Paris

Anti-McCrory mailer also up for award

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:29:55 -0500

A mailer from the governor's race is also up for a national award.

The piece, called "Big Perks," attacked Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory for accepting a free trip to Paris while mayor of Charlotte.

"You could win a free trip to Paris..." the front of the mailer says, featuring a lottery ticket that says "Big Perks" on it. The back reveals the punchline: "...If your name is Pat McCrory."

The mailer is one of the finalists in Politics magazine's Reed Awards. It was produced by Thomas Mills Communications, which has offices in Carrboro and Washington, D.C.

Two North Carolina TV ads from last year for Rep. Walter Jones and against Sen. Elizabeth Dole have also been nominated.

Claims Dept: McCrory's Paris trip

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:12:31 -0400

The Alliance for North Carolina, a Democratic group funded by the National Education Association, the Democratic Governors Association and the Service Employees International Union, is airing a TV ad attacking Republican gubernatorial nominee Pat McCrory's record.

What it says: The ad shows blue-collar workers, the Eiffel Tower and piles of cash alongside pictures of McCrory. "Will Pat McCrory’s policies move North Carolina forward? Pat McCrory opposes raising the minimum wage for North Carolina workers, but McCrory supports pay raises for politicians, including himself. And Pat McCrory supports more perks for politicians. He even accepted free travel to Paris for himself and his wife. Call Pat McCrory. Tell him North Carolina needs higher wages and more jobs, not perks for politicians. Go to alliancefornorthcarolina.com and read our economic plan to keep North Carolina on the move." At one point, the text on the screen reads: "Pat McCrory Opposes Raising the State Minimum Wage Without Conditions."

The background: Seeking to boost its trans-Atlantic business, U.S. Airways added nonstop flights from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Paris in 2000.

Then-Gov. Jim Hunt used the occasion to lead an 11-day trade mission to France and Germany with 31 other state officials, including Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and his wife, Ann.

The airline paid for Hunt, a state trooper and the McCrorys to fly first-class to Paris. The mayor and his wife then paid their own way to Italy for a vacation, and the airline flew them back from Rome to Charlotte for free.

At the time, McCrory noted that the return flight from Rome was the same value as the trip over to Paris, so his vacation did not add any additional cost.

The state paid for airfare, lodging and meals for state officials who accompanied Hunt and McCrory. The Carolinas Partnership, an economic development agency in Eastern North Carolina, paid for members of the business community on the trade mission. Two state legislators on the trip paid their own way.

McCrory has made broad statements of opposition to the minimum wage as recently as May, but he has recently said that he would support an increase if coupled with tax breaks for small businesses or tied to increases in the cost of living.

The Charlotte mayor does not typically vote on the city budget, which includes pay raises, but he can veto it. If he does, it takes seven out of 11 votes from the City Council to override his veto.

In 1998, McCrory broke a tie, voting with the City Council's Republicans to overturn a pay raise for city leaders that would have boosted his own salary by several thousand dollars.

This year, the City Council narrowly approved a pay raise for members and the mayor. McCrory did not make any public statements on the raise and did not veto the budget, but his campaign staff said recently that he opposed it.

Is the ad accurate? Mostly. The narration overstates McCrory's current position on the minimum wage, although the text on the screen correctly notes he would add conditions. The ad overstates McCrory's support for pay raises for city officials. McCrory did accept free tickets to Paris.

McCrory's free trip to Paris

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:12:42 -0400

Pat McCrory and his wife flew to Paris in 2000 with tickets given by an airline.

A recent TV ad by the Alliance for North Carolina notes that the Republican gubernatorial candidate "accepted free travel to Paris for himself and his wife," citing a April 14, 2000, story in the Charlotte Observer.

The article notes that the McCrorys flew first-class to Paris compliments of U.S. Airways for a two-week trip that combined a trade mission to France and Germany with a vacation.

The couple then paid for their own tickets to Italy for a vacation, and the airline paid for their flight back from Italy. McCrory noted in the article that the return flight would have cost the same whether it was from Rome or Paris.

He was not the only public official to get the perk. U.S. Airways also flew then-Gov. Jim Hunt and a state trooper to France for the trade mission for free. Expenses for other state officials on the trip were paid for by the state.

"This trip was not a frivolous use of taxpayer dollars (i.e. there were no limos or $60 hamburgers for Gov. Hunt, Mayor McCrory, or their spouses) and it was approved by the city attorney," noted McCrory spokeswoman Amy Auth in an e-mail to Dome. "Every one of Pat's travel records were released to the media during his tenure as mayor."