newsobserver.com projects - Albemarle Mental Health Center - Comments

Re: Some quick math on Beason's lobbying

PaulTerrell — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:58:37 -0400

So Beason, A democrat by the way, did not pay income taxes on the part he did not report? So why haven't he and his son been arrested?

Re: Some quick math on Beason's lobbying

j1c2kp — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:09:04 -0400

Thanks for clarifying that for me. I was ready to sign up as a lobbyist.

Re: Some quick math on Beason's lobbying

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:01:15 -0400

No, you're wrong. I'm talking about what Beason and his clients reported to the N.C. Secretary of State as lobbying payments.

He'd have to report all income — lobbying and consulting — to the Internal Revenue Service, and by extension, the N.C. Department of Revenue.

To be clear, I'm not aware of any allegations that he's not paid taxes.

— RTB

Re: Some quick math on Beason's lobbying

j1c2kp — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:53:30 -0400

Ryan am I reading this right? He could have possibly made a million or more but only reported $145,521, meaning he didn't have to pay the IRS, just pocketed the money? Is that some law that those wonderful politicians came up with?

Man am I in the wrong line of work.

Re: Secretary of State investigates Beason

CitizenOpinionated — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:35:25 -0400

What, if any, role could or does the Attorney General have in such a matter?

Re: Why isn't he in jail

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:08:52 -0400

Keep in mind that the court of public opinion has much different standards than a legal case that would almost certainly be appealed. In addition, many of the things that may upset you the most were not against the law at the time.

— RTB

Re: Why isn't he in jail

PoliticalJunkie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:46:47 -0400

Is it possible that he received immunity from prosecution in return for cooperating with their case against Black?

I'd certainly hope not. He is as culpable as any one other than Black, didn't you report that he had essentially an open tab on his credit card for legislative leadership at various Raleigh restaurants and bars?

Re: The consulting loophole, revisited

j1c2kp — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:12:57 -0400

Who writes the state laws? Legislators! And they protect their own.

Re: Why isn't he in jail

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:10:02 -0400

That's a question better answered by the Wake County district attorney, but my general understanding was that it was not an air-tight case because of the length of time since the loan and some haziness on the legal arguments. Beason was prosecuted successfully on a weapons charge, however.

— RTB

Re: Why isn't he in jail

PoliticalJunkie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:07:40 -0400

Why wasn't he charged?

Re: Why isn't he in jail

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:02:00 -0400

No charges were ever filed in that case.

— RTB

Why isn't he in jail

PoliticalJunkie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:00:51 -0400

For giving Black the 500 K "loan"?

Re: Who Beason's clients have hired

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:49:28 -0400

Comment deleted for unproven assertion.

— RTB

Re: Beason's Albemarle contract

MeckDeck — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:24:46 -0400

Has the IRS been alerted?

Re: Hooker Odom: More accountability needed

ginnyrachel — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 15:18:42 -0400

Throughout her interview with WRAL, Carmen Hooker-Odom deflected any criticism of her role of aiding to dismantle our mental health system. It was always someone else's fault. More accountabilty indeed! Yes, the LMEs, the providers and other mental health professionals have had problems with the radical reforms of this administration. Ms. Odom ran her department with a combative managerial style that sparked controversy at every turn. Putting a gag order on the hospital staff at Dix showed her arrogance and willingness to do whatever she deemed necessary to close the hospital and push Mr.Easley's agenda to house state employees on the site.
The closure plan for Dix was exposed with discrepanies and outdated statistics at the legislative committee meeting this week. Ms. Odom was even spared the embarassment of having to file a final report last summer(supposedly required by law) on Dix's proposed closing. Rep. Jim Crawford, whose Granville County reaped big benefits with the new hospital opening in Butner, pushed an amendment through the legislature that kept Ms. Odom from having to sign off this report. Mr. Crawford obviously had no conflict of interest in allowing the former Secretary off the hook one last time.
Ms. Odom's call for more accountability in the system would be funny if it was not so pathetic. Things would not have been so bad if she had recognized that Dix needed to remain open until the contiuum community care for the patients was firmly in place. But she got rid of the old system before the new system was ready. There was no compromise in her actions and she ran her office with a tyrant's fist.
Mike Easley and his former DHHS Secretary will always be joined at the hip for what they tried to do with the Dorothea Dix Hospital property. The Dix situation should have been a health issue instead of the political juggernaut it became. Hopefully our legislature will make the extra effort to see that the patients are first priority. Easley and Odom let down the people of this state that they were entrusted to protect.