Napa Valley winery host remembers Fani Willis paying in paper bills

[struggle4progress]

By Zachary Cohen, CNN
Updated 9:30 AM EST, Tue February 20, 2024

After spending more than two hours tasting wine at a Napa Valley estate with her top prosecutor on the Georgia election subversion case, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis reached into her purse and pulled out about $400 in cash.

Willis used the money to pay for two bottles of wine – each valued at roughly $150 – and the $50 tasting, according to Stan Brody, who said he hosted Willis and a guest he later learned was Nathan Wade, at Acumen Wines in early 2023.

Brody, who was the estate ambassador for Acumen Wines that day, told CNN he was surprised when Willis paid using hundreds of dollars in cash – a memorable transaction, he said, as such cash sales are rare in Napa Valley. The self-described “news junkie” said his memory was jogged as he watched Willis and Wade testify last week about their romantic relationship and bat down allegations of self-dealing while under oath ...

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/20/politics/willis-wade-cash-payment-napa-valley-winery/index.html#:~:text=Mayorkas%20speaks%20out,while%20under%20oath.

[NoRethugFriends]

9. Alerted

[EYESORE 9001]

11. This will act as a bookmark

To see whether it’s here for good. Or for evil.

[EYESORE 9001]

83. Evil it is, I see

I should have said was here for evil. Now it’s gotta create a new account, which provides some degree of satisfaction.

[William769]

23. MIRTED.

[GP6971]

31. Hello. Back again I see.

[William769]

35. Silly rabbit.

[SunSeeker]

67. Right wingers sure get triggered when facts don't comport with their narrative!

I love it when trolls get zapped.

[William769]

70. Join the club.

[Biophilic]

32. Alerted

[Cha]

40. TY!

[William769]

42. Anytime.

[yardwork]

26. Thank you for alerting.

[NoRethugFriends]

30. And another (or the same) takes their place. Alerting again.

[Hugin]

2. So, Willis travels with cash.

I know many people who do.

[PatSeg]

4. And she already explained

why she and a lot of black people tend to use cash. Something most white people would not understand.

[Hugin]

7. Good point.

My Mom’s choice was traveler’s checks for many of the same reasons.

[PatSeg]

15. And apparently

a lot of black people have had problems even using travelers checks. Fani Willis's father told her to always have plenty of cash for a reason. He knew what it was like to have payment refused because of his race. Such traditions tend to be passed on to the next generation. One doesn't easily forget such discrimination.

[Hugin]

19. Exactly!

Even bringing this up is an extension of the blatant racism and sexism that are at the core of this ugliness.

[PatSeg]

22. I'm glad it was brought up

as I think most people aren't aware of it. I admit that I was a bit surprised at first, but then it did make perfect sense to me. Racism has taken so many forms over the years, often small and subtle. If you aren't on the receiving end, you might not notice.

[Hugin]

24. I meant the issue of...

Willis having a relationship at all.

But, I guess the Trumpinistas are going to shake every branch on the way down.

I myself have said they won’t go down quickly or quietly.

[PatSeg]

25. Oh yes, I agree

I am quite sure the relationship would not have been a huge deal if they had been white. It happens all the time when people are working closely together. The stereotype they were trying to create was highly offensive and I understand why Willis was so angry and defensive.

[Hugin]

34. I suppose if the process leads to a little more...

woke out there, it's a win.

[FHRRK]

33. Sixty year old white guy

Always have about $300 in my wallet.

Typically will use card for over $100 but not always.

If I have the correct denominations for a cash tip, credit card, if not cash, so I can leave cash tip.

[PatSeg]

44. Yes, I always have cash on me as well

And I definitely prefer to leave a cash tip whenever possible. I've worked for tips and know that a cash tip is appreciated. Plus, you're not always sure if you get the full tip that was left if it is put on a credit card.

What I didn't fully realize was that historically black people often could not use credit cards or checks without a huge hassle, so they got in the habit of always carrying cash.

[erronis]

52. Cash is king for me also. I see no reason to pay the banks that 3% fee

And I'd rather the merchants get their full value.

Back in my dining-out days, I'd leave a tip on the bill if paying by CC and another cash tip.

[PatSeg]

58. Servers love customers like you

I don't eat out anymore, but if I did, I would definitely leave a cash tip even if I added a credit card tip. I still like dealing in cash whenever possible, except for very large purchases where a warranty is involved.

