It appears that we may be onto something VERY BIG in Virginia’s 1st Cong. Dist., but it will take a while to decipher what it all means and how everything is related.
In the meantime, here is the tip of the iceberg.
Note this donor to Krystal Ball’s campaign:
| Schneier, Joanna Brooklyn, NY 11215 |
Zoma Ventures, LLC/Chief Marketing | $2,400 | P | 09/28/2009 |
| Schneier, Joanna Brooklyn, NY 11215 |
Zoma Ventures, LLC/Chief Marketing | $2,400 | G | 09/28/2009 |
Zoma Ventures is the company (well, one of the companies — more on that soon) run by Ball’s husband, Jonathan Dariyanani.
Only problem is that Schneier was no longer working for Zoma when these two contributions were made nor was her title Chief Marketing. According to her LinkedIn account.
Market Research and Business Development Analyst
Zoma Ventures LLC
(E-Learning industry)
December 2006 — June 2009 (2 years 7 months)
So, she left this company three months before these contributions were made (so there is no reason she would have put it down as her employer with those contributions and the candidate’s husband, if not the candidate herself who at least at that point appears to have been her own Treasurer filing the disclosure reports, would have been aware she no longer worked there) and her title appears to indicate a lower level employee. Two contributions, made on the same date, for the maximum amount just two days before the end of the third quarter of fundraising in 2009. Suspicious to say the least.
As is the unemployed store manager who donated $1,300 to Ball’s primary campaign and the maximum $2,400 to her general election campaign on 9/29/2009, just one day before the end of that same fundraising reporting period. That person’s name? Lajwanti Daryanani. (This person previously made a $1,000 contribution to Ball’s primary campaign on 6/30/2009 — the last day of the second quarter of fundraising — although at that point this person was listed as self-employed.) One has to wonder if there is a relation to Ball’s husband, Jonathan Dariyanani, despite the lack of one “i” in the name.
| Name & Location | Employer/Occupation | Dollar Amount |
Date | Primary/ General |
Contibuted To |
| Daryanani, Lajwanti REGO PARK, NY 11374 |
unemployed/store manager | $2,400 | 09/29/2009 | G | KRYSTAL BALL FOR CONGRESS – Democrat |
| Daryanani, Lajwanti REGO PARK, NY 11374 |
unemployed/store manager | $1,300 | 09/29/2009 | P | KRYSTAL BALL FOR CONGRESS – Democrat |
| Daryanani, Lajwanti REGO PARK, NY 11374 |
Self/Self Employed | $1,000 | 06/30/2009 | P | KRYSTAL BALL FOR CONGRESS – Democrat |
Is all this simply a coincidence with these large amounts coming in at the last minute from people who one would wonder actually have the means to make such contributions or are they being used as straw donors to hide the real source of the contributions?
Stay tuned, there’s ALOT more on the way…
Filed under: 2010 Elections, Krystal Ball, Scandal!
The best donor job I saw from Ball’s reports was a ‘Poet’ from Massachusetts! LOL!
Riley,
A little more research shows that Joanna Schneier now runs Kwinty, LLC, which is the internet company that designed and runs zomaventuresconsulting.com and zomalawgroup.com. Maybe she did contribute to the campaign, maybe she didn’t, but she is still in the mix regardless. The interesting fact is the reported contributions coming toward the end of the reporting period. I listened to one of her campaign kickoff promoters begging for the people to donate money, in hopes that seed money now will attract larger money toward the end of the campaign.
Also, why is Genesis Venture Fund India I doing supporting a campaign here in the United States? I know its a Delware chartered limited partnership, but it sounds like they do a lot of investing in small start ups in India? If I were an investor in that company, I would be a little upset at the money funding an American campaign……unless the only people investing are the ones running the company?
This whole business model of Ball’s and Darynani is confusing. This would be an IRS and SEC auditors dream!
Political donations made on the last day of the quarter are not “suspicious”, or even unusual. It is the nature of our perverse campaign finance laws, and the marketing impact of their required quarterly reports, that contributions are clustered in this way.
The identification of workplaces is intended to reduce the incidence of employers funneling money through their employees, often under duress, in order to get around contribution limits. It is not meant to have a chilling effect on what the employee might wish to do independently.
