Failed GOP contender and Trump supporter, arrested for federal tax fraud charges, challenges 14th Amendment on ballot
OAN’s Brooke Mallory
12:28 PM – Thursday, January 11, 2024
John Anthony Castro, a Republican candidate from Texas who unsuccessfully attempted to run for presidential office in 2024 and who has been campaigning to have former President Donald Trump disqualified from the ballot on the grounds of the 14th Amendment’s “insurrection clause,” was arrested on charges of federal tax fraud on Tuesday.
The arrest came a day after a Nevada federal judge dismissed one of his lawsuits aimed at preventing Trump from running.
On Monday, Castro was charged with 33 counts of aiding the preparation of false tax returns. According to the prosecution, he operated a virtual tax preparation company that defrauded the government by giving clients tax returns that were higher than what they were actually owed.
“Castro would promise a significantly higher refund than taxpayers could receive from other preparers and on many occasions, offered to split the additional refund with taxpayers,” court documents stated. “In order to achieve these larger refunds, Castro generated false deductions, that were not based in fact, and which were submitted without the taxpayer’s knowledge.”
Prosecutors say that Castro was apprehended by an undercover police officer who pretended to be a client of his tax services. Castro told the undercover officer that he could receive $6,007 as a tax return as long as he “gets half,” whereas a second honest tax consultant had told the undercover agent that he would only be receiving a $373 return.
The tax documents Castro filed on behalf of the undercover officer contained nearly $30,000 in unlawfully claimed deductions, authorities said.
In addition, Castro was a longshot contender for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024, aside from his legal objections to Trump’s eligibility to run, there is not much information regarding his unsuccessful campaign. Castro has argued that Trump’s alleged “participation in the Capitol protest on January 6th” violates the 14th Amendment and he has filed a number of objections to Trump’s ballot placement in 27 different states.
On the same day that his New Hampshire ballot challenge was denied, he was charged. Additionally, Florida rejected his attempts. Most recently, he filed an objection in Nevada on Tuesday. Although there are still several ongoing 14th Amendment lawsuits, none have garnered much traction.
Nonetheless, the Supreme Court will soon hear arguments regarding attempts to disqualify Trump from the presidential ballot in states like Maine and Colorado, the high court announced last week.
Castro still doubled down and adamantly maintained his own innocence regarding the tax fraud charges.
“I don’t care if they offered me one-day probation and a slap on the wrist in exchange for a guilty plea,” Castro said. “This is going to trial. I am going to convince all 12 jurors that I am 100 percent innocent and that this is political retaliation.”
Additionally, due to the timing of the indictment, Castro asserted that the prosecution is connected to his arguments regarding the 14th Amendment against Trump. Between 2018 and 2020, the purported fraudulent returns were filed.
The failed GOP contender also claimed that a condition of his release that kept him inside the Northern District of Texas without prior authorization may jeopardize his scheduled appearances in West Virginia, Kansas, and Montana for 14th Amendment challenges.
Castro’s next court date is scheduled for January 17th.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom unveils a new budget plan for 2024 detailing a wide range of economic topics.
In an unexpected move, the President’s son Hunter made a surprise appearance crashing his own hearing in front of the House Oversight Committee looking to hold him in Contempt of Congress.
Hunter Biden visits congress after defying a subpoena, Chris Christie has a hot mic moment and Fani Willis allegedly mixes business with pleasure.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, Representative Roger Williams, spoke with One America’s Stephanie Myers to give a preview of what to expect at the committee’s first hearing of the year.
Google is set to go before a federal jury in Boston on Tuesday over accusations that its processors infringe a computer scientist’s patents.
OpenAI and its financial backer Microsoft were sued in Manhattan federal court by a pair of nonfiction authors who say the companies misused their work to train the AI models behind AI-based services.
SpaceX sued a U.S. labor board to block its case accusing the company of illegally firing employees calling CEO Elon Musk “a distraction and embarrassment.”
ChatGPT was well on its way to becoming a household name even before 2023 kicked off.
rnrn
What role does the Supreme Court play in the legal battles surrounding John Anthony Castro’s objections to Trump’s eligibility
Title: Republican Candidate John Anthony Castro Arrested on Federal Tax Fraud Charges
Introduction
On January 11, 2024, John Anthony Castro, a Republican candidate from Texas who previously attempted to run for the presidential office in 2024, was arrested on charges of federal tax fraud. Castro’s arrest came after a Nevada federal judge dismissed one of his lawsuits aimed at preventing former President Donald Trump from running.
Charges of Federal Tax Fraud
Castro has been charged with 33 counts of aiding the preparation of false tax returns. The prosecution alleges that he operated a virtual tax preparation company that defrauded the government by providing clients with inflated tax returns. Castro promised significantly higher refunds than other preparers, offering to split the additional refund with taxpayers. To achieve these larger refunds, Castro generated false deductions without the taxpayer’s knowledge. Prosecutors apprehended Castro through an undercover police officer posing as a client of his tax services. The tax documents he filed on behalf of the undercover officer contained nearly $30,000 in unlawfully claimed deductions.
Legal Objections to Trump’s Eligibility
In addition to his tax fraud charges, Castro has been vocal about his objections to former President Donald Trump’s eligibility to run for office. Castro claims that Trump’s alleged participation in the Capitol protest on January 6th violates the 14th Amendment. He has filed objections to Trump’s ballot placement in 27 different states, arguing that Trump should be disqualified from the presidential race.
Supreme Court’s Involvement
While Castro’s lawsuits related to the 14th Amendment are ongoing, none have gained much traction. However, the Supreme Court recently announced that it will hear arguments regarding attempts to disqualify Trump from the presidential ballot in states like Maine and Colorado. This decision highlights the significance of the legal debate surrounding Trump’s eligibility.
Castro’s Defense and Alleged Political Motives
Despite the charges against him, Castro steadfastly maintains his innocence regarding the tax fraud allegations. He also claims that the timing of his indictment is connected to his arguments against Trump’s eligibility under the 14th Amendment. Castro believes that the prosecution’s intention is to retaliate against him politically. Castro further argues that the condition of his release, which restricts him to the Northern District of Texas, may jeopardize his scheduled appearances in other states for 14th Amendment challenges.
Conclusion
John Anthony Castro, a Republican candidate from Texas, finds himself in legal trouble after being arrested on federal tax fraud charges. Simultaneously, his objections to former President Donald Trump’s eligibility to run for office under the 14th Amendment have gained attention. As the legal battles unfold, it remains to be seen how these simultaneous events will impact the political landscape and the upcoming presidential election.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...