Posted on 06/16/2006 3:03:55 AM PDT by Dane
Jacob hiring: Was it legal?
Republican candidate for Congress John Jacob on Thursday defended his hiring of a couple from Chile several years ago, insisting that he acted in good faith and within the law.
Jacob, of Eagle Mountain, is running against five-term incumbent Chris Cannon for Utah's 3rd District seat in Washington, a race dominated by the issue of illegal immigration. The outcome is widely viewed as a bellwether of national sentiment. Jacob has embraced a tough enforcement position on illegal immigrants and those who employ them.
In a debate at Utah Valley State College on Saturday, Cannon and Jacob were asked whether they had ever employed an illegal immigrant. Cannon replied with a definitive "no," while Jacob said "not to my knowledge" and went on to explain circumstances in which he hired the Chilean couple to work for him after he set up a company in their name.
Rather than paying the Silvas as his own employees, Jacob paid their company -- called The Office Specialist of Utah -- for services. That company then paid Marta Silva for secretarial work. Her husband, Oscar Silva, did landscaping work for Jacob.
A Saratoga Springs address corresponding to state records of the Silvas' company is listed in the telephone directory. The phone number has been disconnected. Utah County property records list the current owner as Marta Araya.
Jacob said Thursday that he stepped in to help the Silvas with financial sponsorship at the urging of his LDS bishop. The Silvas were in the country on Oscar's student visa and had fallen on hard times, Jacob said. Oscar attended Salt Lake Community College.
Whether Jacob's employment of the Silvas five or six years ago was legal has been the subject of recent news reports. Jacob dismissed the reports as innuendo and said the true story is one of a couple who, with financial help from him, made good on their goals in America.
Jacob said he met the Silvas six years ago after they entered the country. When they arrived, he said, they had the resources required by the government for a student visa: sufficient money to complete the entire course of education, including all living costs. Those resources included houses they owned in Chile and the means to buy a home here, he said.
However, something went wrong with the Chile holdings -- Jacob said the Silvas were cheated by real estate agents and the houses were trashed -- and so they needed a financial sponsor in the U.S. to take on the financial responsibility for the schooling.
Jacob said when his bishop came to him with the story, he agreed to help, to the tune of more than $100,000 over four years to support the couple and their three children.
The Silvas were not happy with the arrangement, Jacob said. "They felt like they were getting something for nothing, and they wanted to give something back."
Jacob said he and the Silvas consulted an attorney and were told that the couple could form a company that could hire employees -- themselves in this case.
In most circumstances, the government places tight restrictions on employment for people on student visas. Some on-campus part-time work may be allowed, or work that relates to the student's field of study. In some student visa classifications, a spouse or dependent of the visa holder may work; in other circumstances they may not. The specific type of visa held by the Silvas was not available Thursday.
When asked whether he believed that any foreign national who entered the United States on a student visa could simply form a company and proceed to work as a principal or employee of that company, Jacob replied that he did not have the answer. He said he had followed the advice of legal counsel in paying the Silvas.
"I don't have those answers. What I got was, if they open a company then you can pay the company. That allows them to pay taxes, and that's legal," Jacob said. "I'm not an attorney. I tried to do everything legally."
He said that Oscar had "permission" to do landscaping work for him during the summer.
Jacob also responded to an allegation raised in news reports that he had paid the Silvas in cash to keep the arrangement under the table.
"If they received cash, it was because it was what I had at the time," Jacob said. "I actually believe I paid them most of the time, if not all of the time -- it was by check."
Cannon's campaign declined to comment on the employment issue.
"However, this story is further testimony to an immigration system that is unworkable," said campaign manager Nathan Rathbun in a statement. "Perhaps this controversy will help make it clear that immigration is a complex issue that cannot be addressed by way of sound bites and generalizations."
Eagle Mountain Councilman David Lifferth, who once lived in the same LDS ward as Jacob and the Silvas, said he was surprised when he read in the Daily Herald that when asked if he had ever employed illegal immigrants, Jacob answered "not to my knowledge." Lifferth said it was "common knowledge" that Mrs. Silva, whose husband was on a student visa, was working for Jacob.