Campaign contribution reporting systems often make no distinction between “retired” and “unemployed”. Either is simply a way of saying, “employer, none”.
Due to the vagaries of immigration processing, my family members are known by multiple spellings of our name. Such is the richness of our heritage.
So, there is really nothing of substance, here. If you have any proof these contributions are illegal, or represent undue influence, please, produce it.
@John, Ball’s campaign has engaged in what appears to be some sort of campaign funding fraud, there is a lot of substance here.
Not to mention the thousands of dollars of contributions that she has received from her husband’s family or her donations from somebody with a Swiss address. It really seems like they are funneling money from illegal sources through family members and co-workers.
Appears? Seems?
Proof?
I agree with John to a limit…a lot of the things in there finance reports seem circumstantial. But $150,000 campaign loan, unsecured? That is sitting on a lot of cash.
However she is raising her money (still suspicious), she is using it recklessly with her childish attack website and her dishonest mailers.
@John, can you explain her donation from a foreign source?
OSTERWALDER, JENIFER ZUG, SWITZERLAND
43614 06/22/2009 2400.00 FUSA CAPITAL CORP/PRESIDENT 29992425676
OSTERWALDER, JENIFER ZUG, SWITZERLAND
43614 06/22/2009 2400.00 FUSA CAPITAL CORP/PRESIDENT 29992425676
I believe that is illegal.
Garrett, the person could be a U.S. citizen living abroad.
Garrett, it’s illegal if Jenifer Osterwalder is not an American citizen.
Though she works outside the U.S., a quick Google search reveals (a) her employer is a Seattle-based company; and (b) that she graduated from Ohio State University. Both of these facts support an inference that she is an American citizen.
I tend to agree with Chipper…I don’t see any evidence of wrongdoing here, but plenty of suspicious activity that deserves further scrutiny.
That scrutiny is coming and we’ll do our best to lay out the tangled web that we have uncovered of various companies that she has investments in that only appear to do business with one another, the only activity of which appear to be press releases, apparently have no value, and have the same core people running each of them.
See if you can find a connection between these companies and George Soros somewhere. That would be a likely indicator…
No Soros connection. But we’re pretty darn close to blowing the lid off this whole thing. It is a very intricately woven thing.
I think Ball gave the Swiss money back. I think that the gig that J. Daryanani runs goes something like this: He is a lawyer, sets up these companies and issues stock to some insiders/investors. It can be virtually worthless. Then, if something happens, say a press release or other, that makes 7 cents a share stock go to 21 cents a share. Doesn’t sound like much, but if you own say $10K worth of 7 cents a share, and it goes up to 21 cents, you have tripled your money. The beauty of this approach is J. Daryanani gets lawyer fees and stock up front, an no risk position. If the stock tanks, he doesn’t care, he made money updating the SEC documents and submitting them. If the stock goes up, he makes money there as well. I don’t know if any of the initial “investors” that got in early care if the company ever produces a thing or is viable. Just get a lot of shares, and hope something “happens” to increase the share value long enough to sell the shares. Presto, money for nothing, and checks for free. Krystal’s “small business” shares the dining table with several of these ventures. She says she is a small business owner, but the only thing I see is she did some consulting work. I don’t care what she does, but her resume’ for “education software” development is mighty thin. I cannot see anything in her background, except she worked for a beltway bandit for a year or two, that even relates to software. Again, good work if you can get it. Also, the fact that she advances the notion she knows what small business are going through, etc, is BS. She doesn’t worry about employees, taxes, etc. Hey for a small fee, go to the courthouse and get a business license, and you would know about as much as she does about running a small business.
Trapezoid is pretty close to the mark. We’ve been doing a lot of research and investigation on this and will have the results in the near future. Let’s just say that Virtucon’s resident former stockbroker Jay Hughes indicated that what we found does not pass his “smell-dar.”
Trapezoid, I think you hit the nail on the head. Maybe not completely illegal practice, but suspect none the less.
And John Comiskey, I didn’t catch it at first, but that same name pops up on Krystal Ball’s campaign donor list. I also see that that Comiskey (as well as his possible wife) has made the full $4800 contributions to Krystal. That same John and Barbara Comiskey also lives in San Jose, CA.
