^Fundraiser admits illegal donations

Quote :

" WILMINGTON -- A major Democratic fundraiser illegally funneled about $150,000 into the campaigns of Gov. Bev Perdue and Senate leader Marc Basnight, a judge ruled Tuesday. Rusty Carter, who owns the Atlantic Packaging Corp. of Wilmington and who was on the UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of giving illegal donations. The scheme extended to other candidates not covered in the plea, records show. Judge John J. Carroll III of New Hanover County accepted the deal, which was entered under what's known as an Alford plea. Such a plea allows defendants to assert innocence while acknowledging the evidence is against them."

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/05/467867/fundraiser-admits-illegal-donations.html?storylink=misearch

Quote :

"A money man Carter, 61, became a heavy hitter in political circles by raising large sums. He served for years on the UNC-Chapel Hill board, an appointment he secured through his fraternity brother, former Gov. Mike Easley. Perdue appointed Carter's wife, Susan, to the UNC-Wilmington Board of Trustees last year; she resigned recently as news of the questionable contributions surfaced. Carter channeled money through some of his employees. He gave them bonuses from company accounts and directed the employees to use the money for political donations, according to his lawyers and a prosecutor. It's illegal to give money to someone else for the purpose of evading the state's $4,000 per person contribution limit. Violations are a class 2 misdemeanor, the equivalent of failing to yield for an emergency vehicle. It is also illegal in North Carolina for corporations to give money directly to a candidate - and Carter's lawyers acknowledged in an interview that federal tax implications still loom."

5/5/2010 10:53:09 AM

Wonder who appointed him?

State official's last job has IRS woes

Quote :

"John Tote, who was named Tuesday as the state's new mental health director, is leaving behind a financial mess at the advocacy group he helped lead for the past 24 years. The Mental Health Association of North Carolina, where Tote served as the director of community programs, faces liens on nearly $1.5 million in unpaid taxes, according to records on file at the N.C. Secretary of State's Office. Lanier Cansler, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, could not be reached Thursday evening for comment about the unpaid liens. "

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/21/492727/state-officials-last-job-has-irs.html

5/21/2010 9:48:01 AM

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/22/494592/soles-bill-would-boost-friends.html

Soles' bill would boost friend's pension

Quote :

" As the North Carolina legislature struggles to close an $800 million budget deficit, Sen. R.C. Soles has filed a bill to sweeten the pension of a longtime friend and political ally. The bill would almost certainly benefit just one person: District Attorney Rex Gore, who lost to an opponent in the Democratic primary earlier this month. Under current law, judges and district attorneys can begin collecting their pensions when they turn 65, or when they complete 24 years of service. Soles' bill would allow judges or district attorneys to begin collecting their pensions at age 62 if they have 20 or more years of service. That means Gore could collect his pension immediately upon leaving office in January, rather than waiting until he turns 65 in April of 2013. Gore approached Soles Gore, who has about 22 years of service, said he became aware of his predicament after his loss in the primary. "I absolutely talked with [Soles] about this," Gore said in a telephone interview. "After I lost, I got to looking at the retirement plan and discovered this loophole. ... When I did my own calculation I saw that I would lose 5 percent.""

5/24/2010 9:56:01 AM

More news from about our old governor Nick Danger

Easley aide: Shred letter

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/05/22/494465/easley-aide-shred-letter.html

5/24/2010 11:23:55 AM

N.C. State dismisses grievance filed by Mary Easley

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/#ixzz0pqsrkTnl

6/3/2010 11:37:20 PM

Easley on leave from his new law firm: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/iteam/easley-on-leave-from-law-firm

6/8/2010 2:50:29 PM

Ferries chief tells all, is fired



http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/02/561825/ferries-chief-tells-all-is-fired.html

7/2/2010 9:19:23 AM

A "career Coast Guard" officer couldn't meet the DOT COO's expectations on running the ferries department? Nope, this doesn't look bad at all.

