Thread by @scapelliti

The Intercept and American Prospect are running articles to save Cristina Tzintzun Ramirez's campaign today, in the aftermath of her volunteers defaming Sema Hernandez through phonebanking and texts to Sema's endorsers.

Here's a story about Cristina they won't run.

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Her 2 non-profits - Jolt Initiative & Jolt Action - are required by law to operate independently of one another.

Jolt Action, a 501c4, endorses federal candidates and accepts donations for unlimited lobbying, actions which are prohibited for a 501c3 like Jolt Initiative.

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A 501c3 org and a 501c4 org may share space and employees, but they must account for their expenses and employee time separately. An employee may not do work that benefits both companies at the same time.

Jolt Initiative & Jolt Action share employees in 3 Texas offices.

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Cristina worked for Jolt Action for two years, before she founded Jolt Initiative in 2018. Tax returns for both orgs that year claim that Cristina's work time doubled to 40 hours per week for each company, to justify two $70,947 salaries.

80 hours. Is that possible?

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Tzintzun Ramirez did this at the same time that Jolt employees complained they were underpaid, received no healthcare benefits, and were afforded no paid time off for health or family issues.

Some said that they were fired for these complaints.

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Cristina's two organizations operate as if they were one org, which is barred under IRS regs. Here are links to the tax returns for both Jolt Initiative and Jolt Action.

Jolt Initiative: projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/org…

Jolt Action: projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/org…

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