Tag search result

EDWARDS REGROUPS: Former presidential contender John Edwards has reactivated his license to practice law and is setting out on the speaking circuit, the Associated Press reports. The former U.S. senator and 2004 Democratic vice-presidential nominee is scheduled to appear June 6 at a private retreat in Orlando, Fla., for lawyer clients of the marketing firm PMP.

Edwards has remained largely out of public view since his acquittal in May 2012 on one charge of campaign finance fraud. A judge declared a mistrial on five other criminal counts after jurors couldn’t agree whether Edwards had illegally used campaign money to hide his pregnant mistress as he ran for president in 2008. An itinerary says Edwards will speak for about 45 minutes as part of a program titled “Historic Trials of the Century.” Edwards earned millions as a personal injury lawyer before entering politics.

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo. If you're here, you survived crossover. Get a wrap up below. Now hold your hats for the final weeks of the legislative session. Send news and tips to dome@newsobserver.com.***

HOUSE TO UNVEIL TAX PLAN OUTLINE:House Republicans plan to offer their own North Carolina tax overhaul plan Thursday that would reduce personal and corporate income tax rates and expand the sales tax to cover more services. The proposal's scope is much narrower than what Senate counterparts offered as GOP legislators try to fulfill a commitment to carry out tax reform this year.

The plan attempts to simplify income taxes and reduces the number of income tax brackets from three to one, according to the proposed legislation obtained by The Associated Press. House Republican leaders want to reduce slightly the combined state and local sales tax consumers in most counties pay from 6.75 percent to 6.65 percent. They also would subject the sales tax to a handful of new services such as automobile repairs and installations for personal property and warranty and service contracts, the bill says. In contrast, the Senate proposal unveiled last week would make the sales tax base one of the broadest in the country. More here.

NORQUIST TO BLESS SENATE TAX EFFORT: Americans for Tax Reform leader Grover Norquist will stand with Senate leader Phil Berger at a 9:30 a.m. press conference Thursday to talk about the Senate's tax rewrite. The visit is being coordinated by Americans for Prosperity, an advocacy group that pushing hard for a major tax overhaul measure this session. Opposition groups already are framing the visit, saying Norquist will support a bill that could raise taxes on a majority of people in the long-term. A luncheon with tax activists outside the legislature will follow later in the day.

Good Morning! This Dome Morning Memo is (unofficially) brought to you by Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee -- which is much needed after the House worked near midnight to beat the crossover deadline on a bevy of controversial bills in a 10-hour session. If you went to bed early, click below for all the North Carolina political news and analysis.***

Sen. Kay Hagan sent a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel asking for a report on the steps he has taken to implement new laws to prevent combat sexual assault in the military.

Hagan, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said she received assurances from Hagel during his confirmation process that he would take steps to reduce the incidents of assault.

“We must take swift and meaningful action to address the military sexual assault crisis, and the National Defense Authorization Act directives passed by Congress last year are a good start,” Hagan said.

“Sexual assault cannot be accepted as part of the military culture, we owe it to our servicemen and women to ensure they don't have to worry about their personal safety,” she said

The provisions passed by the Senate in the defense bill include establishing a special victim supports unit, enhanced training and education for sexual assault prevention and two independent panels to review the systems used to investigate, prosecute and adjudicate sexual assaults.

North Carolina's U.S. Senate race is trending more safely in Kay Hagan's direction compared to the other competitive contests in 2014, according to one pundit.

The Washington Post's Fix blog now ranks the race No. 6 in a list of those most likely to switch parties. (No. 1 is the most likely.)

The N.C. race ranked No. 4 in March. And Hagan, a freshman who rode into office on the 2008 Obama ticket, isn't looking like the most vulnerable incumbent, either. Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas earns that designation, Fix says, ranking the race No. 3. The top two races are open seats.

Sen. Kay Hagan said Thursday she is backing legislation to simplify federal tax returns for seniors.

The Seniors' Tax Simplifications Act of 2013 would create a new form, called 1040-SR where seniors can list their Social Security and pension income instead of having to use multiple forms. Seniors can not use the current simple tax reform because it doesn't allow Social Security and pensions.

The bill "is intended to simply this process for individuals 65 and older, creating a new, easy to read income tax form," Hagan said in a teleconference from Washington.

Other co-sponsors are Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson of Florida.

Participating in the news conference was Doug Dickerson, state AARP director.

Sen. Kay Hagan will attend a meeting today at the White House to discuss ways to prevent military sexual assault.

Hagan, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, will join a group lead by senior White House advisor Valerie Jarrett and Tina Tchen, the chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama.

