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Welle blames company’s status, past due taxes on business agent

Agent disputes Welle campaign’s excuse

Welle the Weasel attacks MMM owner Art Gallagher

Josh Welle declined to answer MMM’s questions about his company, Severn Pacific Inc, when we got him on the phone this morning and again when we met him in Red Bank this afternoon.  However, his company issued a statement to NewJerseyGlobe which blamed the company’s external business agent, Harvard Business Services of Lewes, Delaware, for failing to dissolve the company during the summer of 2017.

Per NewJerseyGlobe:

“Josh and his partners ceased business operations in the summer of 2017. The company’s external business agent, who was brought on board to assist in the dissolution of the business, neglected to file the necessary paperwork in for the state. Appropriate filings were submitted to the federal government,” said Aubrey Fink, a spokesperson for Welle “Because state dissolution documents were not filed, the company continued to accumulate fees as if they were still operational. Since this information has been brought to light, all dissolution paperwork has been filed with the state government. Outstanding administration franchise tax fees have been settled, approximately $1,000, which includes 2017 and 2018. All obligations are settled.”

The Welle campaign has not provided documentation that “Appropriate filings were submitted to the federal government,” dissolving Severn Pacific Inc.  Nor have they explained how the federal government can dissolve a company that was formed and incorporated in a State.  Aubrey Fink, Welle’s spokesperson, said in an email to MMM that she does not have “the paperwork in hand” and suggested that we file a Freedom of Information Act Request.

Courtney Sharp of Harvard Business Solutions told MMM this afternoon that HBS was Severn Pacific’s Business Agent in Delaware since the company’s formation in 2015. HBS reported their resignation to the State of Delaware on September 19, because, Sharp said, the company did not pay its agency fees.

Sharp said that HBS did not receive a dissolution order in the summer of 2017, as the Welle campaign told NewJerseyGlobe. She said that HBS was engaged to dissolve the company and resolve the past due taxes on October 2, which is the same day that MMM reported the situation. 

Sharp said that Severn Pacific’s past due taxes were “refigured” to $657.75 and that they were paid on October 2.

Severn Pacific is listed by the State of Delaware as in “Good Standing.”  Good standing means the company is an ongoing concern.  Jeremy Reed of Harvard Business Solutions told MMM that the company has been dissolved and that Delaware’s system takes a few days to reflect the change.

Since issuing their statement to NewJerseyGlobe, the Welle campaign issued a press release condemning this site, its owner, Art Gallagher, and Congressman Smith:

CHRIS SMITH SENDS BLOGGER TO ATTACK NAVY VETERAN,  JOSH WELLE

(Eatontown, NJ) Recent false allegations about the dissolution of Severn Pacific Inc., the technology business that Josh Welle co-founded in 2015, have been spreading via a small, ultra-right wing conspiracy blog. The author of the blog, who was previously arrested for defrauding a school bus company, is a volunteer for the Chris Smith campaign and has deep ties to the Republican Party establishment.

“This is a desperate attempt for the Smith campaign to tarnish the reputation of a veteran who fought for this country,” said Kim Maier, the campaign manager for the Welle For Congress campaign. “The issue was due to an error in filing paperwork and exemplifies what is wrong with a bureaucratic tax system tax. Small business owners have too much red tape to cut through, and, as someone who was able to start a business, Josh knows the reality of everyday families in Central Jersey. Smith, on the other hand, has been in Congress for 38 years and lives in Virginia. How would he know the challenges of a small business owner in 2018?”

Welle’s business ceased operations in the summer of 2017. The company’s external business agent failed to file the paperwork for the state. Appropriate dissolution documents were submitted to the federal government. Because state documents were not properly filed, the company accumulated fees in 2018, as if it were operational. Since this administrative oversight has been brought to light, all dissolution paperwork has been filed with the state and the outstanding administration franchise tax fees (approximately $1,000) have been paid.

About the Welle press release:

1) The MMM reports about Welle’s company were not false. Our report prompted the Welle campaign to take corrective action, just as our report in March that he failed to file his Financial Disclosure Report with the Clerk of the House of Representatives prompted Welle’s corrective action.

