homestead, a west
Michigan trailer park, and sent everyone packing (with financial assistance
provided). That property, targeted for redevelopment, remains a bulldozed,
barren parcel.
In response,
Land has denied having an ownership stake or a job title with Land & Co.
Land has denied having an ownership stake or a job title with Land & Co.
“I’ve never worked for Land & Co.,” Land
told The Detroit News. “I’ve never owned the trailer park or never owned any of
the businesses.”
But the News found that in her campaign
contributions to 38 candidates over the past 20 years Land listed her
occupation as an “owner,” “special projects manager” or “self-employed” at Land
& Co.
Fifteen of the donations listing ownership in
Land & Co. were attributed to the nearly $166,000 she spent on her own
campaign in 2002, her successful run for secretary of state. Land’s camp told The
News the Land & Co. ownership title in her 2002 campaign records is
erroneous — even though her husband was campaign treasurer at the time.
It was
also reported that Land received an
email address, a car, and a cell phone from Land &
Co. and received “some benefits for work she did for the firm,” according to
the Gongwer News Service. She also claims to have done some work on a temporary
basis for the family firm without receiving pay.
also reported that Land received an
email address, a car, and a cell phone from Land &
Co. and received “some benefits for work she did for the firm,” according to
the Gongwer News Service. She also claims to have done some work on a temporary
basis for the family firm without receiving pay.
That leaves a lot of
questions to be answered – if only Land would break her silence with the press
or at least agree to some candidate debates.
questions to be answered – if only Land would break her silence with the press
or at least agree to some candidate debates.
She's another like Romney stating she has income of less than $50,000 so she can avoid paying taxes. I can tell you from experience if she actually lived on only $45,000 she wouldn't be running a senate campaign. She sounds like a tax cheat to me and I'll pass on her as a senate candidate. Not qualified.