7/2/2010 9:39:30 AM

Quote :

""We'll keep investigating, and we'll get answers and we'll take appropriate action," Trogdon said. "

Gov't investigating itself... that's rich.

7/2/2010 10:55:15 AM

Quote :

"Glover's Highway Patrol galls Perdue Two weeks ago, N.C. Crime Control Secretary Reuben Young faced television cameras to announce that a Highway Patrol major had resigned after sending hundreds of flirtatious text messages to a patrol secretary married to a trooper. The major's boss, who had promoted him months earlier, was nowhere in sight. Patrol Cmdr. Randy Glover's absence as the patrol dealt with the latest in a series of sexual peccadilloes was a reminder that he, too, is a member of that club. As a trooper in Harnett County in 1987, he admitted to an affair with a county dispatcher and was transferred to New Bern. There, he became friends with a state lawmaker who represented New Bern. That lawmaker, Bev Perdue, was elected governor in 2008, and nine months later, she moved Glover into the patrol's top spot. Both pledged the patrol would become a more ethical, by-the-book organization. Since then, the patrol has not rid itself of trooper misbehavior, and Perdue has grown frustrated."

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/07/568705/glovers-patrol-galls-perdue.html

And following:

Quote :

"Perdue makes no patrol leadership changes Gov. Bev Perdue announced no leadership changes in the N.C. Highway Patrol after a spate of trooper trouble, but reiterated her "zero tolerance" policy for misdeeds. Troopers will have to retake and sign their oaths of office and undergo ethics training, the governor said today. But there will be no shakeup at the top of the state law enforcement agency, reports Michael Biesecker. Patrol Commander Randy Glover will continue to the lead the agency, and N.C. Crime Control Secretary Reuben Young will continue in his role, she said."

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/perdue_makes_no_patrol_leadership_changes



So how do ya'll think she'll do in Round 2 with McCrory?

[Edited on July 7, 2010 at 4:20 PM. Reason : link]

7/7/2010 4:20:14 PM

Election investigator: I was held back

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/15/582107/election-investigator-i-was-held.html#ixzz0tkVqtbqD

7/15/2010 7:33:03 AM

^beat me to it. Keep it up Bev, McCrory will be running again.

7/15/2010 9:31:52 AM

Quote :

"Troopers will have to retake and sign their oaths of office and undergo ethics training,"

Bev is really putting her foot down here, isn't she?

How about putting alcohol ignition interlock devices on all Highway Patrol cars?

7/15/2010 10:35:27 AM

Cooper replaces SBI director, suspends bloodstain analysis and promotes failed director...

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/30/603969/cooper-replaces-sbi-director-suspends.html

Quote :

"Attorney General Roy Cooper on Thursday removed Robin Pendergraft, the SBI director whom he handpicked a decade ago, and halted the work of bloodstain pattern analysts whose methods have faced mounting criticism. ... She (Pendergraft) said she wasn't familiar with several bureau policies and practices, as well as with cases that have drawn attention from defense lawyers and independent scientists. She refused to answer questions about the disputed cases. The N&O began investigating the SBI in March, prompted by the exoneration of Greg Taylor, a Wake County man wrongly convicted of murder. Taylor's conviction was erased in part because SBI agent Duane Deaver reported that a stain on Taylor's truck was blood, even though he had performed tests that proved it wasn't. Pendergraft defended Deaver in March and last week and said there were no widespread problems in the bureau. ... Pendergraft's transfer to the Medicaid fraud unit could result in a raise, Cooper said. She earned $113,293 as SBI chief."

The same Attorney General who watched Easley during his terms.

[Edited on July 30, 2010 at 4:30 PM. Reason : .]

7/30/2010 4:27:17 PM

^ What's that all about? Do you have anymore info?

