David Siegel Emails 7,000 Employees: "Defeat Obama or Else"
NEW YORK -- Surprise. David Siegel, the resort CEO who is building the biggest private home in the country, really, really doesn't like President Obama.
And while Siegel hasn't sent any money to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, he has gone a step farther to support him.
On Monday he sent an e-mail to all 7,000 employees of privately-held Westgate Resorts, many of them in the battleground state of Florida, warning them their jobs are at risk if the president is re-elected.
"The economy doesn't currently pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is another 4 years of the same Presidential administration," he said in the e-mail.
"If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company," he says in the nearly 1,400-word e-mail. "Rather than grow this company I will be forced to cut back. This means fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone."
Siegel doesn't mention Romney's name anywhere in the e-mail, and he writes he "certainly wouldn't interfere with your right to vote for whomever you choose." And he insisted Tuesday that he wasn't threatening to fire employees if Obama is re-elected. But he proudly stands behind the e-mail.
"I wanted the employees to know what the situation is, and not listen to campaign commercials but hear it from the horse's mouth," he told CNNMoney.
Siegel actually has been hiring in recent years.
He said Westgate had 12,000 employees and $1 billion in annual revenue four years ago, before the financial meltdown caused credit markets to freeze up. "We were fat, dumb and happy," he said.
Employment at the company dropped as low as 5,000 and revenue fell by 50% at the worst point during to the credit crunch. Jobs have bounced back by about 40% since then, but Siegel said he doesn't believe the company can continue to thrive if taxes are raised and Obamacare is put into place.
Siegel based his e-mail on an anti-Obama letter that was widely circulated before the 2008 election, but he said he made many changes, adding many of his own views and personal history. He is particularly angry by what he sees as unfair attacks on the nation's wealthiest by the Obama administration, which is seeking to raise taxes on top earners.
"What most people see is the nice house and the lavish lifestyle. What the press certainly does not want you to see, is the true story of the hard work and sacrifices I've made," he wrote. "Now, the economy is falling apart and people like me who made all the right decisions and invested in themselves are being forced to bail out all the people who didn't...We are being taxed to death and the government thinks we don't pay enough.'
He acknowledged his 90,000-square foot home now under construction in the letter. The home is the subject of a critical documentary, "The Queen of Versailles."
Siegel said he was forced to stop work on the home four years ago because he had to pour all his money back into the company during the lean years, but that he's ready to start work on the home again -- assuming Obama is defeated.
"If the wrong people stay in power, I'll have to stop it again," he told CNNMoney. "I don't see a good future."
Latest Blog

'I felt like I was flying... as if I didn't have my soul or something': Mom who chased after man who abducted her 4-year-old daughter speaks out
By Associated Press PUBLISHED: 21:14 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 22:22 EST, 17 May 2013 Person of interest: David Jesus Hernandez, 31, is wanted for questioning by police A mother who saw her five-year-old being abducted from outside their home, chased the suspect down and crashed her vehicle into his car, triggering a manhunt in Albuquerque, New Mexico is finally speaking out after that...0 comments

Connecticut trains collide during rush hour injuring at least 60 people
By Associated Press Reporter PUBLISHED: 20:49 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 21:43 EST, 17 May 2013 Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during Friday's evening rush hour, injuring at least 60 people, authorities said.'It appears that one of the trains began derailing as they were approaching one another,' Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a news conference Friday evening. He...0 comments

Jaime Clutter: Psychotic woman 'drowned her two children and herself in icy creek because she believed family was being haunted by demons' - but her husband insists she didn't do it
By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 17:07 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:59 EST, 17 May 2013 Police say a woman found drowned in a southern Indiana creek with her son and daughter had killed the children and believed her family was being stalked by 'demonic presences.'The body of 35-year-old Jaime Clutter was found in March, along with the bodies of her 10-year-old son, Brandon,...0 comments

The kiss that caused 'bad vibes': Amanda Knox reveals kiss outside Kercher murder scene with former boyfriend led to perception of her as sinister seductress
Amanda Knox slams portrayal of her and boyfriend from photo of them kissing at murder sceneSaid they were consoling each other physically because didn't speak the same languageTold the Times the picture created 'bad vibes' for them both By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 20:01 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:57 EST, 17 May 2013 Amanda Knox has spoken out against the 'bad vibes' the...0 comments