[MichMan]

60. Cash tips are also tax free to the recipient if not declared to the IRS

[PatSeg]

62. Not necessarily

That once was the case many years ago, but now one's employer has to declare a certain percentage of a server's sales as a tip even if there is a possibility that the server did not receive such a tip.

[Ms. Toad]

68. Anyone who doesn't declare them is (1) violating the law and

(2) decreasing their social security income once they retire (since it is based on reported income) and (3) potentially cheating themselves out of current income.

Tipped employees aren't exempt from minimum wage requirements. Their employer is required to ensure they earn full standard minimum wage. If they happen to be on the breakfast shift - for example - and have low enough tips that the combined total of tips and employer paycheck are below standard minimum wage the employer is required to top off their check with the difference. But the employer is permitted to assume a certain amount of tips and pay based on that unless the employee reports otherwise.

[MichMan]

73. What percentage of people getting paid in cash do you believe honestly report every dollar to the IRS?

90%, 50%, 25% ?? I bet it's less than that.

Pizza Delivery, Uber drivers, restaurant servers, strippers, bartenders, etc. all get cash tips. Not to mention all the people working under the table for cash. The fact that it hurts their SS income decades later doesn't mean squat to them now.

The restaurant I worked at in the late 70's was a mid priced Red Lobster clone. At the time servers there made at least 5X my busboy minimum wage in tips alone.

Estimates vary widely, but some put the underground economy between 6.4% and 12% of U.S. gross domestic product (GDP). In the second quarter of 2023, U.S. GDP was estimated at $27.06 trillion, which puts the underground economy somewhere between $1.7 trillion and $3.2 trillion.

[link:https://www.investopedia.com/articles/markets/032916/how-big-underground-economy-america.asp#How%20Big%20Is%20The%20Underground%20Economy?|

[Ms. Toad]

74. I wasn't commenting on whether tipped employees are complying with the law.

Just commenting in response to the assertion that the money is income tax free.

And - pointing out serious long-term consequences that most of those not reporting their income are unaware of. My sister is currently (at age 64) living paycheck to paycheck, and her social security will never be sufficient to allow her to stop working in part because she has never reported her tips. (And she has less than $10,000 saved.) So, but for her very recent marriage to someone with significant savings, and inheritance from my parents that she will likely receive within the decade, she would be cleaning houses and other labor best suited to those much younger than she is for the rest of her life. Most folks in her situation have access to neither.

[DBoon]

81. My credit card was replaced twice in 6 months for fraud

Now I pay for lots of things with cash

[et tu]

36. i always have some

cash on hand and in my car. lots of
businesses in rural areas prefer it~

[PatSeg]

46. I think it is generational now

My son's generation rarely uses cash for anything these days. I still find it weird to use a card for small purchases. Also, I like the security of having some cash on me. Not to mention, not every single transaction in my life needs to be documented. It isn't like I'm doing anything illegal, but it is rather creepy for one's life to be so thoroughly documented.

[SunSeeker]

51. Her dad did a great job of explaining it on the witness stand.

Last edited Tue Feb 20, 2024, 05:58 PM - Edit history (1)

He talked about the time he and his daughter stopped at a cafe on a road trip when she was a little girl. Even though the cafe's window said they took credit cards, when the bill came, they wouldn't take his credit cards, they wouldn't even take his traveler's checks. The bill was only $9. Fortunately, he had a $10 bill. They took that.

[PatSeg]

59. Yes, he did

And I'm sure a lot of white people learned a lot from his testimony. I know that I did.

[LiberalFighter]

8. I now usually use a credit card for groceries and other transactions.

But I always have cash for various purposes. And I'm white. I don't have that much cash on me but enough to handle most situations.

[PatSeg]

17. Yes, I can't imagine

not always having some form of cash on me, even though I understand we are moving into a cashless society.

[bdamomma]

82. I'd rather use

cash rather than credit, if you have the cash spend it!!!! What's the big deal. I bet there's congress people who pull out big bucks too.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Anecdotal corroboration

Mr. Brody, of course, is a hater of the GOP, The Defendant, and is obviously a loopy CaliPornia leftist.

Or something something






Is this necessary?

