North Carolina – Democrats
Black’s Legal Defense Fund
No one outside of House Speaker Jim Black’s inner circle knows how much money corporations have given to the Speaker’s Legal Defense Fund. But the Charlotte Observer (10-16-06) has reported the name of one donor: The Teamster’s Union. According to the Federal Elections Commission, the Teamster’s PAC gave $5,000 to Black. The union didn’t offer…
Read MoreScandals and Gay Marriages
Last session, State House and Senate Democrats passed legislation to prohibit lobbyists giving money to candidates; then, in a political flim-flam, they proclaimed they’d cleaned up the ‘pay to play’ scandal. The Democrats eliminated the, say, 5% of the money lobbyists, personally, give them. But left in place the 95% lobbyists raise for them (mostly…
Read MoreUn-Audited Billions
The Department of Transportation spends billions, but, in the last three years, its team of nine internal auditors has only produced “one complete report and eight memo’s or letters.” (Charlotte Observer; 10-13-06). The DOT’s chief auditor told investigators that “his staff spent most of 2003 on training and did not produce any new reports after…
Read MoreDouble Amnesia
House Speaker Jim Black was pretty vague at Kevin Geddings’ trial about his meeting with lobbyists for lottery giant Scientific Games the night before he appointed Geddings to the Lottery Commission. But Black wasn’t vague at all about another meeting. He testified lobbyists for G-TECH (another lottery company) “brought an important visitor to his office…
Read MoreBrad and Vernon Debate
Vernon Robinson’s been know to stretch a fact when it comes to heated political rhetoric. But the other night at their debate Congressman Brad Miller beat him hands down. Miller said, “Mr. Robinson, most people think I’m most offended by your insinuations about my sexual orientation or your saying my wife and I can’t have…
Read MoreBehind the Curtain
One way to think of the world of politics is as a small, unique universe with rules of its own. One of the rules – in this strange world – is it is legal to say almost anything in a political debate. Under the rules, politicians may paint their virtues a little bigger than they…
Read MoreThe Lottery Trial and the Elections
How will the ‘pay to play’ scandals impact Democratic candidates this election? In most years, the answer would be a lot. But this year, there are several trends that may change that. First, we Republicans have our own foibles to explain. Second, if the polls are correct, nationally, the war in Iraq is the dominant…
Read MorePrice Blasts Bush
Last week Congressman David Price told us the Bush administration’s anti-terrorism strategy has “made matters worse” and “has simply failed to meet the standard of an intelligent anti-terrorism strategy” (News and Observer; 9-29-06). Now, will Congressman Price also tell us his strategy to win the war on terrorism? If he – and his fellow Democrats…
Read MoreA Good Year to be a Democrat
A Republican pollster told me last week that this year’s elections are looking extremely bad for his side and good for mine. Four weeks from today, the world will look very different: Democrats will control both the House and Senate in Washington; They will keep their majorities in both houses of the North Carolina legislature,…
Read MoreA Missed Nugget
Here’s a nugget about the lottery trial from the Raleigh Chronicle (9/28/06) and NBC-17. So far, Kevin Geddings’ trial has focused on his failing to disclose his ties to lottery venders. Now NBC-17 reports a member of Governor Easley’s staff was paid cash to set up a meeting with the Governor and representatives of a…
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