7/30/2010 4:44:48 PM

pffft http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/02/610066/perdue-plans-to-sign-government.html

8/2/2010 3:31:54 PM

Court upholds obstruction charge against Wright

Quote :

"The N.C. Court of Appeals upheld the felony obstruction of justice conviction against former state Rep. Thomas Wright. Wright, a Wilmington Democrat, was convicted on the obstruction charges as well as three counts of obtaining property by false pretenses related accusations that he took out a fraudulent bank loan and deposited contributions intended for charity into his personal bank account. Wright is serving a sentence of more than seven years. He is scheduled to be released in 2014. "

[image]http://projects.newsobserver.com/sites/projects.newsobserver.com/files/images/wright.jpg

[/image]

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/court_upholds_obstruction_charge_against_wright

8/3/2010 2:28:48 PM

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/11/623516/election-directors-solicit-vendors.html

Quote :

" RALEIGH -- A group made up of election directors from across North Carolina has received large cash donations from the owner of a New Bern company that maintains the state's voting machines and prints most of its ballots. The money is used to help pay for social events of the N.C. Association of Directors of Elections, a group composed of government employees responsible for overseeing contracts for voting equipment and supplies at county boards of election. Owen Andrews, the owner of Printelect, said he was asked to give $5,000 to be a "gold sponsor" for the association's most recent party, an April 2009 reception at a state aquarium in Manteo. Andrew said he has been solicited for donations by the group numerous times, though he said he didn't know the total amount he has provided over the years. Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/11/623516/election-directors-solicit-vendors.html#ixzz0wJ8XtiOa "

Manteo and New Bern are Dem strongholds in the state. Event's were held at Basnight's restaraunt at the Outer Banks for $14k.

Quote :

" Melva Basnight Garrison, the Dare County elections director and the association's president, said it never occurred to her that there might be a conflict of interest in government employees soliciting money from a private contractor paid with taxpayer funds. Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/11/623516/election-directors-solicit-vendors.html#ixzz0wJ94B2ZV "

8/11/2010 10:30:32 AM

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/17/632583/elections-chief-bartletts-pals.html

Quote :

"RALEIGH -- At least four hometown friends of state Elections Director Gary Bartlett have been hired at the agency he runs. Collectively, they are known in the office as the "Goldsboro Mafia," a reference to their cozy relationship with the boss and to the carpool three of them and Bartlett shared between Goldsboro and state election headquarters in Raleigh. "They all got the jobs based on their own merit," said Bartlett, 56. "All of them have done a great job but one." ... Gable, 64, previously owned a television sales and repair business in Goldsboro, a town of about 40,000 that is an hour's drive east of Raleigh. Gable said he ran into Bartlett, whom he has known about 20 years, in the parking lot of a Piggly Wiggly and mentioned he was looking for a career change. Bartlett suggested he check the state's website for open jobs. In April 2007, Gable was hired as a compliance specialist in the campaign finance office. Asked what in Gable's experience qualified him for the job, Bartlett said, "dealing with the public." Bartlett carpooled to Raleigh with Gable, and Baddour and Bridgers joined once they were hired. Gable in particular made no secret of his close relationship with the boss. When asked by a manager why he missed work on a Friday, Gable responded in a 2008 e-mail message that questions about his schedule should be directed to Bartlett. Later, Bartlett and Gable adopted a four-day-a-week "flex schedule," where they had Fridays off. ... 'Princess,' 'Fat Ass' After it appeared no formal action would be taken, Strach collected sworn affidavits from four women who reported numerous complaints about Gable's behavior since he was hired at the elections board. They said he had used such pet names as "Little Princess" and "Fat Ass" when speaking to or about female colleagues. On other occasions, they said, he made sexually charged remarks, such as suggesting a co-worker wrap her nude body in Saran Wrap as a gift to her husband. In the affidavits, which were provided to Bartlett and McLean on April 26, some of the women said they were scared to complain about Gable in writing for fear of retaliation from him and because of his close relationship with Bartlett. Gable was placed on paid leave May 11, but he was allowed to return to work on June 23. McLean said that after an investigation found some of the complaints credible, she shifted some of Gable's duties to other workers and restricted his access to personnel files. McLean said that after Gable returned from leave, however, she received new complaints about his behavior. He was fired July 29. In an interview last week, Gable called the women who had complained about him "fabricators" and said he is the victim of "sad, little bullies." He has hired attorney Jack Nichols to appeal his dismissal. Nichols is also chairman of the Wake County Democratic Party. "