So, my questions are: Are you that John Comiskey? And if so, what is your interest in the 1st District of Virginia that you donate so much money to a political campaign? And are you one of John Dariyanani’s penny stock buddies that gets in on the ground floor and profits from press release price surges?
Yes, I am the same John Comiskey who donated to Krystal Ball for Congress.
My Democratic Congressman is Mike Honda, who is highly likely to get reelected. So, too, are the other Democratic Congress members in the neighboring Districts. The balance of power in Congress is in play in this election, but any potential swing is not likely to come from around where I live. So, I take interest in candidates and campaigns elsewhere.
Krystal Ball is a thoughtful, hard working, Progressive candidate who I think deserves my support. She is intelligent, articulate, and genuine. I believe she has a bright future in politics, and I did what I could to help her get started.
The First District of Virginia is of great historical significance to our Democracy. It lays legitimate claim to being the birthplace of our Nation. Folks from Boston or Philadelphia might disagree, but I’ve always been partial to Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, myself.
And finally, no, I have never traded penny stocks with anyone, nor would I. I’m too fiscally conservative for that.
It is interesting to me that progressives can identify with the birth of the country and try to undo what our founders set out to implement. My perception is that progressives believe that the founders left out entitlement from the formula. From my perspective, all I ask for is opportunity. These entitlement weigh down the opportunity like an anchor. As far as fiscal conservativeness, I cannot image John supporting Krystal from this perspective. I cannot see how a fiscal conservative can mesh with a progressive. The progressive movement is on slanted on a European socialistic structure. One that dilutes individual liberty for social equality. One that takes from, and gives to others. I don’t mind pitching in a bit, but when the govt gets involved, a huge bureaucracy is borne, and becomes part of the overhead. I cannot image a fiscal conservative from either party supporting a progressive agenda. John seems like a thoughtful guy, and I would like to understand better your perspective. I, as a middle class worker whom is self made, per se, do not understand entitlement. I did have the physical and intellectual ability to make it myself. It was not easy, and I resent a third party making decisions on whom my benefactors should be. It vastly erodes the resources I could apply for charity, education, etc. I resent sending money to people who avoid work just because it is not pleasant. I do help out when I can, but my paycheck is at 60% when I get it. I pay local, state, sales taxes. It would be nice to control a larger share of my earnings.
But John, despite all the progressive movement does to push entiltlement ahead of liberty, how can you associate the intent of this movement with the Democracy advanced by the founding fathers?
John,
You got George Washington right, but Thomas Jefferson isn’t from here. I can tell you is though….Robert E. Lee, James Madison, James Monroe, Richard Henry Lee, Lightfoot Harry Lee, Benjamin Harrison V, John Marshall, etc. You want to know who also is from the Virginia Congressional First District….me! I was born and raised here all of my life. I come from a long line of farmers and watermand and woodsman who have worked this area of Virginia from since the Colonial days. I also am very good friends with many here in the First District who make their living doing just those things.
You see, John, it comes down to electing a Congressman who REPRESENTS our interests here in the First District, not electing someone who has a party platform to fulfill in Washington DC. That is probably why so many of us are disgusted that the majority of Ball’s campaign finances come from individuals from outside of the district, much less outside the state.
I notice you have also contributed a large amount of money to Obama’s campaign, and in your recent diatribe, you mentioned those same qualities of Ball that many others used to help get Obama elected: intelligent, articulate, and genuine. And how are those qualities helping Obama now, much less our nation?
I don’t contend that Krystal Ball is not those things. I have met her and she seems very smart and very personable. But she lacks leadership experience. And before you say that Wittman is no leader, let me fill you in on something else; not only did I grow up in the first district of Virginia, I grew up in the same town that Rob Wittman lives in. I was here when he was our councilman and mayor, I was here when he became our Supervisor and then Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. I watched as he handled many issues within our community with great attention, spending countless hours late into the evening listening to the concerns of the local citizens and trying his best to resolve them amicably amonst all parties.
