Re: Auditor's staff surfs Democratic Web site

Proctor — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 05:45:44 -0500

If you are holding a public office in North Carolina and the state headquarters of one of the major political parties is going to distribute various political assertions about the leadership, management or conduct of that office, then you absolutely have to stay on top of the situation--and indeed, earlier, not later, in the daily news cycle because in some cases your office must respond promtply to unfounded or inaccurate allegations by outside political sources about the performance of the duties of that office.

Or as JFK used to say: "Let me say this about that."

What should be more troubling to watchdogs of state government in Raleigh is the apparently unlimited access to the state auditor's office by political campaigns to "request" investigations of opposing candidates. Investigations should be conducted according to the official and measured determination of the appropriate offices themselves and not as a "to do" list of political errands or chores demanded by campaigns of candidates for public office in the next election.

Imagine if a dozen or more candidates entered the 2008 race for lieutenant governor in both party primaries and if in the same calendar week, every single one of those campaigns "requested" official investigations of all of their opponents. Now that would be a fine howdy-do to advocates of prudent management of such offices as that of the state auditor.

The two major Democratic campaigns for governor of North Carolina in 2008 had better raise the level of their political debate and competition considerably in coming months or they may find more and more voters considering the alternative of voting for a Republican gubernatorial hopeful whether the candidate's first name is Jim or not.

David P. McKnight

Eleven taxpayer staff hours wasted

jerimee — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:48:34 -0500

If you multiply 217 visits by an average of 3 minutes per visit, you get about 11 taxpayer paid staff hours wasted doing opposition research for Mr Leslie Merritt.

Even if half that time was for innocent purposes, you still have the better part of a day being used to help Mr. Merritt's reelection campaign.

Given the unambiguous nature of the pages visited, it will be hard for the Auditor to claim that this is a coincidental mistake.

Looks like Ye Olde Watch Dog

Anglico — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:14:34 -0500

Needs to change his name to Ye Olde Watch Blog. What a joke this guy is!

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Re: Auditor's staff surfs Democratic Web site

Eleven taxpayer staff hours wasted

Looks like Ye Olde Watch Dog