Sitting Pretty
August 31, 2013 - by
An Old Wise Lobbyist (OWL) gives me a Labor Day break by sharing this:
“Contributors to Rep Edgar Starnes’ campaign should be disgusted and dismayed that he used their contributions to beautify his Raleigh legislative office.
“The Republican House leader used $7,000 of campaign money for furniture and other niceties at the legislative building. He defended his expensive upgrade by saying his constituents deserve to find him in comfortable surroundings when they visit.
“He forgot that his contributors supported him financially to help him and his colleagues win elections, not lounge in luxury. It’s tantamount to misappropriation of funds when he uses dollars entrusted to his campaign to do a Martha Stewart on his office so he has a comfy place to park his rump.
“He’s not the first arrogant legislator to suffer this financial brain spasm. Plenty of others used campaign funds to buy cars, clothes and other fun stuff for themselves with the best kind of money – other people’s money. They forget that their contributors are largely working stiffs who have to pay for things with their own money.
“During the many, many years he was in the minority party, Starnes had a crap office in a dark hallway. No one visited nor cared what he thought.
“But he’s a leader now, and his poor judgment further erodes what’s left of public trust in
legislators. If Starnes is such a poor steward of his campaign funds, can he be trusted with the people’s money? Or the future of the state?”
legislators. If Starnes is such a poor steward of his campaign funds, can he be trusted with the people’s money? Or the future of the state?”
Sitting Pretty
August 31, 2013/
An Old Wise Lobbyist (OWL) gives me a Labor Day break by sharing this:
“Contributors to Rep Edgar Starnes’ campaign should be disgusted and dismayed that he used their contributions to beautify his Raleigh legislative office.
“The Republican House leader used $7,000 of campaign money for furniture and other niceties at the legislative building. He defended his expensive upgrade by saying his constituents deserve to find him in comfortable surroundings when they visit.
“He forgot that his contributors supported him financially to help him and his colleagues win elections, not lounge in luxury. It’s tantamount to misappropriation of funds when he uses dollars entrusted to his campaign to do a Martha Stewart on his office so he has a comfy place to park his rump.
“He’s not the first arrogant legislator to suffer this financial brain spasm. Plenty of others used campaign funds to buy cars, clothes and other fun stuff for themselves with the best kind of money – other people’s money. They forget that their contributors are largely working stiffs who have to pay for things with their own money.
“During the many, many years he was in the minority party, Starnes had a crap office in a dark hallway. No one visited nor cared what he thought.
“But he’s a leader now, and his poor judgment further erodes what’s left of public trust in
legislators. If Starnes is such a poor steward of his campaign funds, can he be trusted with the people’s money? Or the future of the state?”
legislators. If Starnes is such a poor steward of his campaign funds, can he be trusted with the people’s money? Or the future of the state?”