Wittman is fortunate to be one of those Congressman whose district is close to Washington. He commutes to work almost everyday, even stopping by communter lots in Fredericksburg to give a lift to other on occassion. He knows the commuter issues that many face when ones has jobs in Northern Virginia and DC. And when he is not attending the many committee meetings and voting sessions on the Hill, he spends many weekends traveling the district talking to people and listening to their concerns. He is hardly ever home at his house in Montross. This is the kind of committment that Wittman has to his constituents.
I think Krystal Ball has a bright future ahead of her and at some point, she will truly shine. However, I do believe this is not her time. I really don’t believe she is fully aware of the committment and the time that goes into be a Congressman. And for someone who talks about her child alot, I do hope she knows that ‘if’ she is elected, those precisous moments she spends with her daughter will be very few and far between.
John, thanks for taking an interest in our district. Thank you for donating your money to our political campaigns. Just know that in the end, come November 2nd of this year, it’s those of us that live here in the district that vote. It’s those of us that the next Congressman will represent, not some Progressive ideology that outsiders contend is best for the nation (though it’s really demostrating that it’s not truly Progressive at all).
I’d like to answer Remus’ question, but I need more details. “Entitlement” clearly means something specific to you. Can you provide an example of entitlement and how it impinges on Liberty? Then, I might be able to answer intelligently.
Meanwhile, I can provide some insight into my own version of Progressive thinking.
Both Virginia and Massachusetts call themselves a Commonwealth. This is an old English concept, not only of wealth or property held in common, but also, of a common well being. The role of government, as I see it, is to protect the commonwealth from those who would exploit it for narrow, personal profit, to the exclusion of others, and to extend access to all people, on an equal footing.
Yes, after that, it is up to the individual to make of it what he or she can.
Starting a business and profiting from it is not, in itself, exploitation. If fact, a well run business increases the commonwealth, providing a better way of life for everyone, or, at least, everyone who can afford it. When the profit motive becomes destructive of common well being, however, the application of prudent regulatory restrictions is justified.
Creating an equal footing requires certain concerted actions, and the associated common bearing of the costs. This is why we have taxes. If you want nice things, someone has to pay for them.
The common well being is also served via self determination. The right to privacy, and the Freedom is provides, is essential to our democracy. Still, when one person’s actions impinge on the rights of another, or are destructive of the common well being in general, then a government of the People has a right to rein in those activities.
If we can find some common ground in principle, I see the rest as a matter of degree. How much is too much? Too much regulation? Too much taxes? Too much intrusion?
Life has been good to me, so I am inclined to be magnanimous. Others feel differently. This is why we have elections, to see who gets to run things for the next little while. These things run in cycles. We should avoid demonizing each other, as we will find ourselves on the other side of the power equation at some point, and will have to tackle the same problems, and face the same criticism.
Which brings me to Chipper J’s question: How has being intelligent, articulate, and genuine helped Obama or the Nation? Well, he’s certainly in better shape than if he were the opposite!
But seriously, President Obama faces difficult, even intractable problems. He faces stern, ideologically driven opposition. He faces even sterner, greed driven opposition. And, he faces the harsh, constant lens of the television camera, and all the sophistry which comes with it. Under these circumstances, his best bet is to maintain an open, honest dialog directly with the People. Let us know what he’s doing, and why. Be honest about what has worked, and has not. Stand by his principles, and lay out a direction for the future. Then, the People decide.
“All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.” – Thomas Jefferson
Thanks John. Life has been good to me, but not without my struggles. If we “give” all persons a certain amount, there are those that provide for others, and others that just take. The receivers of the sweat of the brow of others get without effort the fruits of the effort of others. Thus, the providers have lost freedom and liberty since thr freedom to control their rewards is surrendered to those whom do not earn their way. This dilutes the freedom of the productive persons, as now these producers do not have control of the result of the efforts. Socialism is that form of government where segments of the economy are government controlled. In those segments, the populace has lost the opportunity to determine alternative measures for those socialised segments. Loss of freedom. Liberty is responsibility and free will. By definition, the progressives, by way of eliminiating freedom and the requirement for responsibility, reduce liberty. Pretty straightforward. From my perspective, why don’t the liberals give more in the way of charity, not associate it with government, and live an austere life. But, it appears that the liberals want all to live this way, but will not unless everyone else will as well.