Walt Blackman, conservative Republican candidate for Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, today released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Eli Crane:
“Eli Crane is a fake America First candidate who doesn’t live in our district and doesn’t understand our rural Arizona values. It should come as no surprise that he never voted for President Trump or any Republican in a primary election since he showed his true colors when he moved his business out of Arizona to avoid paying taxes in our state.
“The people of Arizona have my word that I will always put them first. I look forward to serving in Congress and will be a tireless advocate and fighter President Trump’s America First agenda. Unfortunately, just like we are seeing in various Republican primaries around the country, the for-hire consultants have once again given President Trump bad advice when it comes to who he should be endorsing.”
Below is background on Eli Crane’s voter history and history of tax evasion.
Voting History
Eli Crane registered to vote in Arizona in September 2016. He did not identify as a Republican in 2016, he did not vote in the 2016 presidential primary, and has only voted in Arizona in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 general elections
· According to the Pima County Recorder, on Sept. 6, 2016, Elijah Crane of 4665 N Quartz Hill Pl. Tucson, AZ registered to vote in Arizona. According to the Recorder, Eli Crane registered in 2016 as “No Party Preference,” and voted in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 general elections.
· In a March 22, 20216, article, the Arizona Republic reported, “Donald Trump, the celebrity billionaire who has channeled the anger and frustration of Arizona’s immigration hardliners into national Republican front-runner status, on Tuesday claimed an easy victory in Arizona’s presidential primary.”
Eli Crane was eligible to vote in San Diego County from 2008-2018, and only voted in the 2012 presidential election.
According to the San Diego Registrar of Voters, Elijah Crane was eligible to vote in San Diego County from 2008-2018. According to the Registrar, Crane only voted in the 2012 presidential election.
Eli Crane registered to vote in Florida in 2004, had no party affiliation in Florida, and only voted in the 2004 presidential election.
According to the Duval County, FL Supervisor of Elections, on Sept. 13, 2004, Elijah J. Crane with a date of birth of Jan. 3, 1980, registered to vote in Florida. According to the voter registration, Crane had no party affiliation, and he only voted in the 2004 presidential election.
Tax Evasion
On the day that Bottle Breacher appeared on Shark Tank, it was called, “a Tucson company” in the Arizona Daily Star
In a Nov. 7, 2014, article, the Arizona Daily Star reported, “Bottle Breacher, a Tucson company, will appear on a special veteran-themed episode of ‘Shark Tank’ at 8 p.m. today on KGUN Channel 9. The show will feature entrepreneurs with military backgrounds.
“Bottle Breacher makes bottle openers out of recycled .50-caliber ammunition. It came about when Elijah Crane, a former Navy Seal, wanted to make something unique out of products he used when he was deployed. Crane and his wife, Jen, started the company in 2012, via an Etsy shop.
· “Veterans, reservists and active duty service members handcraft all of the bottle openers, which are made from professionally powder- coated, polished and engraved dummy ammunition.”
Bottle Breacher filed to do business in Arizona in September 2014, but terminated its business filing in the state less than two months later
· According to the Arizona Secretary of State, on Sept. 11, 2014, Bottle Breacher, LLC was incorporated in Arizona. The business was registered to Elijah and Jennifer Crane of 1870 West Prince Road no. 61, Tucson, AZ.
· According to the Arizona Secretary of State, on Nov. 4, 2014, articles for termination were signed by Bottle Breacher, LLC. The document was approved and the business was terminated on Nov. 12, 2014.
A week after terminating its business in Arizona (and three days after its episode of Shark Tank aired), Bottle Breacher, LLC incorporated in Delaware
· According to the Delaware Secretary of State, On Nov. 10, 2014, Bottle Breacher, LLC was incorporated in the state of Delaware.
Delaware attracts many corporations because the state has no income tax. Additionally, Delaware does not charge corporate taxes from corporations which are incorporated in Delaware but do not conduct business in the state
· In a March 4, 2019, article, Forbes reported, “Many corporations register in Delaware because of the state’s lucrative tax codes and corporate-friendly laws. Investment bankers often require publicly traded companies to incorporate in Delaware to comply with some securities law requirements. Most Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in Delaware, largely because of the state’s premium justice system.
· “Delaware’s separate Court of Chancery provides businesses with faster resolutions and more predictable outcomes to business disputes. The Court of Chancery appoints judges with business backgrounds to rule on these cases involving commercial transactions without a jury. Delaware also has the Delaware Asset Protection Trust to protect personal assets from creditors in the event of litigation.
· “Delaware attracts many corporations because the state has no income tax. Additionally, Delaware does not charge corporate taxes from corporations which are incorporated in Delaware but do not conduct business in the state. The state levies an annual franchise tax on the par value of common stock. The franchise tax starts at $75 plus a $50 filing fee and can reach up to $180,000.”
Eli Crane said that they made more than a million dollars in just the week after Shark Tank aired
· According to a Sept. 12, 2018, interview with the American Military University Edge, when asked about his transition away from the military, Eli Crane said, “Actually, for me, I think it was easier than most. Because we started the business while on active duty, we entered the civilian world with a company that was already profitable. I left the Navy in October 2014, and our Shark Tank episode aired in November.”
· In the same interview, when asked about Shark Tank, Eli Crane said, “The Shark Tank effect is the real deal. We made over a million dollars in sales in just the week after Shark Tank aired.
· “In fact, I think ramping up our production after Shark Tank was the hardest thing I have ever done. But we did it and that’s why I think veterans are so good at entrepreneurship. When those monumental challenges hit entrepreneurs, I think veterans are much better at either pivoting quickly or dealing with the impact quickly and effectively.”
Bottle Breacher did not register with the Arizona Secretary of State as a foreign LLC until May 27, 2016
· According to the Arizona Secretary of State, on May 27, 2016, Bottle Breacher, LLC was filed as a foreign Limited Liability Company in Arizona. According to the Secretary of State documents, the business was formed on Nov. 10, 2014 in Delaware.
Months prior to re-registering as a foreign-based entity in Arizona, Bottle Breacher was called a Tucson-based company
· In a Jan. 20, 2016, article, the Arizona Daily Star reported, “Bottle Breacher, a Tucson-based company founded by a former Navy SEAL, is set to appear on ABC-TV’s ‘Beyond the Tank’ on Thursday, Jan. 21.
· “The appearance comes about a year after the company won investments for its .50-caliber ammo bottle openers on the hit show ‘Shark Tank.’
· “The show airs at 7 p.m. Thursday on KGUN-TV, Channel 9. Details of the show’s content were not available.
· “Eli Crane and his wife, Jen, started Bottle Breacher in 2013 out of their one-car garage in San Diego while Eli was still in the military on active duty as a Navy SEAL. Jen Crane graduated from the University of Arizona Eller College of Management in 2005.”
In 2020, Bottle Breacher took a PPP loan of more than $68,000, which was forgiven as of May 12, 2021
· According to the ProPublica PPP Loan Tracking Database, on April 30, 2020, Bottle Breachers, LLC of Tucson, AZ received a $68,125 PPP loan. According to the database, the loan (plus interest) was forgiven as of May 12, 2021.
Original source can be found here.