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Cash is King, electronic credit can have glitches, hacks, outages, cyber attacks

I don't know why this is a surprise to anyone that someone should carry some cash or have a bit here or there.

And I don't see it as having a racial bias. White people carry cash too, especially those who remember or were told of grandma's plight in the Great Depression when banks closed and they needed to buy some food or pay the rent. We've had bank closures that temporarily locked people out of their accounts during the Financial Crisis 2009, the Great Recession, as well as bank failures.

[CrispyQ]

6. I always have cash.

Lots of women my age made it a habit back when we were young & single & there were no cell phones & taxis only took cash.

[RobinA]

14. Me Too

I'm 66. I got a car when I was in college and drove it back and forth, about 7 hours one way. If you needed anything done with the car, you weren't going to find a mobile car guy with a credit card machine. Same when my sister and I were returning from Florida in my father's Volvo and the alternator went in backwoods South Carolina. Thankfully, I had left enough cash to get home with.

I still think whether or not I have cash before I set out. You never know what is going to happen. I don't even use cash a lot, but I always have it.

[LiberalFighter]

43. That is another point to consider. Mobile pay apps are really new.

So how many were really using them in 2019?

By 2022 more younger ones were using them. Older ones probably not as much.
I'm 69 and don't use phone pay apps to pay for anything.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Oh Oh! This is bad for DA Willis. Who am I kidding? It is bad for Trump and his cohorts.

[LiberalFighter]

12. She even left a generous tip.

[Hugin]

16. I'm guessing that she had the receipt too?

The only way this saga would be shocking is if it were TSF we were talking about.

[LiberalFighter]

38. I usually trash or lose my receipts.

[hadEnuf]

13. So having $400.00 in cash while on holiday is suspicious?

[jcgoldie]

20. no you guys are missing the point

This is not supposed to be suspicious it is confirmation of Fani Willis' contention that she paid for travel related expenses in cash. Trump lawyers are trying to argue that she did not report substantial gifts from Nathan Wade. She claims they were not gifts because she repaid him in cash.

[NYC Liberal]

18. When I used to work in sales in a high-end electronics store in NY

I would regularly have people pay thousands of dollars in cash. I wouldn't have blinked at someone buying a multi-thousand dollar item in $20s and $100s. The only "memorable" ones were people paying over $10K in cash, since that requires filling out an IRS form. Even then, I don't think I'd remember the person by the next day, let alone a year later.

$400 in cash is nothing.

[LexVegas]

21. My mother, an Asian woman, only pays in cash. For everything.

I went with her to buy a new car after her 20 year old car gave out. Stacks of $100 bills, paid to the dealership. They were flabbergasted.

She drilled it into me from a young age. Always keep cash at home.

[tulipsandroses]

27. Only thing this shows is that she is an alcoholic

I mean who spends $400 on alcohol???
Do I need the sarcasm thingy?

This headline on RW sites will read Fani Willis spends $400 a day on alcohol.

[Biophilic]

39. Unfortunately, these days we always need the sarcasm note.

Reality has become unreal. People do and say the damnedest things. I will be so glad once we’ve won the election and this year is over. Yeah, I know I’m dreaming. At least about the weirdness we’re living in.

[TomSlick]

41. Yes. The sarcasm smilie is helpful. Especially in a string that as already drawn alerts.

[tulipsandroses]

28. I've been guilty of not taking my dad's advice

Like DA Willis’ dad, he always told me to keep cash. He even gave me a safe like her dad. Once, someone got into my accounts and I had to turn off my cards. Well, that left me no access to cash. This happened on a holiday weekend, I had to wait till the bank opened to get cash. Luckily, I could turn to my dad for cash.

[dameatball]

37. I always carry cash. Wish my kids would. Ya never know when you might need it.

[twodogsbarking]

45. They didn't kneel on her neck for nine minutes did they?

[Midnight Writer]

47. I've read about Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, and other black performers who only accepted payment in cash.

That is because they traveled the country, with their bands, and in many places were not allowed to bank, had no recourse if a white venue manager ripped them off, knew that police would side with the white people who screwed them over.

Sam Cooke carried a satchel with him when he was on tour, with all the proceeds of the entire tour in cash. He paid his band cash, and he always insisted in being paid in full, in cash, before he went on stage. (This led to his horrendous death at a young age, but that is another story)

The same was true of black contractors, plumbers, roofers, carpenters and others who were vulnerable to being stiffed by white clients.

