State legislators left town early Saturday morning after passing an ethics package but it was missing a key provision. Campaign finance reform advocates wanted a new rule limiting contributions from contractors who deal with state agencies. It would also curtail donations from managers of financial funds to a candidate for State Treasurer. A source told [...]
- Jun30
Civitas Legislative Report – 6/30
Public financed campaigns could still be expanded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EP1OcSwM-I
- Apr19
Permits in Your Pocket if You Own a Politician
U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle summarized the 57 count indictment Monday, April 19 before aide to former Democratic Gov. Mike Easley Ruffin Poole pleaded guilty to one count of federal income tax evasion. In count 55 of the indictment, Poole failed to report a net gain of $30,000 he received only three months after he [...]
- Feb04
Mike “Nick Danger” Easley in More Trouble
Depositions taken last month show that former Democratic Governor Mike Easley was hiding a lot from the people of North Carolina. Testimony from his former communications directors for a public records lawsuit brought by the John Locke Foundation and several news outlets show that Governor Easley had a private email address that he used to [...]
- Jan20
Does Massachusetts Election Mean Big GOP Gains in NC House & Senate?
DATELINE NC – NOVEMBER 3, 2010: The GOP now holds 34 of the 50 seats in the NC Senate and 82 of the 120 seats in the NC House. Not a likely headline but read below how it could happen. Does last nights win by Scott Brown in the Massachusetts US Senate race mean that [...]
- Dec18
A lesson on government and politics
For those not following the recent election for Wake County Commission chairman, you can read one media account here and watch another one here. Once you get the media’s take on what is going on read the below email from the new Chairman, Tony Gurley (R). It should be noted that the other main actor in this drama, Betty [...]
- Aug07
High-Flying Hypocrisy
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that only several months after blasting CEOs from bailout banks for using corporate jets, House lawmakers approved $500 million for eight new government V.I.P. jets. The article continues: “Ellis Bachman, a spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee, said the changes were part of “Congress’ normal oversight responsibility” to make sure “the troops have everything [...]
- Jul21
Remember – the cure can kill you
Blame the law when you break the law; that is what Scott Mooneyham does on behalf of Mike Easley and Jim Black in his article “A Root of Corruption” in the Capitol View, INSIDER AFTERNOON UPDATE, July 20, 2009. It is Mooneyham’s contention that there is a loophole in a campaign finance law and he [...]
- 2Jun26
Pork for Super Pier Ad
Here is the first glimpse of something I think you will be hearing a lot more about in the near future:
- 1Jun16
A Bailout for Jim Black?
Jeff Taylor over at MeckDeck has details of what seems to be a bailout for Jim Black by the Wake County Public Schools. If you recall, as part of former Speaker Jim Black's (D-Mecklenburg) sentence, he had to pay a $1 million fine in addition to his prison sentence. Having already paid back $500,000 of [...]
- 1May26
A case for why Ethics Legislation/Rules are not all good
With the reporting on the Easley corruption scandal and the attention on Mary Easley and her "job" at NCSU, it would seem like legislative action to save the taxpayers some money and put an end to a part of the drama would be as simple as a line in the budget. Of course nothing is easy when you [...]
- May09
Easley Corruption?
Before the left uses the Easley scandal of the day to rev up the call for "Welfare for Politicians", also laughingly called voter-owned elections, they should take a deep breath. The Easley story is not about using existing campaign laws to an advantage, if proven to be true, it is about violating EXISTING campaign law and about [...]
- 2May03
Dateline NBC Looks at Lottery Fraud
Something that NC Lottery Director Tom Shaheen apparently thinks is "not a big problem" gets a full expose on Dateline NBC. Chris Hansen, best known for his work at exposing pedophiles, dedicated tonight's episode to exposing lottery fraud and how some lottery retailers are taking advantage of players and the system to make big bucks. [...]
- May01
Gaming the Lottery?
The Charlotte Observer today explores an interesting trend developing between convenience store clerks and owners and lottery winners. Apparently, store owners are winning big jackpots multiple times over. One case in point – the B&S Variety store – a small convenience market located just off Interstate 40 near Morganton. The owner of the store – [...]
- Apr24
Irony of the day? Mike Easley Joins Law Firm
It is official, former NC Gov. Mike Easley is joining McGuireWoods Consulting. McGuireWoods Consulting is a subsidiary of the McGuireWoods law firm which has around 900 lawyers. In light of recent stories in the media and reports of possible federal investigations it would seem like he may more likely need the assistance of a good law firm rather [...]
- Mar29
Corruption in NC?
The News & Observer has two stories this morning on possible corruption (my words not theirs) by former Governor Mike Easley. This one talks about trips and a car for he an his wife Mary (a $170,000 employee of NCSU). This one is about his son (a law student) getting a free car. Before the left screams we need [...]
- Mar26
Case Study on Government involvement in “Private Enterprise”
Read this article from the Chicago Tribune about how current White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel made a bunch of money for a short stay on the board of Freddie Mac. This was front paged on Drudge.
- 3Mar20
More Nutty ACORN News
While warnings about the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, (aka ACORN) have been landing on the deaf ears of the media for years, evidence of how deeply they have penetrated the voting process in this nation is starting to emerge. ACORN has made voter registration one of there main focuses. Now we hear [...]
- 5Mar13
UNC Officials Take State Plane to ACC Tourney
As the Governor and legislators grapple with how to fill our state's $2.2 billion budget deficit, UNC officials jetted off to the ACC Tournament in the state's airplane at taxpayer expense. UNC officials are claiming it's a business trip. Unlikely story since UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp's wife, teenage son and pre-teen daughter were also along [...]
- Feb21
The financial markets, what if…?
Say I make money buying and selling stocks and other financial instruments. I also happened to "know" a powerful politician such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and I had knowledge that they might mention nationalizing US banks on network TV. If I was interested in making some quick money I might short financial stocks. As the US government becomes a bigger force in the economy through spending an [...]