Powell disputes operative's claim that he offered $5-an-hour campaign work

Adam Clayton Powell IV found himself the target of Facebook users’ fury after a Bronx political operative posted that the congressional candidate’s campaign had canvassing openings that pay $5 an hour, which Powell vehemently denied his campaign would ever offer.

On Sunday night, Anthony Rivieccio posted in the Northwest Bronx Democrats’ Facebook group that he was aware of “2 offerings we want to share with you.” “Anyone looking to work on the Cogressional Campaigns of Adam Powell and Yohanny Caceres, they are paying $5 an hour for canvassing,” he noted. “If interested please inbox me which opportunity and I will send the perspective manager your informaion.”

The pushback was swift. One user wrote, “I thought slavery was abolished? LOL.” Another wrote, “ARE THEY JOKING??WHO KNOWS HOW MANY VOTES THEY JUST LOST??”

Powell said he was unsure where Rivieccio got the impression his campaign was paying canvassers, let alone paying below minimum wage. He said Rivieccio had pitched his consulting services to Powell’s campaign, but that the two never came to an agreement. Powell added that his campaign is relying strictly on volunteers, except for his campaign manager, who is paid.

“This is absolutely false,” said Powell, who is running in a crowded race for the congressional seat that will be vacated by Rep. Charles Rangel. “I never discussed any per-hour rate – $5, $10, $2 or $25, none, never discussed it. … My campaign is volunteer-only because I’m not part of the political machine. I don’t get the huge contributions that others do. All of my people are just helping out because they want me to get elected, and they believe I’m the best candidate for the neighborhood.”

However, Rivieccio claimed he spoke to Powell and that his campaign was offering $500 for the collection of 500 signatures. Rivieccio said he told Powell he believed this amounted to $5 an hour, and more compensation would be appropriate. Still, Rivieccio said he routinely posted job opportunities on the Facebook group, so he publicized this one. He also suggested that being paid below minimum wage could be viewed as preferable to not paying anything and using all volunteers.

“Five dollars an hour for canvassing work, which you know is not really difficult work, may not be too bad for some people who are struggling,” Rivieccio said, noting some people emailed him expressing interest in the work. “A lot of Bronx residents are upset that that other candidates are offering nothing. …  Nobody else wants to offer anything, and they’re getting union checks left and right.”

Federal Election Commission regulations stipulate that if an individual is compensated for his or her services, it is no longer considered volunteer activity, and the payments, if made by someone other than the campaign, result in an in-kind contribution. An FEC spokesperson said it could not comment on the application of labor and minimum wage laws for those not deemed volunteers.

Asked about Rivieccio’s remarks, Powell’s campaign manager Michael Oliva said Powell’s team did not have a conversation about paying $500 for any work or agree to collaborate with Rivieccio. Oliva said he has never been involved with a campaign that paid less than $11 an hour, and the notion of paying $5 an hour was “absurd.”

Rivieccio indicated before the Facebook post that his club would back Powell , according to Oliva. Oliva said after the campaign asked him to take down the inaccurate post, they have not discussed the matter further.

“At first we were taken aback,” Oliva said, noting they were unsure if he was trying to make Powell look bad. “He said, ‘Oh, it’s a reasonable rate.’ … “If we were paying him, we could be like, ‘Stop, go away,’ but he was a volunteer.”