Denver PD is probably panicing, trying to figure out how to walk back their comment that this thug was not in Anitfa.
In the news channel's mind, having an 'Independent Contractor' versus a directly hired 'employee', creates more than an arm's length distance in terms of liability.
Realtors are all 1099'ers. The onus is on us to defend ourselves in the even of any lawsuit culpability. They all are required to have E&O (Errors and Omissions) insurance...with monetary limits.
BTW....
I used to 'hire' flyer boys @ $10 per hour with a paid bonus of $100. for any listing procured through their successful efforts as an incentive to make sure the flyers don't end up in the trash somewhere. One day, I drove up to one of my guys as he was playing basketball with his buddies...and peeled off four $100.00 bills. He was just 12 years old.
Of course, afterward, we never suffered for volunteers and received a lot of kudos from their parents.
BTW...I never gave them a 1099 at year's end.