Washington State Is Not Messing Around- Online Retailer Fined $65,000

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stokesdale

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 17, 2020
845
2,535
Stokesdale
The Feds ran a sting operation in Southern Nevada concerning Native American “pottery shards” an off road ATV operator used as a “heritage display”

By the time it was all over the owner/operator was fined $75,000 and had to take a “cultural awareness” class.

All told the investigators took 7 fully paid group ATV rides to “verify” the shards. The cost to taxpayers was 1.5 million in investigation expenses. The judge verbally reprimanded the Feds for wasting money.

But they got him. Lol.
I once sued a hay customer; they bought 1,000 bales of hay from me but only paid for 800 claiming that 200 weren't from the same crop as promised (I sell a specialized hybrid of grass for sport horse owners/breeders). Cost me $1,500 to get my $1,400 I was owed, but was well worth it. Now, no one in a 100 mile radius will sell them hay!
 
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briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,292
5,579
"Ferguson recently announced the results of a sweep that represented a continuation of his efforts to reduce youth access to nicotine vaping products. Investigators caught seven online vaping companies selling products without verifying the ages of the purchasers. Five of these companies will pay just over $132,000 to the office, which also will aid future tobacco enforcement efforts."

Municipal Thievery
 

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,248
57,309
67
Sarasota Florida
As a business owner for 27 years I have learned many things. I also had a father who was a corporate attorney who owned his firm for over 40 years. I learned a lot from him especially dealing with businesses and insurance companies and the local tax people and the IRS. I can proudly say I have never been audited by any government entity. Never been fined, never been penalized, completely clean record for 27 years and I could tell some serious stories but never in writing. There are many ways to take some risks but not to ever go above the line that would put you in jail. That was the major part of the game. Play it till the top of the line but never over.
My dad had a special accountant and firm whose only job was to keep everyone out of jail. No one care about fines or crap like that but no jail.

I went for 27 years without even a phone call from a government entity I used good people who kept us clean. They were all worth any monies I had to pay them. My dad had no fear and his clients paid him huge retainers for the privilege to use him. It was very sad when he died at only 67. He would have loved the games I played in my business career. One would have had him laughing his ass off and told me that he would have never thought of that before.

I am not suggesting anyone should ever do anything illegal. The tax laws are very intricate and if you find a guy who knows his way around them, then I am just saying there is money left on the table in most cases as the IRS scares the shit out of people and there is no reason that it should.
 

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,221
21,456
I'm not comparing. I'm simply pointing out that all states have some elements in their laws that others might find objectionable. You were making a generalized statement about the left coast that is not supported by anything other than your personal opinion.
Like this personal opinion: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Granted, it had been altered by other men with differing opinions as to the phraseology, but for the best they all agreed.
 
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briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,292
5,579
As a business owner for 27 years I have learned many things. I also had a father who was a corporate attorney who owned his firm for over 40 years. I learned a lot from him especially dealing with businesses and insurance companies and the local tax people and the IRS. I can proudly say I have never been audited by any government entity. Never been fined, never been penalized, completely clean record for 27 years and I could tell some serious stories but never in writing. There are many ways to take some risks but not to ever go above the line that would put you in jail. That was the major part of the game. Play it till the top of the line but never over.
My dad had a special accountant and firm whose only job was to keep everyone out of jail. No one care about fines or crap like that but no jail.

I went for 27 years without even a phone call from a government entity I used good people who kept us clean. They were all worth any monies I had to pay them. My dad had no fear and his clients paid him huge retainers for the privilege to use him. It was very sad when he died at only 67. He would have loved the games I played in my business career. One would have had him laughing his ass off and told me that he would have never thought of that before.

I am not suggesting anyone should ever do anything illegal. The tax laws are very intricate and if you find a guy who knows his way around them, then I am just saying there is money left on the table in most cases as the IRS scares the shit out of people and there is no reason that it should.
The State is getting to be as powerful collecting sales tax as the Fed. They will come after (internet) companies hard for sales taxes not paid. The States are going to be needing money from all the self-imposed non-business that's happening.
 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
12,346
18,527
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
If the Governor of PA had any balls, he'd tell his constituent not to pay the fine and he'd tell the State of Washington to pound sand.
Of course the State of Pennsylvania will then pay his legal costs and attendant fines, correct? Why in the world would a governor tell a constituent such? Actually, since such advice would cost him nothing well, why not do so. No skin off the governor's butt.

It's a real benifit for us to have a specialist in Constitutional Law, gamzultovah, to provide us with legal advice. And it's free!
 

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,221
21,456
Of course the State of Pennsylvania will then pay his legal costs and attendant fines, correct? Why in the world would a governor tell a constituent such? Actually, since such advice would cost him nothing well, why not do so. No skin off the governor's butt.

It's a real benifit for us to have a specialist in Constitutional Law, gamzultovah, to provide us with legal advice. And it's free!
I’m no specialist, but I do play one on TV. puffy
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
20,971
50,184
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Like this personal opinion: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Granted, it had been altered by other men with differing opinions as to the phraseology, but for the best they all agreed.
Of course, the "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" wasn't something Jefferson believed, he was a most enthusiastic slaver, but it rings well down through the years.

We have a way to handle governmental overreach that doesn't require armed rebellion, an option not open the Colonials of the 18th century with regard to Britain, an option provided to us BY those 18th century Colonials, the right to vote. Whether that takes the form of an election or the form of a state level initiative to overturn laws deemed destructive, that option is present. And there are options in the Judiciary branch. If the People of Washington state want this law overturned they have the means to do something about it. If they don't want the law changed, tough noogies for those who attempt to circumvent it.
 
May 2, 2018
3,975
30,777
Bucks County, PA
Ok, we all know Washington State sucks when it comes to their ridiculous tobacco restrictions...good thing I’ve no intention of living there. Get a friend in a state more favorable to purchasing tobacco for “shipping purposes”. ☕
 
Jan 28, 2018
14,021
157,956
67
Sarasota, FL
Of course the State of Pennsylvania will then pay his legal costs and attendant fines, correct? Why in the world would a governor tell a constituent such? Actually, since such advice would cost him nothing well, why not do so. No skin off the governor's butt.

It's a real benifit for us to have a specialist in Constitutional Law, gamzultovah, to provide us with legal advice. And it's free!

Because the State of Washington has no jurisdiction in the State of Pennsylvania. Therefore, if the State of PA makes it clear they have no interest in cooperating, the State of Washington has a formidable task collecting the fine. They would have to come to an unfriendly court system in PA to pursue it and bear some significant legal fees in doing so. This doesn't appear to be a federal matter so it would seem the State of Washington would have a very difficult time collecting.

What am I missing? How is this different than if the Iranian Government decided to fine me for slander if I made negative public statements about their Government? They may hold a trial in Iran and determine I owe $65,000. Collecting that money would be an other thing altogether. They would have to file a suit in Indiana and prevail there for it to mean anything. Then, they'd have to go through a painful collection process if I decided to fight the decision and refuse to pay.
 

gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,221
21,456
Of course, the "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" wasn't something Jefferson believed, he was a most enthusiastic slaver, but it rings well down through the years.

We have a way to handle governmental overreach that doesn't require armed rebellion, an option not open the Colonials of the 18th century with regard to Britain, an option provided to us BY those 18th century Colonials, the right to vote. Whether that takes the form of an election or the form of a state level initiative to overturn laws deemed destructive, that option is present. And there are options in the Judiciary branch. If the People of Washington state want this law overturned they have the means to do something about it. If they don't want the law changed, tough noogies for those who attempt to circumvent it.
When you write: “ Of course, the "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" wasn't something Jefferson believed, he was a most enthusiastic slaver, but it rings well down through the years.”

I figured you would go there, that’s why I worded my response the way I did. What about Adams and Franklin? You don’t mention them? Why? Because they can’t be mentioned; they didn’t own any slaves...but they did edit the DOI HEAVILY and all of the men (Jefferson included) agreed that the new version better represented the sentiments of the proposed new nation as a whole.

You then go on to say: “We have a way to handle governmental overreach that doesn't require armed rebellion”... When did I ever imply this? Putting words in someone’s mouth is simply poor form especially, for someone of you obvious intellect. What I did attempt to imply (via the founders writing) is that we are a country built on individual rights and individual freedoms; and that our current elected officials sometimes miss this point.

You go on to write: “an option not open the Colonials of the 18th century with regard to Britain, an option provided to us BY those 18th century Colonials, the right to vote.”

And: “If the People of Washington state want this law overturned they have the means to do something about it.” Wrong & Wrong.

Very recently, the people of North Carolina had the right to vote on a certain marriage law, and they unanimously voted NO to that law. Well...their government officials didn’t think that their vote mattered and overturned the will of the people by passing the law anyway. So, no...the people clearly don’t have the means if their government officials say they don’t. Now, Mr. Brush, go back and read the preamble to the DOI and tell me where bad ole’ Mr. TJ was wrong?

All kidding aside, I agree with you in theory, but in practice what you say doesn’t work.
 
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gamzultovah

Lifer
Aug 4, 2019
3,221
21,456
Because the State of Washington has no jurisdiction in the State of Pennsylvania. Therefore, if the State of PA makes it clear they have no interest in cooperating, the State of Washington has a formidable task collecting the fine. They would have to come to an unfriendly court system in PA to pursue it and bear some significant legal fees in doing so. This doesn't appear to be a federal matter so it would seem the State of Washington would have a very difficult time collecting.

What am I missing? How is this different than if the Iranian Government decided to fine me for slander if I made negative public statements about their Government? They may hold a trial in Iran and determine I owe $65,000. Collecting that money would be an other thing altogether. They would have to file a suit in Indiana and prevail there for it to mean anything. Then, they'd have to go through a painful collection process if I decided to fight the decision and refuse to pay.
Hoosier, you and I need to have a pipe together sooner than later. I like the way you conduct your affairs!
 
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