Black folk insisting on cash for transactions is part of the racist legacy of our country. Though things have improved since then, many black people have been taught from an early stage to not trust banks, checks, and credit cards and to rely on cash.

[Marthe48]

48. Be cautious about sharing your money habits

As soon as I heard Ms. Willis mention the amount of money she keeps on hand and how much her Dad keeps on hand, I started worrying about break ins. I don't tell anyone if I have cash in my house or my purse. It is bad enough that someone walked off with my shovel when I left it in the yard.
Right after we moved to this house, our 96 year old neighbor was murdered in a burglary. It took years to catch the perps, one of which was a distant relative, and during trial, the one said he'd heard his great-great uncle kept money in the house. They went to rob him, he was very feisty. They hit him, and he died. For some loose change.

[MichMan]

61. Not only that, she also stated she takes it all with her when she travels anywhere

[LiberalFighter]

64. I was concerned about that.

[SunSeeker]

75. Sadly, Willis and her dad had no choice, they were forced to state this info to clear Willis' name.

They had to discredit the defendants' assertions that Willis was profiting from the relationship with Wade.

Now MAGAts and everyone else knows Willia and her dad keep large amounts of cash. They were already getting daily death threats, so I don't know if the risk could get any worse, but I guess it can.

[Silent Type]

77. I was worried too. However after seeing her testify, bet a robber would get shamed, ass kicked or shot.

[Roc2020]

49. Good for Fani

Backs up her testimony. However she sure needs to be extra careful wherever and whenever she goes shopping

[NNadir]

50. And.....?....

I sometimes pay for stuff cash. Am I in legal trouble, or does this kind of "trouble" only apply to highly educated black women trying to hold an obvious felon to a universal standard of justice?

Why is this news?

[pfitz59]

53. What a load of crap

"Oh Mein Gott, she used CASH to pay her bill! What is the world coming to!" This sideshow has got to end.

[DENVERPOPS]

54. Leave it to the Republicans

to take something beautiful and make it ugly........

they also are great at taking something Trump Butt F*** ugly and going all out to try to make it beautiful........

Totally disgusting, but all the assholes like Trump eat it up.........

[Old Okie]

55. Cash

Back when I traveled. I always carried cash even if I used card normally. In Europe or Germany to be specific lot of fine restaurants would only take cash. As a wine guy who loves Napa; am also glad that she likes fine wines.

[MichMan]

66. She said she didn't really care for wine, but preferred vodka

[AllyCat]

56. So what? Cash is legal tender.

Not everyone is comfortable with a stranger walking away with their card.

Maybe, she didn’t want people knowing where she was. I’ve done that too.

There is no issue here.

[FSogol]

57. Has Brody been fired yet? As long as bills are paid, whose

Business is it?

[Beaverhausen]

63. She spent $300 on two bottles - I can't believe they didn't comp her tasting fee

I usually get mine comped if I get 3 bottles- and we are talking $30-40 bottles.

[Blue Owl]

65. See Fani. See Donny. See Fani and Donny.

Fani pays her bill with cold, hard, legitimate cash and leaves a generous gratuity to her servers. Donny refuses to pay the bill and leaves no gratuity for the servers.

Be like Fani. Don’t be like Donny.

[GenThePerservering]

69. No questions about Moses Mike's

lack of bank account?

At least Fani pays her bills.

[Hekate]

71. "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private" -- When did that end?

[MichMan]

76. Try buying a ticket or paying for concessions at a major sporting event with cash

Or for that matter renting a car or a hotel room. Lots of places don't accept cash.

[Hekate]

79. Understood -- and I find that fairly offensive. I have credit cards, and use them. But still.

[MichMan]

84. During Covid, those who accept money were rightly concerned about the exposure to pathogens present on cash

Don't blame them one bit.

[ZonkerHarris]

72. Cash is spent in Napa every fucking day. Lots of it.

[Midwestern Democrat]

78. I used to pay for all routine daily transactions exclusively in cash, but inflation and the end of post-pay gas pumping

has caused me to abandon that practice.

[jalan48]

80. Weird. I've been to Acumen Wines and paid in cash also. Nice place.