Jim Black

Sinsheimer: Indictments will continue

DavidIngram — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:13:40 -0400

Joe Sinsheimer says more change is needed at the General Assembly.

The former Democratic campaign consultant released a statement Wednesday on the conviction of former state Rep. Thomas Wright. Sinsheimer filed the initial complaint against the Wilmington Democrat in December 2006 with the State Board of Elections.

Here's his statement:

Thomas Wright's latest felony conviction is a sad end to a once promising political career.
Wright seems to have been undone by the same toxic combination of arrogance, hubris and greed that led to the downfall of former Speaker Jim Black. The indictments and convictions will continue until either the leadership of the General Assembly decides to change the culture of the institution or voters adopt a 'throw-the-bums-out' mentality.
Neither seems imminent, although both would be welcome.

Several lawmakers are subjects of ongoing investigations. The State Board of Elections is investigating a complaint about Sen. Julia Boseman, a Wilmington Democrat, and it has been reviewing the campaign finances of several Mecklenburg County Democrats in response to an investigation by The Charlotte Observer.

The House of Representatives voted in March to expel Wright from office, the first expulsion since the 19th century.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated whether any lawmakers are under investigation.

Wright jury selection begins

bniolet — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:49:52 -0400

Jury selection has begun in the second criminal trial of former state Rep. Thomas Wright.

The Wilmington Democrat is charged with obstruction of justice for failing to disclose more than $100,000 in campaign contributions, David Ingram reports. He was convicted in April of three separate charges related to financial improprieties.

A former top ally of then House Speaker Jim Black, Wright was once among the most powerful members of the House.

Judge Donald Stephens on Monday denied a motion from Wright's lawyer to dismiss the obstruction of justice charge. Wright's lawyer Doug Harris of Greensboro had argued that obstruction of justice must involve an inquiry by investigators in the criminal justice system. But Stephens ruled that the charge can cover the state Board of Elections' campaign finance requirements.

Opening statements could start as early as today.

Ranking shows shuffle among lobbyists

DavidIngram — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0400

A new ranking says Raleigh has a new top lobbyist. It also says that some lobbyists' influence has been shaped by ethics investigations and a fight over a real estate transfer tax.

The N.C. Center for Public Policy Research released its biannual ranking Thursday of the most influential lobbyists in the state capital. The ranking is based on a survey of legislators, lobbyists and capital journalists following the 2007 long session of the General Assembly.

Roger Bone ranked No. 1, after seven previous surveys had ranked him No. 2 or 3. His wide variety of clients includes Lorillard Tobacco Co., the N.C. Association of Long Term Care Facilities and the Save our Summers group.

Rounding out the top five: John McMillan, John Bode, Franklin Freeman and Zeb Alley.

Previous No. 1 Don Beason fell to No. 35, following revelations about a series of $500,000 transactions between him and former House Speaker Jim Black. Beason later resigned his clients. Black, a Democrat, is in prison on unrelated corruption convictions.

Bob Hall, who filed the original complaint against Black with the State Board of Elections, saw his ranking jump from 49th to 19th for his work with Democracy North Carolina.

Also seeing their rankings rise: Tim Kent (11th), Rick Zechini (12th), Paul Meyer (25th) and Jim Blackburn (31st). All were involved in the fight over a tax on real estate transfers.

Be the Pundit: McCrory's bad timing

ryanteaguebeckwith — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 11:14:28 -0400

Pat McCrory would be the first Republican governor since 1993 ... if he'd run in 2012.

That's the take of regular Dome reader Lee P., the first entrant in our "You Are the Pundit" contest. Here's the rest of his analysis on the gubernatorial race:

McCrory's seven terms as mayor make him eminently qualified.

The Queen City is consistently ranked one of the best places to live. His light rail project is successful, and ground's been broken on the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Despite Democratic misinformation, Charlotte doesn't have the state's highest taxes. And unlike his rival, he has a viable solution for rising gas prices.

Republicans have their most exciting gubernatorial candidate in years, but it may not be enough.

McCrory's opponent, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, is a classic Raleigh insider and the right-hand woman to Gov. Mike Easley since 2000. She embodies everything McCrory is running against. Voters are outraged over $60 cheeseburgers and embarrassing public displays, and the trials (no pun intended) of disgraced House Speaker Jim Black and expelled Rep. Thomas Wright.

Still, McCrory couldn't have picked a worse year.

If he loses, it won't be because he's from Charlotte, or North Carolina prefers Democratic governors, or Perdue has better name recognition. The odds are against him because of Barack Obama. Democratic turnout, especially among African-American voters, will shatter records.

This is terrible news for down-ballot Republicans, even a candidate as good as McCrory.

Disagree? Send your take to dome@newsobserver.com.

Hackney: I didn't cut off debate

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:40:55 -0400

House Speaker Joe Hackney said he did not cut off debate.

At a press conference today, the Chapel Hill Democrat said he personally strived to let the Republican minority have its say on bills.

"The few times debate was cut off these two years, it was a vote of the members of the House to cut it off, which is of course in the rules," he said.

Earlier, House Minority Leader Paul Stam complained about those few times, though he noted that it was much higher under disgraced former Speaker Jim Black. Hackney said he recalled past cutoffs, especially when Republicans were in charge in the late 1990s.

"I know there was one or two years there when debate was cut off a couple hundred times, because I kept count," he said. "I resolved then that if I ever got in a position to do something about it, that I wasn't going to do it that way."

He noted that there were some times when a House Democrat wanted to end debate early and he did not recognize the motion.