“Military sexual assault is a crisis in our armed forces, and one that I have about first-hand from service members in North Carolina,” Hagan said in a statement. “That an estimated 26,000 incidents of sexual assault took place in our military last year is nothing short of alarming and completely unacceptable.''

During his confirmation process, Hagan said she talked to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel about how he planned to address the issue.

After the meeting, Hagan issued a statement saying: "I have heard first-hand from service members in North Carolina about the military sexual assault crisis in our armed forces, and today I spoke with some of the president’s top advisors about concrete steps we can take to address this problem.''

“It is appalling and unacceptable that an estimated 26,000 incidents of sexual assault took place in our military last year and even more alarming that so few victims actually reported them. Our servicemen and women should not have to worry about their personal safety on bases in the U.S. and around the world while they are bravely serving to protect our nation’s safety.”

Rev. Mark Harris, the pastor of Charlotte’s First Baptist Church, said Monday he’s listening to those who want him to run for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination next year.

Harris met in Charlotte last week with about 70 people from around 20 North Carolina counties who are trying to draft him to run, the Observer's Jim Morrill reports. “I’m certainly humbled and flattered by the confidence that these folks have expressed,” he said. “It’s a little bit overwhelming to be honest. Right now we’re doing two things. One … doing a lot of listening to people and the second and most importantly to me is just to pray and seek God’s leadership … and see if that’s his plan for me.”

Harris announced that to his congregation at the end of Sunday’s church service, and walked off to a standing ovation. More here.

A new poll suggests that Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan may have helped herself when she voted recently to support background checks for gun sales.

A survey found that 52 percent of North Carolina voters were more inclined to reelect Hagan next year because she voted for background checks,while 26 percent said they would be less likely to support her.

That is according to a survey conducted by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm based in Raleigh. The firm found similar results in Louisiana, where Sen. Mary Landrieu also faces re-election next year.

The poll found that 72 percent of Tar Heel voters support background checks, while 22 percent oppose it.

The spin: “Mary Landrieu and Kay Hagan helped their chances for reelection by supporting background checks,” said Dean Debnam, the firm's president. “Their constituents overwhelmingly support the stance they took on this issue and are ready to reward them for it at the ballot box next year.''

The survey of 600 North Carolina voters was conducted April 30-May 1 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

In an unvarnished speech, Republican state Rep. Larry Pittman recently expressed doubts about the House speaker's conservative credentials, saying Thom Tillis' possible U.S. Senate bid is making it difficult to push legislation.

"I was proud to vote for Thom Tillis to be the speaker again, when we got back up there this year," Pittman told a crowd of activists in a video posted online. "Because last session, he was great. ... But, now he's running for U.S. Senate, or planning to, things have changed.

"They tell us all the time about how bad it was when they were in the minority and the Democratic leadership wouldn't let them get their bills moved or anything. Well now the constitutional conservatives, the Republican part of the House, knows what that's like." (See video above, starting at 11 minute mark.)

A Tillis spokesman said the claim is "inaccurate" and emphasized that the speaker has not made a decision about whether he would challenge Democrat Kay Hagan in 2014. UPDATED: Tillis wouldn't talk about Pittman's remarks. "I disagree with Rep. Pittman and that's my only comment," he said.

Pittman, a Concord lawmaker in his second term, said the speaker's office pressured Rep. Carl Ford to drop a resolution he sponsored that asserted North Carolina's right to establish its own religion. Tillis declared the bill dead shortly after it was introduced. "Carl was told very plainly you will withdraw this ... if you want any of your other bills passed," Pittman said. "That's exactly what he was told."

House Speaker Thom Tillis is a lame-duck lawmaker but he's busy raising money, which surely fuels speculation that he is getting closer to a possible U.S. Senate run.

Tillis, a Republican, is holding a fundraiser May 6 at the Cardinal Club in Raleigh. Lt. Gov. Dan Forest is the special guest for the lunch-time event. Hosts are asked to donate $2,000 with individual tickets at $250, according to a copy of the invite. The money goes to the Committee to Elect Thom Tillis.

Hosts include John Kane, J. Patrick Gavaghan, Gene Minton and Harry Smith. Sponsors (at the $1,000 level) are Elbert Boyd, Dean Proctor and John Stone.

Gov. Pat McCrory helped the speaker raise money earlier this year. Tillis, whose self-imposed term limits make this his final two-year session, said he is considering a bid against Democrat Kay Hagan in 2014.

State lawmakers can raise money during session but can't accept contributions from political action committees.