After John Kline famously expressed “disappointment” in the MN-02 GOP field, Darlene Miller has had a hard time raising money. The one thing Darlene seemingly had going for her was her self-proclaimed successful business record, and now even that reputation is fizzling.
Turns out Darlene’s business has been wracked with almost two dozen workplace violations, including falsifying documents, illegally mixing hazardous chemicals, and improperly disposing of toxic waste.
What’s more, some violations “[had] the potential to harm Permac employees.”
“Turns out, in addition to lying about accepting government stimulus funds, Darlene Miller is also hiding serious violations that endangered her employees and the environment,” said Sacha Haworth of the DCCC. “Being dishonest about your record is not a winning strategy, and only reinforces the enormous recruitment failures and ‘disappointment’ National Republicans faced in this district.”
Read the excerpt from the Pioneer Press below:
Second Congressional race: Records show violations at candidate’s company
Pioneer Press
7/22/2016
…Permac’s rise hasn’t been without hiccups. A Pioneer Press review of public records shows the company has had to pay fines for almost two dozen workplace safety and environmental violations in the past decade.
…Though some of the violations were classified as “nonserious,” others were “serious” and noted as having the potential to harm Permac employees. In 2006, 2011 and 2015, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry cited the company for not having sufficient guards around saws. The 2015 inspection also discovered an electrical outlet with exposed wiring in the Permac shop.
…Permac also pleaded guilty in 2008 to several misdemeanors related to disposal of toxic waste. The charges concerned solvent used for washing machine parts that contained trace amounts of lead. If lead is below five parts per million, solvent is deemed “nonhazardous,” but above that level it counts as hazardous waste.
…But Permac compounded its difficulties over the next year. A Jan. 30, 2008 report to the county said it produced only nonhazardous solvent despite the November report identifying the solvent as hazardous. Later that year, the company didn’t test a later shipment of solvent, which meant it was presumed hazardous, and Permac was required to file a manifest. It never filed that manifest.
On behalf of the company, Miller pleaded guilty to improper mixing of hazardous waste and used oil, failure to evaluate waste and submitting a false annual report. Two other charges of failing to prepare a manifest were dropped.
Read the rest of the article here.