California mayor dons medieval armor in dramatic pitch to reduce city's soaring crime rate
By Hayley Peterson PUBLISHED: 18:29 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:56 EST, 17 May 2013 The mayor of Stockton, California is hoping to turn around one of the most crime-ridden, bankrupt cities in the nation with a bit of medieval flare. In his first 'State of the City' address on Thursday, Mayor Anthony Silva, a Republican, spoke to a crowd of hundreds about his controversial...0 comments

Jonathan Kaloust: Navy SEAL killed in training accident at Fort Knox after Humvee overturned injuring seven others
By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 20:43 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:54 EST, 17 May 2013 A Navy SEAL was killed during a training exercise at Fort Knox, Kentucky on Wednesday when a Humvee overturned also injuring seven other sailors, military officials have said.The Humvee was carrying six Navy SEALs and two other sailors when it overturned killing 23-year-old Petty Officer 3rd Class Jonathan...0 comments

Andrea Rebello: 'The screaming just got worse and worse ... And then we heard five bangs:' Harrowing account of neighbors who heard as sorority girl, 21, pleaded for her life before she was brutally murdered
Andrea Rebello, a junior at Hofstra, was shot dead at 2.30am on FridayMasked male intruder, who has not been identified, was also shot deadThe victim's twin sister was in the home at the time of the shootingPolice were alerted when another woman in the home was allowed out to get cash from an ATM and immediately called authorities By Lydia...0 comments

Mother chases down abductor after watching her daughter, five, being kidnapped and smashes her car into his
By Associated Press PUBLISHED: 10:35 EST, 16 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:45 EST, 17 May 2013 Person of interest: David Jesus Hernandez, 31, is wanted for questioning by police A mother who saw her five-year-old being abducted from outside their home, chased the suspect down and crashed her vehicle into his car, triggering a manhunt in Albuquerque, New Mexico.Police say the incident unfolded Wednesday evening...0 comments

Six-year-old British girl 'drowns in hotel swimming pool' at popular Egyptian holiday resort
Chloe Johnson died in the pool at the Coral Sea Waterworld hotelYoungster from south London was on holiday with family in Sharm el-Sheikh By Anthony Bond PUBLISHED: 18:53 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:23 EST, 17 May 2013 A six-year-old British girl has died after apparently drowning in a hotel swimming pool in a popular Egyptian holiday resort.Chloe Johnson died yesterday in the...0 comments

¿I¿m 40 going on 65¿: Less than half of retired NFL players would recommend kids take up football but 90 percent do NOT regret their time playing
By Jessica Montoya Coggins PUBLISHED: 20:23 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:23 EST, 17 May 2013 It's America's pasttime -- but for how long? The debate about the safety of former NFL players has been a constant source of discussion in the United States where regularly stories emerge about the ill effects suffered from some of the league's greats. The Washington Post interviewed a...0 comments

Queen's Master of the House, Lord Vestey in hospital after being badly injured in a riding accident
Buckingham Palace yesterday said the Queen was being ‘kept informed’ of the situationMulti-millionaire Lord Vestey, 71, attends ceremonial occasions as the man responsible for the Royal Mews and the Queen’s carriages and horses By Michael Seamark PUBLISHED: 20:17 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:17 EST, 17 May 2013 Accident: Lord Vestey, one of Britain’s richest men and a close friend of the Royal...0 comments

Susan Powell: Did Josh Powell's brother kill himself over guilt of helping bury Susan's body? Police investigating
Father of Susan Cox Powell claims police now suspect her brother-in-law, Michael Powell, buried her body after driven across countrySearch of 180-acre Oregon property this week found no human remainsMichael Powell, 30, leapt to his death in Minneapolis, Minnesota in FebruaryWas known as a strong supporter of his brother Josh - who killed his two sons Charlie, 7, and Braden,...0 comments

EXCLUSIVE: 'I feared for my life': Christoph Waltz left shaken after man points hand-gun at him and threatens to blow up studio with hand grenade during Cannes TV interview
Waltz was being interviewed with fellow actor Daniel Auteuil on live TV showMan stormed set and fired two shots as audience run away in panicBodyguards rush Waltz and Auteuil off stagePolice say man was also carrying dummy grenade and a knife By Baz Bamigboye and Anthony Bond PUBLISHED: 16:37 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:06 EST, 17 May 2013 Oscar winning actor...0 comments