"In the last 25 years of cutting off debate, we're in the top one," he said.

Stam gives session mixed grades

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:32:14 -0400

House Minority Leader Paul Stam gives the session a mixed report card.

The Apex Republican said he was satisfied with his party's ability to block objectionable bills, though he wishes that more of it's bills got a chance to be heard. His grades:

Stopping Bills: A. Stam was glad that minority Republicans were able to block a tax on small businesses to pay for a high-risk insurance pool and a bullying bill that included references to sexual orientation as well as several proposed tax rate increases.

"Basically, they were unwilling to pass any new taxes because we had the votes," he said.

Passing Bills: D. He was upset that Democrats didn't allow a constitutional amendment to limit eminent domain and a tax credit for special-needs children to attend private school or be home-schooled to be voted on.

"They just don't bring our bills up for a vote," he said.

Legislative Process: B+. Stam said that about seven times this session the Democratic leadership called for a vote on a bill or amendment without a debate, including major votes such as the 2007 state budget and bills on the death penalty.

"Under (disgraced former Speaker) Jim Black, that would have happened about 70 times," he said. "There's been a vast improvement but the majority is still using its ability to stifle debate."

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated two pieces of legislation.

Most Read: On spending, more or less

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:37:41 -0400

State spending was in the news this week.

The most-read posts on Under the Dome from last Sunday to noon today included gatherings with the contradictory goals of cutting spending and boosting state worker pay. Also, both state budget writers and an imprisoned legislator have less to spend.

1. Take Back Our State: More than 1,000 activists rally in front of the legislature to hear Bob Dole tell jokes and Pat McCrory keep the beat. But no rim shots.

2. Give Back Our Raises: More than 200 state workers rally at — wait for it — the legislature to ask for a 3 percent raise in the state budget. Talk about the beat of a different drummer.

3. Hands Off Our Pension: Meanwhile, a group representing state workers spends some of their money on a full-page ad in the N&O. Dome stays employed for another week.

4. Cut Back Our Spending: The taxman tells lawmakers they'll have $70 million less to spend. Good news for those at No. 1 above, bad news for those at No. 2?

5. Cut Back My Spending: Disgraced former House speaker Jim Black pays a $1 million fine for taking cash in bathrooms. He'll have to cut back at the prison commissary.

Black pays $1 million fine

bkrueger — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:34:17 -0400

Former N.C. House Speaker Jim Black has paid a $1 million fine days before a court-ordered deadline, his lawyers announced Thursday.

The Matthews Democrat is in federal prison in Pennsylvania after being convicted of accepting illegal payments from campaign contributors, mostly in cash handed over in men's bathrooms.

In a release, attorney Allen Powell said Black paid the fine to the school system in Wake County, where he was convicted, reports Jim Morrill and David Ingram.

"I always intended to leave a portion of my estate to help secure the enhancement of North Carolina's public educational system," Black said in a statement. "And while this payment comes a bit premature, I gladly give it knowing that North Carolina's children will be the beneficiaries."

The fine was originally due last year. But his attorneys argued that Black was unable to sell real estate at a fair market value. A Superior Court judge then set a July 1 deadline, with one condition: Black had to put up property as a guarantee.

He chose his former optometry uptown office, valued for tax purposes at $1.2 million. The judge wrote that the property could be sold at foreclosure if needed.

It's unclear where Black got the million dollars. Mecklenburg property records indicated he still owns the uptown property. Powell could not be reached late Thursday.

"The only legacy that Jim Black will leave the state of North Carolina is one of political corruption and personal shame," said Joe Sinsheimer, a former Democratic campaign consultant who has criticized Black.

Black is due for release in 2012.

Another Black provision to be cut?

bkrueger — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:53:42 -0400

Former House Speaker Jim Black’s controversial program to help children get screened for vision problems appears to be going out with a whimper.

The state budget proposals of the House and Gov. Mike Easley would eliminate the remaining $500,000 in funding for the program, reports Dan Kane. Easley’s budget proposal said the program drew little use in the two years since its creation.

The vision care program began as a mandate on parents to have their children seen by an optometrist before they entered kindergarten. The requirement caused an uproar after Black wrote it into the 2005 budget.

Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, was an optometrist and his colleagues were a key source for political contributions. One of the scandals that eventually led to his downfall involved optometrists writing campaign contribution checks with the payee line blank so that Black and others could determine who they should go to.

More after the jump.

Who Beason's clients have hired

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:08:57 -0400

What happened to Don Beason's clients?

When the once-top lobbyist resigned his practice last year over a shady loan to House Speaker Jim Black, his lucrative list of clients was up for grabs.

By Dome's count, seven of the 16 clients did nothing. BB&T, Cingular Wireless, Albemarle Mental Health Center, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Sigma Corp., the Association of Settlement Companies, and the Carolina Ballet have no registered lobbyists during the current session.

That may be because they don't face any pending bills in a short session devoted to the budget.

Three clients still employ Beason's son, Mark, along with other lobbyists: The Association of Health Information Outsourcing Services, AT&T North Carolina and S&M Brands.

Two clients, the city of Hickory and Catawba County, went with a new team of Jack Cozort, Kevin Leonard and noted lobbyist Alexander "Sandy" Sands.

Among the other top clients, Progress Energy went with noted lobbyist Zeb Alley, John Bode and Kathy Hawkins; while IBM went with former lieutenant governor Dennis Wicker and a team of eight lobbyists. Colonial Life Insurance hired Glenn Jernigan and the N.C. Railroad Co. hired Michelle Frazier and John McMillan.