We were the first to report that the past due taxes have been resolved.

2) This “small” blog has almost 1 million pages views per year, our owner been named in the top 100 (#47) most influential political media personalities New Jersey. We’ve been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The Star Ledger, Drudge, APP.com, and many others publications.

MMM and Gallagher are so “ulta-right wing conspiracy theorists”, that we received an Honorable Mention in InsiderNJ’s Straight But Not Narrow category in their recent Top 100 LGBTQ Power List.

3) The 2011 felony charges against our owner for stealing his own school buses were dropped by the State of Delaware.

4) The owner of this site is not a volunteer for the Chris Smith campaign.

5) Chris Smith lives in Hamliton, NJ, not Virginia, as Welle has been lying about for over a year.  Congressman Frank Pallone, who Welle wants to be Speaker of the House, says his primary residence in Washington DC.

6)  MMM’s stories about Welle are not “a desperate attempt for the Smith campaign to tarnish the reputation of a veteran who fought for this country.”  Between now and the end of this campaign, Welle will experience the reach and influence of this website like few ever have before.  We have a lot more on him and hiding behind his veteran status will not save his reputation.

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Posted: October 4th, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: 2018 Elections, Monmouth County News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments »

9 Comments on “Welle blames company’s status, past due taxes on business agent”

  1. It is said at 9:31 am on October 5th, 2018:

    incumbent upon anyone running for public office, to be voluntarily providing clear proof of employment/ sources of income, that taxes are up to date, and a basic resume voters can use, to assess their qualififor office sought. Anything lacking, sows seeds of doubt about their veracity and fitness for office. It’s Welle’s own fault that questions have arisen about what he has done/ is doing for a living. We appreciate all military service, but that does not make one either truthful, forthcoming, or fit for office.

    As for Smith, don’t get in the political weeds/ morass: keep the positive ads coming, and run on your substantial record of service to all.

  2. Welle needs to check his lies said at 10:14 am on October 5th, 2018:

    Welle blames the business agent. The business agent says Welle’s at fault. When your own consultants don’t stick up for you – you know you’re in trouble.

  3. Welle Needs To Come Clean said at 10:19 am on October 5th, 2018:

    It’s been made clear that Welle lies by default. He falsified the financial disclosure forms. His business agent said it was his fault. He just closed up shop on a failed business. He’s not qualified & voters in NJ-04 deserve better.

  4. Tim H said at 5:20 pm on October 5th, 2018:

    Yeah, and the dog ate his homework. This guy is going to lose by 20 points to Chris Smith

  5. Just let him said at 6:01 pm on October 5th, 2018:

    self- destruct. The “fresh- faced boy” thing worked 30 years ago for Pallone, but he had the Dem Long Branch base, lots of senior lady voters, union and dad street money, etc.. this guy comes off pleasant and enthusiastic, while not being forthcoming about a lot of his work life and history. Plus, hanging on a supposed “ lack” of town halls, is like criticizing a website, with not a lot of other substance/ ideas, as to what he would differently/ better. It is good to not feel “Welle,” this year.

  6. Ira said at 10:20 am on October 8th, 2018:

    MMM’s attribution of nasty nicknames seems more frequent recently. Who is your model for that, AG? Is that really who you want to be?

  7. Personally said at 10:52 am on October 8th, 2018:

    I don’t really care if Chris Smith lives in Virginia. Do most of you? I think it is a moot point.

  8. @ Ira said at 1:05 pm on October 8th, 2018:

    You want to talk about nasty names? Why dodn’t you talk to your Liberal friends and protestors who went full on nasty during the Kavanaugh hearings.

    So please, spare us your whining.

  9. Proud Republican said at 1:48 pm on October 10th, 2018:

    This guy is a male version of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – equally befuddled, and clueless as to how unworkable his silly policy proposals are in reality. Another guy promising goodies to everyone if only they would vote for him. Agree with the earlier poster – Smith by 20.