N.C. House and Senate budget negotiators have repeatedly said that joint meetings are public.
They had such a joint meeting this morning. But when a News & Observer reporter tried to enter, they kicked him out.
Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat, could not cite a reason under the public meetings law as to why a reporter would be excluded. But he said the meeting had nothing to do with the budget, reports Dan Kane.
"Because we were just hearing a report from staff," Rand said. "It had nothing to do with negotiations."
He said the report was an "economic briefing."
What did it say?
"We're not sure."
Why can't a reporter listen to that?
"Because we're trying to determine if there's something we want to do," Rand said. "I mean, that was just a staff thing."
Related to the budget?
"Related to anything."
Budget negotiators were the only ones attending. A brief glimpse into the meeting showed Dan Gerlach, senior budget adviser to Gov. Mike Easley, and legislative fiscal staff addressing the lawmakers.
Gerlach left several minutes later.
What were they meeting about?
"Talking about the budget," Gerlach said as he walked away.
After the meeting broke up, Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat and the House's chief budget writer, said his team had nothing to do with the decision to close the meeting.
"They ran you out of there," he said of the Senate budget negotiators. "That was their meeting. It wasn't mine."
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ElectriCities
We all keep asking Why? Senator Martin Nesbitt and Rep. Dan Blue got big PAC checks from ElectriCities and pushed legislation. Why? They have no electric city in their district.
ElectriCities refuses to answer questions about their new 14% rate increase effective in August. Why? Because they want everyone to believe it is all fuel costs even though they have told their cities it is a combination of fuel costs and CEO mismanagement of a refinancing of the $3 billion eastern debt which is costing 5% of the rate increase. Why?
The press helps them cover and pretends it is fuel costs. Why?
They are meeting today and refuse to answer even though it is public money and a public meeting. Why?
Why do we all allow people to behave this way when their job is to represent us?