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It's handy that Flint has been so "tough talking" on benefits in her deputy leadership campaign. She told the Sun that Labour should give people "choosing" to "live off benefits" a "kick up the backside."In a Deputy Leadership Hustings Flint said "I want a Britain where hard work pays, responsibility is rewarded, everyone plays by the same rules, and shares in the rewards." In fact, Maximus itself hasn't always played by the rules. Soon after its appointment to the disability benefits tests, campaigners highlighted concerning aspects of the company's history. For example, in 2007 Maximus had to pay a $30.5 million fine in the US to settle charges that it cheated a contract to run America's "Medicaid" program for sick children.When they won their Work Capability Assessment contract, campaigners led by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) organized a rebranding of Maximus as "Maximarse." DPAC activists were surprised to see Maximus executives had themselves bought the domain name www.maximarse.com in an apparent bid to prevent campaigners setting up a piss-taking website.Campaigners for Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC)—a genuine grassroots movement that relies on donations—that have led fierce battles against benefit cuts and bullying were unimpressed. A spokesperson for DPAC told me, "The fact that Flint is working with the same lobby group as Maximus is an insult to disabled people. It speaks volumes on any supposed distinctions between left and right when it comes to disability issues."A spokesman for the Caroline4Deputy campaign said, "We are proud to have received donations from many Labour party members and business people supporting Caroline Flint's campaign to be Labour's Deputy Leader. All donations are fully and openly declared and are permissible under the Electoral Commission's rules. Sovereign Strategy has provided one in-kind donation of a member of staff to the campaign on secondment. This member of staff is an active Labour Party member and there is no conflict of interest of any kind."No other candidates for Leader or Deputy Leader have declared their funding yet, apart from Tom Watson, who got £4,000 [$6,250] from JK Rowling. But if Flint's support from corporate lobbyists is anything to go by, rich companies, including ones that work for people who help carry out austerity measures, will have their say in who runs the "People's Party."Follow Solomon Hughes on Twitter.