newsobserver.com projects - Ethics commission takes Merritt to court - Comments

Re: Ethics commission takes Merritt to court

MeckDeck — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:57:43 -0400

North Carolina has an Ethics Commission? Do Jim Black's unindicted co-conspirators know about this?

Re: Unethical Ethics Commission

FFC1304 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:23:28 -0400

they cannot shed business as usual, because that's the way its been for 100+ years in Rawleigh. Crookedness and criminals run the show in Rawleigh, and everyone knows it now.

dont EVER vote for another NC democrat, they've RUINED our once great state!

Unethical Ethics Commission

ncflyer — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:10:52 -0400

It would be one thing to block tainted results from an investigation, but why fear an investigation? Incredible.

This is why I'm beginning to subscribe to the politics of a bumper sticker I saw on the back of an old pick-up in Texas. It said, "Don't re-elect nobody, not even your momma!"

When are people going to get tired of the arrogant, business-as-usual in Raleigh?

Re: What are they afraid of?

newsbaby — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:46:31 -0400

A couple of years, Isaac? Try a couple of months.

Some of the State Ethics Commission upper management is engaging in VERY questionable behavior. First they give preferential treatment to a member of a gubernatorial candidate's staff, then they fire an employee for making a factual notation in a log?! Something doesn't add up. Let's leave politics out of this and look at it objectively. The executive director and assistant director obviously have something to hide. If you can't see that then you are being blinded by partisanship...and this is coming from a hardcore Democrat!!

They should have to play by the rules like everyone else. Let's not forget what we should have learned from Jim Black's case. Whether he was investigated by a Republican auditor or not...the fact remains that he is GUILTY!

Yup, THAT state auditor!

Isaac136 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:05:50 -0400

And this from an auditor!

Folks think that his investigation of the Ethics Commission would be fair and square? I sure don't.

Re: Ethics commission takes Merritt to court

zoobatmania — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:56:15 -0400

You mean this auditor?

The North Carolina Democratic Party would like to extend best wishes to State Auditor Les Merritt on the retirement of his side business.

Mr. Merritt announced in May that on June 30th he would end on the practice of providing investment advice to private clients.

This followed scorching public scrutiny after Mr. Merritt approved a press release advertising his public job to lure clients at an investment firm through which he and his son provide services. The state’s largest newspapers joined NCDP Chair Jerry Meek in 2005 in calling for Merritt to stop compromising his public job with ads featuring a coupon to receive a free hour of consultation services.

Merritt earns $115,000 a year, three times the annual income of the average North Carolina family. Now that Merritt has decided to stop moonlighting, maybe he could give the people of the state his undivided attention.

When we have a Democratic Auditor, Les Merit will be the first one investigated.

Re: What are they afraid of?

Isaac136 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:40:38 -0400

Whether or not they have an ethics problem, they have good reason to worry about an "investigation" from an admittedly hostile agency with whom they've been engaged in a feud over the past couple of years. Under that circumstance, they should worry that even if they didn't already have an ethics problem -- one would be found.

Re: Ethics commission takes Merritt to court

FFC1304 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:26:05 -0400

smellin more coverup here...

it is clear that the democrats do NOT like having a republican AUDITOR, especially with his great performance. they will do whatever they can to keep facts and truth from being exposed. it's obvious.

dont EVER vote for another NC democrat!

What are they afraid of?

AwakeReader — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:04:00 -0400

Seems like the Commission may think they have an ethics problem - or two.

Ethics commission takes Merritt to court

bkrueger — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:23:17 -0400

The State Ethics Commission is asking a Superior Court judge to prevent State Auditor Les Merritt from investigating a claim of preferential treatment for Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the Democratic nominee for governor.

The suit claims that Merritt's office has a conflict of interest because its investigations chief, Frank Perry, left the ethics commission a year ago. The suit also claims that Merritt, a Republican seeking re-election, "denigrated" the commission in an hour-long interview with a radio station.

It is a rare case in which one state agency is suing another, reports Dan Kane.

"The commission welcomes an independent and impartial investigation by an appropriate entity that is free from actual and/or perceived conflicts of interest," the suit said.

More after the jump.