What a character. How about this gem:

Quote :

""She suffers from a glandular disorder," Gable said in his defense. "We live in the United States of the Offended." He also acknowledged his habit of referring to women in the office as "Babe," "Hon" or "Sweetie," names he said he uses for his wife and daughters. Asked if he would think it was appropriate for one of his daughters' male co-workers to call them "Fat Ass," he replied that it wouldn't happen because they are thin. "

8/17/2010 2:13:31 PM

The NC GOP Credibility Thread may have been a better home for this:

https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/04/04/nc-democrat-flip-republican-legislative-supermajority

Quote :

"A North Carolina Democratic lawmaker is expected to flip her party affiliation… handing [Repuplicans] a veto-proof majority in the middle of the legislative session and a clear runway to enact their agenda despite opposition from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper."

She apparently represents a 60% Biden district, as measured during the 2020 election.

4/4/2023 7:15:19 PM

Dirty tricks!

4/4/2023 7:33:29 PM

That's wild what's the recall process?

4/5/2023 1:51:45 PM

In a district with 60% going Biden, it's obvious she won't be re-elected.

Wonder why she switched, who's paying her?

4/5/2023 2:03:32 PM

^^ https://twitter.com/JeffJacksonNC/status/1643638364871053312

Quote :

"There are no recall provisions in North Carolina. She will be able to serve her full two-year term, which just began in January. For that period, Republicans will now be in full control. It is unclear whether she intends to run for re-election or seek another office in 2024."

^ I suppose it's possible that her district could be gerrymandered so that she could win reelection.

[Edited on April 5, 2023 at 4:49 PM. Reason : ]

4/5/2023 4:36:04 PM

Our political system is broke in so many ways.

What a slimey, sleazy move.

[Edited on April 5, 2023 at 4:45 PM. Reason : (and yeah, this thread doesn't make sense for this story)]

4/5/2023 4:42:11 PM

Quote :

"In a district with 60% going Biden, it's obvious she won't be re-elected."

If Republicans leave that district as-is, sure.

Quote :

"Wonder why she switched, who's paying her?"

I've heard the rumor that she's banging Tim Moore, Speaker of the House in NC and, obviously, a Republican. I trust the people who told me this not to have just made it up, but at the end of the day they just heard it from someone else, so who knows. But her story of "people were mean to me on the internet because I used a prayer hands emoji" is bullshit, and I don't need any corroboration to know that.

4/5/2023 4:45:10 PM

https://www.wral.com/story/democratic-nc-rep-tricia-cotham-says-she-s-joining-gop/20797685

She just ran as a progressive five months ago... and now she's saying this? So sleazy

Quote :

"“The Democratic Party has become unrecognizable to me and to so many others throughout the state in this country,” she said at a press conference at the state GOP headquarters, where she announced that she had decided to change her party affiliation, joining the Republican Party. “...The [Democratic] party wants to villainize anyone who has free thought.”"

4/5/2023 4:49:05 PM

^^^ In my defense, she may have previously been a crooked North Carolina Democrat.

4/5/2023 5:54:41 PM

Total Manchurian Candidate.

So is she going to continue to have "free thought" now that she's a Republican, or just vote against all Democratic interests out of spite?

4/5/2023 7:29:54 PM

Quote :

" I've heard the rumor that she's banging Tim Moore, Speaker of the House in NC and, obviously, a Republican. I trust the people who told me this not to have just made it up, but at the end of the day they just heard it from someone else, so who knows."

I have a few friends who used to work at the General Assembly and I texted them after seeing this post. apparently it’s been an open secret. if they knew, having not worked there for years, then I’m believing it 100%. just a shame that local newspapers have been gutted so horribly the last decade+

4/6/2023 1:48:57 AM

Tricia Cotham is busted. But also,

5/13/2023 1:45:31 PM