"A candidate for Congress employed people who did not have the proper documents," he said. "They were here on an education visa with very strict requirements. Immigration is obviously the No. 1 issue in the congressional campaign. One of the candidates has some explaining to do." Lifferth's Web site says he supports Cannon for Congress.
Jacob said that there was nothing wrong with his handling of the Silva matter -- just the opposite.
"What a success story. And they're trying to make this look like I did something wrong," Jacob said. "If I'd just given them the money, it wouldn't have been a problem. I tried to follow everything I could, and because I have a heart, now they may be in trouble? I may be in trouble?"
Antonella Packard, who also once lived in the same LDS ward as the Silvas and Jacob, and also came to the United States on a student visa, said that students who wanted to work off campus had to jump through hoops and get special permission. If students were working without permission, doing something unrelated to their studies, they could have been deported, she said.
Jacob said that Silva completed his education at Salt Lake Community College.
Silva visited with him about six weeks ago, he said, wearing an armed services uniform -- Jacob couldn't remember what branch of the military. He said Silva expected to become a U.S. citizen very soon.
Jacob also said he has not spoken with the Silvas since recent news reports about the employment emerged and that the contact information he has for them is out of date.
Was it? The story doesn't answer the question - just asks it?
If he did something like most rich people and hired illegals he should pay.
You have have him convicted, don't you Dane?
Actually not, but since Jacob is running as a tancredo like uber immigration zealot, he should be held to his own tancredo like rhetoric.
You have him convicted, don't you Dane?
Dane, what is your favorite thing about illegals?
LOL! And like you and other zealot tancredo supporters don't have farmers and house builders automatically convicted for the people they hire.
People as yourself and tancredo who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
And what type of question is that? I'm not running or backstabbing good conservative Chris Cannon in the back, it is you and tancredo doing that.
But since you don't have a defense for John Jacob you come after me for some reason.
You all are pathetic.
BTW, when is tancredo going to call for his candidate John jacob to be frog marched because he hired those dirty illegal aliens.
Exactly how is Tancredo stabbing RINO Cannon in the back? Because the PAC he cut all ties with is supporting somebody who supports the law?
Cannon obviously doesn't think being pro-illegal is too popular himself. He pretends to be tough in his radio ads.
Where's the proof?
But since you don't have a defense for John Jacob you come after me for some reason.
I didn't come after you for "some reason". I asked you a question, based on your unflagging defense of illegals, what you like most about them?
Dunno, but when was the last time time you set up a special company to pay your babysitter or your landscaper?
Even if Jacobs hired illegals outright I still hope he beats Cannon.
I don't know if he'll win, beating an incumbent is difficult, and Cannon is apparently running on the House platform that he doesn't really believe in!
But the same crowd that preaches it is wrong and UnAmerican to not vote GOP in the fall...that we should save it for the primaries...is in an apparent meltdown that people have done just that in this instance.
And their way of dealing? Slinging mud against his character. They've learned well from the Liberals. can't debate the points, so try to destroy their reps. Whether the information is even true, doesn't matter to them.
Jacob sounds like a good guy. Hope he wins.
(Rather than paying the Silvas as his own employees, Jacob paid their company -- called The Office Specialist of Utah -- for services. That company then paid Marta Silva for secretarial work. Her husband, Oscar Silva, did landscaping work for Jacob.)
Loophole thy name is "Office Specialist of Utah."
(Well, well, time for tancredo supported candidate John Jacob to be fined up the wazoo and the Silvas deported)
This man obviously broke the law and used a loophole to do it. He SHOULD be fined at the LEAST.
(But the same crowd that preaches it is wrong and UnAmerican to not vote GOP in the fall...that we should save it for the primaries...is in an apparent meltdown that people have done just that in this instance.)
I knew this would happen when I first saw that unbelievable argument a few months back. "Fight it out in the primaries" they said, then they attack the anti-illegals for doing just that.
Comparing what Jacob did to the hundreds of shady businesses and individuals who knowingly break the law by going out of their way in hiring illegal immigrants is disingenious politics at its worst.
OK, sounds like a great plan to me. Fine them and deport them. Even IF Jacob knew they were illegal, he has since seen the error of his way, and has corrected this thinking. Thankfully, he has since become anti-illegal, anti-open borders, which is what we want. GOOOOOOOO Jacob!!!! :o)
ping
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