Black gave money to other legislator

bkrueger — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:42:08 -0400

Former House Speaker Jim Black said in state court this morning that he gave cash to at least one other legislator in addition to Michael Decker.

Black said he gave $8,000 to then-Rep. Alex Warner, a Fayetteville Democrat, to help save his parents' furniture store.

Warner, reached by Dome this morning, said he recalled Black giving him $6,000 five or six years ago to help him start a herbal medicine business. Warner said Black wanted to invest in the business.

"But he never got involved," Warner said. "He never got involved in the business."

Warner said the business "never really materialized."

"There was so much competition in the market, it never really caught on," Warner said.

Warner said there was nothing inappropriate about the transaction.

"That was purely personal," he said. "It had nothing to do with politics."

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Black gave money to other legislator