...Passport revoked -DHS moves to keep Benton man from taking job in Iraq

[MaineDem]

A new twist on the truck driver story...

BENTON -- The (Maine) state Department of Human Services has intervened to revoke the passport of a local truck driver who was on his way to work for high wages in Iraq next year.

Matt Tulley, 33, said he was contacted just before Christmas by officials who told him that, because he owed child support payments to a former girlfriend, he could not work overseas.

"The DHS has denied my passport through the State Department in Washington," Tulley said. "It's a shame, it truly is. All the jobs are going overseas, and I can't follow them. I can't go to work to pay off DHS."

Tulley learned on Dec. 18 that he had landed a job with Halliburton, the controversial company that Vice President Dick Cheney once headed.

http://www.centralmaine.com/news/local/273271.shtml

[Jacobin]

1. Ironically, they probably saved his life

Contract workers in Iraq are favorite targets of the resistance. Killing, maiming and kidnapping them is a frequent occurrence

[private_ryan]

5. and ironically

he could've finally paid the money to her since it probably pays a lot more.

[DUreader]

2. Ths guy would still have the job if he stayed away from the media

His real offense was talking to the press

[MaineDem]

3. That was my first thought, too (nt)

.

[private_ryan]

4. Nope

if you owe more than $5,000 your name will be reported to the State Dept automatically and the passport will be revoked. Clinton signed the law.

[DUreader]

7. Thanks for that info, Ryan, news to me, yet my cynicism is such that...

I cannot help suspecting that waivers may be granted and that had this

man not talked to the media he would be employed right now.

[private_ryan]

17. pissing them off is not the way to go

they have you by the balls. In many states they will revoke your driving license and jail you too for $11,000. It all depends how far your ex and those guys want to push it. I'm sure they could've changed a few things to let him have the passport if they wanted to.

[bahrbearian]

11. Clinton BAAAD , Chimpy GOOOD

at least Chimpy and Oily Dick are trying to create jobs for Amurikans overseas.

[private_ryan]

16. who was trying to say that?

it is a fact that Bill Clinton signed it. No one is saying if it's a bad or good law.

[ConcernedCanuk]

14. Silly Canuk Question re "if you owe more than $5,000 " - to whom ??

. . I am "assuming" that this would be like to the Government for taxes, whatever, not things like credit cards, mortgages ?

ON EDIT - oops - shoulda read a little more before asking - ok - I get it

[Occulus]

6. This also shows one of the ways

men get screwed by an ex-spouse- money-grubber or not.

[Robb]

10. Well, we don't know the details

...but child support is important. :shrug:

[Bozola]

8. Grrr.

"I'm sick of government," he said. "I'm imprisoned in this country."

But yet you are going to take a grossly overpaid job that is totally paid for by the US taxpayer.

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. Some Americans must be starting to choke on that line

. . in the "Star-Spangled Banner" ? ?

. . "O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." ??

[RWPTRBL]

12. I have no re4spect....

for someone that doesn't pay their child support. We don't know the whole story and it may be very well that he wouldn't pay no matter how much he made. I think it was a good law by Clinton

[area51]

13. Why not a win-win situation?

Why can't Halliburton direct-deposit this guy's paycheck into a separate account in the states that the DHS will automatically deduct the $ owed to his gf for child support? That why he could earn $, & his gf would get the $ owed her, whether he likes it or not.

[NNN0LHI]

15. Most employers I know of do not care to be someones accountant

It costs the employer more money to have to hire people to make sure that debts are paid by the employee. Some companies consider court orders to brick someones check a reason for termination.

Don

[private_ryan]

19. I don't think employers have a choice in that one

butI'm not sure. They have to cut the check and can take a dollar or two as a fee.

[private_ryan]

18. it would be common sense

those idiots could've had their $11,000 in 2-3 months by taking it out of his paycheck. Now they don't have the money and most likely he'll be jailed (more money to jail him)