Quote :

"RALEIGH — Former N.C. Rep. Michael Decker, Sr. of Forsyth County pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to crimes associated with efforts to elect Jim Black to another term as speaker of the House in 2003. Court documents tell of a deal made with an unnamed legislator that resulted in Decker receiving envelopes stuffed with checks and cash. Hints as to the possible identity of the unnamed legislator came in comments by Decker’s lawyer outside the federal courthouse on Tuesday and in a recent news story in the Winston-Salem Journal. Attorney David B. Freedman acknowledged to reporters that the deal had been made in Salisbury, and the March 2006 news story described a 2002 meeting between Decker and Black at a Salisbury pancake house."

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=3486

Gee I wonder who gave Decker all those unsigned checks made out by Optometrists?

Quote :

"Rep. Drew Saunders, a Democrat who chairs the Mecklenburg delegation, said he has known Black for a long time. Saunders said he would be "astonished" if Black was the unidentified House member handing out cash."

Astonished? Come on.

Quote :

"“[Michael Decker] has put his values—and what he believes is best for the people who elected him—above partisan politics. I respect him, and I admire his integrity and his courage.” Jim Black explaining Michael Decker’s party switch to the Winston-Salem Journal on January 25, 2003 "

Here's an idea. Since the Dems got control of the senate through bribery...Why don't we demand the NC Senate re-vote on any bills that were decided by a tie-breaker after Decker had done 'The Switch'?

8/2/2006 10:11:47 AM

must be nice to get envelopes stuffed with checks and cash

8/2/2006 10:15:17 AM

^^
1) Michael Decker was in the House, not the Senate

2) There's no such thing as a "tie-breaker" in the House -- if a bill vote goes 60-60, it fails

3) You're not going to find much (if any) legislation affected by Decker's vote, but feel free to look:

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/voteHistory/RollCallVoteHistory.pl?sSession=2003&sChamber=H

8/2/2006 10:46:29 AM

Quote :

"JANUARY: Rep. Michael Decker, a Forsyth County Republican, switches his registration to Democrat. That creates a 60-60 split and allows Rep. Jim Black, a Mecklenburg Democrat, to remain speaker for a third term, in a power-sharing arrangement with Republican Richard Morgan of Moore County."

I stand corrected on the crook being a rep and not a senator, thanks.

But the bribery did give Boss Jim Black the powerful position of Speaker. If it turns out that Black bribed his way into the leadership spot, we should re-visit every bill that he pushed through.

8/2/2006 11:13:51 AM

*cough*lottery*cough*

8/2/2006 11:15:04 AM

^^
right, but that was only for the 2003-2004 session -- Decker was gone, and Black elected speaker outright, for the 2005-2006 session (in large part b/c Republicans invested their time and energy running against other Republicans, instead of recruiting candidates to run against unopposed Democrats)

8/2/2006 12:16:07 PM

8/2/2006 1:57:15 PM

haha yep, I had an interesting chat w/ the "public editor" at the N&O about that and the "Black eye bill" -- fun times

8/2/2006 2:41:50 PM

Quote :

"Decker's Party Switch Leaves Questions For One State Leader POSTED: 7:00 pm EDT August 3, 2006 JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. -- Had Republicans ruled the state House of Representatives, would North Carolina have a lottery today? What other bills would or would not have become law? One man's decision altered the balance of power. In 2003, Rep. Michael Decker, R- Forsyth, suddenly jumped over to the Democratic Party and helped House Speaker Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, keep his leadership position. Now, Decker could be headed to prison for taking a payoff to make the move. Although Decker's switch helped Black, it changed the political fate of Leo Daughtry. It was election night 2002. State Republicans narrowly reclaimed control of the House. "It was a great time for us," Daughtry said. The Johnston County lawmaker was the GOP's minority leader. Within weeks, the caucus nominated him to become the next Speaker. Then, Decker expressed anger that Daughtry and his fellow Republicans did not nominate him to be speaker pro tem. Finally, Decker registered as a Democrat, leaving some Republicans to blame Daughtry for the party's betrayal. That cleared the way for Jim Black and Richard Morgan to share the speaker's gavel. "I didn't know what I had done wrong," Daughtry said. "I could see our opportunity to take over the House slipping away. It was frustrating." Then, came the revelation this week that Decker took a $50,000 payoff to switch parties. "It just saddened me," Daughtry said. "I was surprised and shocked by it." Daughtry won't attack Decker or speculate whether he thinks Black was involved. Had Decker not switched parties, Daughtry does believe things would be different today -- perhaps, no lottery, maybe larger tax rollbacks, and maybe, he would have been speaker. "I really don't want to characterize what happened," Daughtry said when asked whether he thought he was robbed of his chance to become speaker. "People can surmise whether I was robbed or not." Daughtry said he thinks Republicans can capitalize on the political scandal and retake control of the House in November elections. Democrats, however, argue that the state is in better shape with the Democrats running the House. Controversy or not, they have said they plan to keep it that way."

Quote :

"Black: He met Decker but didn't offer money Black says the Salisbury meeting was not about a money offer. Lynn Bonner, N&O Staff Writer August 5, 2006 House Speaker Jim Black was the Democrat who met with Michael Decker at a Salisbury IHOP restaurant after the 2002 election to talk about Decker supporting Black's effort to remain speaker. Federal prosecutors said this week that the meeting led to a deal in which Decker agreed to support Black for speaker in exchange for $50,000 and a legislative job that went to Decker's son. Of $50,000, about $38,000 came through checks and $12,000 came in cash, prosecutors said. Prosecutors did not identify by name the person Decker met with. Black's spokeswoman, Julie Robinson, confirmed Thursday that Black met with Decker at the Salisbury restaurant. But Black did not offer Decker money in exchange for his vote and knows nothing about $12,000 in cash, Robinson said. "

No bribery here folks, Boss Jim Black just likes them pancakes!

8/5/2006 9:51:01 PM

Serious action needs to be taken by the NCDP and the members of the House that are Democrats.

Black needs to be bounced and stop this unethical bullshit.

8/6/2006 10:24:17 PM

I'll still say he'll manage to escape indictment, get re-elected, and end up being Speaker for 1 more term.

The NCGOP is just too dysfunctional to stop it.

8/6/2006 10:33:19 PM

Can they please pass their play book to the National GOP? <3

8/7/2006 1:22:10 AM