OR-1: Rob Cornilles accused of running telemarketing operation disguised as executive training program
Kari Chisholm
One of my undone to-do items this election cycle has been to try and understand what OR-1 congressional candidate Rob Cornilles does for living.
After all, he claims that his experience as a business leader is what qualifies him to run for Congress. His campaign has been fairly vague about what his company, Game Face, does exactly.
Now we know why.
At the Forest Grove News-Times, Christian Gaston reports that despite claims of being a sports management training company, Game Face is basically a glorified telemarketing operation. And Cornilles' employees actually pay HIM to work there!
According to documents filed with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, in 2003, Game Face paid $9,052.07 to three former participants in the academy after they made claims with Oregon's wage and hour commission claiming that Cornilles' academy was an unpaid call center gig with a $1,395 entry fee.
"What they don't tell you is when you show up you go through one week of classwork and you learn the first day that you're a salesman for him," said Keith Marson, one of three former Executive Academy students who Game Face settled with in 2003. "You're a cold-call telemarketer." ...
[Catherine] Turallo, now 38, was a few years older than the other academy attendees. She said when she applied online to attend, it seemed like the academy was poised to set her up with a high-level marketing position. ...
But once Turallo flew out from her hometown in Maine to Portland and arrived at the Tualatin Game Face headquarters, she said she was surprised to find out that after a week’s training the academy would consist of her calling to Texas and beyond selling tickets.
"I think most of us went into it thinking it was marketing rather than telemarketing," Turallo said. ...
"They were on your ass if you didn't make calls," said Marson. "They were on your ass if you didn't make enough calls. They were on your ass if you didn't make enough money."
Unbelievable. And this guy wants to be in Congress?
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12:37 p.m.
Oct 24, '10
What I find unbelevable is that neither the Oregonian, nor WW asked this very basic question. Did the Wu campaign not do any oppo research? This guy went through a primary 5 months ago and we find out after paople started voting. Pathetic.
2:59 p.m.
Oct 24, '10
It seems to me, based on the positions that the grads of this program go into [sales], the telemarketing training is appropriate.
We may just have three people who didn't want to pay their dues with an organization before landing a "high-level marketing position"
10:42 p.m.
Oct 24, '10
In other words, caveat emptor. Applies to voters as well...
12:50 a.m.
Oct 25, '10
No, there's a difference between training and work.
A few days of calls, that's training. A few months? That's work.
10:27 a.m.
Oct 25, '10
Yep, you're right. I missed the 15 weeks part of the story. I could overlook a week of training and then maybe two weeks of otj experience, but not 15 weeks of unpaid time.
Rob: May your pumpkin be filled with tricks this Halloween.
4:47 p.m.
Oct 24, '10
This is totally bizarre that this wasn't in the public domain before now.
10:24 p.m.
Oct 24, '10
Everytime I've seen his bio, I've wondered what the heck Game Face was all about. But, like everyone apparently, I didn't take the time to check it out. Very interesting.
10:26 p.m.
Oct 24, '10
Welcome to my world as a frustrated blogger. I was able to find info on my own about certain candidates or their donors. I would send what I would find to various media outlets and they could care less most of the time. Thank goodness for Blue Oregon and Twitter.
9:29 a.m.
Oct 25, '10
Just out, Oregonian poll, Wu leading Cornilles in double digits: 51-38
Schrader leading Bruun: 50-38
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/10/poll_democrats_have_double-dig.html
9:48 a.m.
Oct 25, '10
It's about time someone starting looking more closely at Cornilles. In addition to what he does for a living, there is the donation issue, exactly who are his donors; where does he stands on education; women's rights; LGBT rights; and just exactly is he going to do about things when he gets to DC.
In addition to all of that, it appears he is in favor of natural gas, and by extension does that also include an LNG port on the Columbia? He is in favor of dismantling Medicare. What about Veterans' medical benefits? He is a member of the same church as Glen Beck. Does he hold the same beliefs on many issues as Beck does?
I have contacted him for a donor list, education & rights issues, and some more concrete positions about his various campaign positions. He ignored me.
In my opinion, he is a dangerous stealth candidate that the Oregonian endorsed without thoroughly investigating him.
10:44 a.m.
Oct 25, '10
Penny,
You can access his donor list here http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_ind/2009_H0OR01095. If that doesnt work just go to the FEC website and search for his campaign finance records, they are public record.
11:47 a.m.
Oct 25, '10
I asked both David Wu and Mr. Cornilles a question at the PSU "Debate", "what would you do about outsourcing to encourage US companies to create and keep jobs in the US?" Cornilles' reply went off into left field about regulation on Oregon fish hatcheries and forest products (Rep Wu correctly talked about tax incentives/penalties for creating/outsourcing respectively.) After the event I asked Cornilles directly to clarify his answer, he said call him at his office. I did, they called back and said Cornilles would call me at 10AM Wednesday. 10AM came and went. That Friday at 2:05PM he left a message saying sorry he was 5 minutes late calling, left no other clarifying message and that was it from him. I don't much care for someone who either has crap staff that can't keep him on track, or does not bother to call again after failing the first try. In the debate, he sort of reminded me of Matt Wingard, kind of smarmy and superior. Douchey is the word I'm looking for.
12:18 p.m.
Oct 26, '10
So you are suggesting that Mr. Cornilles runs a business that you don't approve of so we should vote for the guy who admitted raping his friend and has been a rubber stamp for leadership his entire term in Congress? - http://www.blueoregon.com/2004/10/allegations_aga/