Geddings’ Political Sin

A jury will decide whether former Lottery Commissioner Kevin Geddings violated a criminal law. But he clearly broke the first law of politics: Don’t surprise me.


Geddings argues that he did not deceive anyone about his ties for Scientific Games. At the time he was appointed to the Lottery Commission, he argues, he was not working for the company. So, he says, he was not required to report a financial relationship on his ethics disclosure. So, he says, he never told anybody, including the man who appointed him, Speaker Jim Black.


But Geddings had done work for the company previously – for at least five years, receiving over $250,000. And he received payments even after he joined the commission.


Why did Geddings hide that? Why didn’t he tell Speaker Black, or somebody on Black’s staff: “Oh, by the way, you should know I’ve worked for five years with one of the lottery companies – just in case that affects your decision to appoint me.”


That is the most basic principle in politics. Don’t hide something that will hurt your friends.


If Geddings had been forthcoming, he would have saved a lot of people a lot of trouble, embarrassment and legal fees: Governor Easley, Speaker Black, Mac MacCorkle, Dan Gerlach, Charlie Sanders, on and on and on.


Most of all, he would have saved himself from facing a criminal trial. And maybe saved his reputation.


Maybe Geddings thought he could get away with it. Maybe he thought it would be good for his client – and good for him down the road. Maybe he thought he was smarter than everybody else.


Whatever – regardless of whether he’s found guilty by a jury – he’s guilty of the worst case of political judgment I’ve seen in a long time.


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Gary Pearce

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Geddings’ Political Sin

A jury will decide whether former Lottery Commissioner Kevin Geddings violated a criminal law. But he clearly broke the first law of politics: Don’t surprise me.


Geddings argues that he did not deceive anyone about his ties for Scientific Games. At the time he was appointed to the Lottery Commission, he argues, he was not working for the company. So, he says, he was not required to report a financial relationship on his ethics disclosure. So, he says, he never told anybody, including the man who appointed him, Speaker Jim Black.


But Geddings had done work for the company previously – for at least five years, receiving over $250,000. And he received payments even after he joined the commission.


Why did Geddings hide that? Why didn’t he tell Speaker Black, or somebody on Black’s staff: “Oh, by the way, you should know I’ve worked for five years with one of the lottery companies – just in case that affects your decision to appoint me.”


That is the most basic principle in politics. Don’t hide something that will hurt your friends.


If Geddings had been forthcoming, he would have saved a lot of people a lot of trouble, embarrassment and legal fees: Governor Easley, Speaker Black, Mac MacCorkle, Dan Gerlach, Charlie Sanders, on and on and on.


Most of all, he would have saved himself from facing a criminal trial. And maybe saved his reputation.


Maybe Geddings thought he could get away with it. Maybe he thought it would be good for his client – and good for him down the road. Maybe he thought he was smarter than everybody else.


Whatever – regardless of whether he’s found guilty by a jury – he’s guilty of the worst case of political judgment I’ve seen in a long time.


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Gary Pearce

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