Tory activists are swivel-eyed loons: Cameron ally hits back after Philip Hammond says gay marriage plans have caused 'a real sense of anger'
Comment made after Hammond criticised Cameron’s gay marriage plansHammond claims 'vast numbers of people' have been upset by the policyDowning Street played down the party rift insisting it will be a free vote By Jason Groves and Tim Shipman PUBLISHED: 06:11 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 19:57 EST, 17 May 2013 Tory activists are all swivel-eyed loons, according to a member of David Cameron’s...0 comments

The dentist's chair for 71-stone patients: £25,000 supersized recliners installed as obesity toll rises
Designed for overweight and clinically obese patientsLikely to become standard issue as more people fall into that categoryStudy warns accommodating overweight patients will have a 'very serious' impact on NHS resources By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 19:53 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 19:54 EST, 17 May 2013 Under strain: Britain's obesity epidemic is forcing dentist's to buy new chairs capable of supporting to...0 comments

Abortion, affairs and how tennis great Chris Evert the man eater and Jimmy Connors the cad deserved each other!
By Tom Leonard PUBLISHED: 19:09 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 19:52 EST, 17 May 2013 Legions of Wimbledon fans may find it hard to credit in the man who once defined bad behaviour on the tennis court, but Jimmy Connors says he ‘turned on the charm’ the first time he chatted up Chris Evert.It was June 1972 and they were having lunch in the...0 comments
Comment on: David Siegel Emails 7,000 Employees: "Defeat Obama or Else"
Rate this article
Pictures & Photos Blog
Breaking News
Anticipation rises across the country as record-setting Powerball jackpot is now over $600 MILLION
By Associated Press PUBLISHED: 15:36 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 22:10 EST, 17 May 2013 It’s a historic day for Powerball players.Lottery officials have announced that the total Powerball ...
New breed of ¿Crazy Ants¿ which nest everywhere and damage electrical systems are taking over southeastern United States
By Jessica Montoya Coggins PUBLISHED: 22:01 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 22:01 EST, 17 May 2013 You certainly wouldn't want these ants in your pants. A species of ants, ...
Connecticut trains collide during rush hour injuring at least 60 people
By Associated Press Reporter PUBLISHED: 20:49 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:59 EST, 17 May 2013 Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during Friday's evening ...
World Digest: May 17, 2013
AFGHANISTAN Bombs kill 9 in elite area near Kandahar Two bombs hidden in a motorcycle and a car exploded Friday evening inside an elite gated community linked ...
'I felt like I was flying... as if I didn't have my soul or something': Mom who chased after man who abducted her 4-year-old daughter speaks out
By Associated Press PUBLISHED: 21:14 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 22:22 EST, 17 May 2013 Person of interest: David Jesus Hernandez, 31, is wanted for questioning by police A ...
Jaime Clutter: Psychotic woman 'drowned her two children and herself in icy creek because she believed family was being haunted by demons' - but her husband insists she didn't do it
By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 17:07 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:59 EST, 17 May 2013 Police say a woman found drowned in a southern Indiana creek with her ...
Connecticut trains collide during rush hour injuring at least 60 people
By Associated Press Reporter PUBLISHED: 20:49 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 21:43 EST, 17 May 2013 Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during Friday's evening ...
Jaime Clutter: Psychotic woman 'drowned her two children and herself in icy creek because she believed family was being haunted by demons' - but her husband insists she didn't do it
By Daily Mail Reporter PUBLISHED: 17:07 EST, 17 May 2013 | UPDATED: 20:59 EST, 17 May 2013 Police say a woman found drowned in a southern Indiana creek with her ...
The kiss that caused 'bad vibes': Amanda Knox reveals kiss outside Kercher murder scene with former boyfriend led to perception of her as sinister seductress
Amanda Knox slams portrayal of her and boyfriend from photo of them kissing at murder sceneSaid they were consoling each other physically because didn't speak ...
The kiss that caused 'bad vibes': Amanda Knox reveals kiss outside Kercher murder scene with former boyfriend led to perception of her as sinister seductress
Amanda Knox slams portrayal of her and boyfriend from photo of them kissing at murder sceneSaid they were consoling each other physically because didn't speak ...
MOST POPULAR ON CAPITALBAY
Displaying
1 - 5
Displaying
1 - 5
Featured Articles
USA States
This is a list of the United States and its Territories in alphabetical order:United States Links
View Many useful US Links:





