Dec 19, 2011

From Bad to Worse: Rob Cornilles Having a Bad Month

Things went from bad to worse for Tea Party congressional candidate Rob Cornilles last week in Oregon’s First District special election. After losing the Independent Party nomination to Democrat Suzanne Bonamici, a new poll released on Friday shows Bonamici with an 11-point lead over Cornilles. This came right on the heels of several news reports exposing the ethical troubles and exaggerations surrounding Cornilles’ business, Game Face, as well as his blatant hypocrisy on tax breaks.

Rob Cornilles has staked his campaign on his business experience, claiming he created 500 jobs, but Game Face has abandoned its headquarters and has only four full-time employees who work from home. Cornilles’ business was also slapped with an $83,000 tax lien, Labor Department complaints and dissolution after Game Face’s registration with the state lapsed for over a year.

A local television station also reported last week that Cornilles lobbied for a development project eligible for as much as $30 million in tax credits – even though he has called for simplifying the tax code and criticized the “dizzying number of credits, deductions, and loopholes.”

“Things have gone from bad to worse for Rob Cornilles as voters learn more about his real record,” said Jennifer Crider of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “As Rob Cornilles’ dishonesty, exaggerations and hypocrisy continue to unfold, it is clear that Oregonians cannot trust him to represent them in Congress.”

Background

Bonamici Got Independent Party of Oregon Nomination. In November 2011, Suzanne Bonamici won the Independent Party of Oregon nomination. The nomination gave her the “independent” label that Cornilles to downplay his GOP affiliation. She will be listed as the nominee of both the Democratic and Independent parties on the ballot. [AP, 11/29/11]

Bonamici had an 11 Point Lead Over Cornilles. In December 2011, Public Policy Polling reported that Suzanne Bonamici had an 11 point lead over Rob Cornilles. [Daily Kos, 12/14/11]

Claimed He was Able to Create 500 Jobs. In 2011, Cornilles said “And we’ve also over the years been able to create 500 jobs, 500 jobs, for people all over the country who wanted to work in our industry.” [Lektro, Press Conference, 10/27/11]

Business was Down to Four Full-Time Employee– Employees Worked Out of Homes. In December 2011, Cornilles acknowledged that his business was down to four full-time employees. The Oregonian reported, “employees now work out of their homes.” [Oregonian, 12/14/11]

Registered His Company at an Address He Vacated In 2008. In 2011, Cornilles registered his company at an address that he vacated in 2008. Cornilles listed 19125 SW 125th Court, Tualatin, as Game Face’s address to register his business “The only catch—Game Face vacated its 6,800-square-foot office at that location in 2008 to save money.” [Willamette Week, 12/14/11]

Game Face Trainees Filed Complaint That They Were Unpaid Ticket Phone Salespeople. Cornilles agreed to pay just over $9,000 in back wages when three former trainees to his Game Face program complaints in 2003 charging that they deserved back wages. The three trainees filed complaints with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries charging that they spent at least 11 weeks trying to sell tickets over the phone. “Basically, we were paying to work,” says Catherine Turallo, one of the complainants who paid $1,395 to attend the academy. They got a few tips on their selling techniques, but essentially worked the phones all day long, she says. [Oregonian, 12/14/11]

Let Business Registration Administratively Dissolve for More Than a Year. Cornilles let his business registration with the state lapse for more than a year. He claimed the lack of registration was a simple paperwork error and that Game Face remained a viable company. On July 10, 2009, Game Face Marketing was administratively dissolved for not filing an annual report and paying the yearly fees. [Oregonian, 12/14/11; Oregon Secretary of State, Game Face Marketing 7/10/09]

Lobbied for Development Proposal Eligible for $30 Million in Tax Breaks – Claimed Tax Breaks Hurt Small Businesses. In 2011, Cornilles said tax breaks hurt small businesses ability to create jobs and claimed taxpayers like him got stuck with the bill on tax breaks – however, he would have benefitted from tax breaks in his development proposal. Cornilles and his partners proposed an $80 million remodel of Memorial Coliseum that relied on big tax breaks for its investors. His proposal would have made the Coliseum a multimedia facility. Backers said at the time the proposal could be eligible for as much as $30 million in tax credits. [Willamette Week, 12/14/11; Cornilles for Congress, accessed 12/15/11]

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