Wayne Goodwin has filed a scathing complaint with the state board of elections that attacks his opponent in the race to become N.C. Insurance Commissioner.
Goodwin, the Democratic incumbent, claims wide-ranging violations of campaign finance law related to Republican Mike Causey’s campaign, with four main allegations:
• Causey has not filed campaign reports electronically, as required of statewide candidates receiving or spending more than $5,000;
• A “reverse raffle” that skirted state law governing nonprofits may have been held;
• There was an alleged failure to provide the “paid for by” disclaimer required on political ads, and non-reporting of ads that qualify as an in-kind contribution, that were allegedly placed in a trade publication called Collision Expert at no cost to Causey;
• Collision Expert, to which Causey is a contributor, also allegedly ran articles supportive of the campaign that could be construed as advertisements.
If Causey “were a first-time candidate for political office in North Carolina, then I could more readily understand this situation,” Goodwin said in the report. He is, however, “a frequent candidate for state office.”
Asked about the allegations, Causey brushed them away as off base and said his opponent is making much ado about very little -- he also pointed out that he ran previously for Insurance Commissioner "when no one else would step up and run" and hasn't sought public office for a decade.
“It seems like the commissioner would have something better to do with his time,” Causey said of Goodwin, who is the Democratic incumbent. “I was amazed at the length in which the commissioner went to make some pretty minor things seem huge.”
Causey said Thursday that he is mounting a formal response he will send to state elections chief Gary Bartlett, but offered a response to some of the complaints.
Causey said he was informed just a few days ago of the need to file future statements electronically rather than by paper, as candidates with less than $5,000 in donations are allowed.
He also said he knew little of a June reverse raffle that may have been organized on his behalf by supporters of the campaign, and is looking into that issue more.
To the questions related to Collision Expert, Causey said the magazine is a "mom and pop" operation based in Charlotte that he has contributed to since 2000. He deflected
"I didn't realize until the report that John Ogden (the magazine's publisher) had placed a couple ads that he paid for," Causey said. "Since the commissioner brought it to my attention, I was told the total value was $1,020. ... I plan an addendum to my last campaign finance report."
Goodwin wants Bartlett and the state elections board to consider his claims at its Aug. 7 meeting.
Comments
Why is nobody asking these questions?
August 5, 2012 - 10:40am — BusinessownersThen why do so few carriers write in this state?
How come many of the discounts in other states don't apply here??
Why does blue cross own 85% of the marketshare? And just this week they are asking for a 9% increase!
Why does the DOI ignore concerns from the people of North Carolina. Why are they so slow to react? And the DOI only gets involved after numerous appeals.
Why do our workers comp rates keep so many business from coming to our great state? Goodyear tire plant wanted to leave over them!
Why do only 7 companies write east of 95?
After failing to win the labor seat-- who hired you to the DOI when you had no insurance experience?
You are sending emails to every insurance agent asking them to pay money to your campaign... Why are you using state access and abusing your position to obtain. They are NOT on-line.
Why are you meeting lobbyists out of state to get money for your campaign?
Why is nationwide your biggest contributor and this is their largest and most profitable state?
A good job from where I stand
August 3, 2012 - 12:25pm — Tower1All I know is this; my car insurance rates are much lower than any of my friends from out of state, it seems like every day there is something online about the Insurance Department arresting someone who had tried to take others money, and the firemen love Goodwin. Seems to me like he is doing a great job. I don't see where we need any change.
Actually, I believe it is Causey that won't debate Goodwin.
August 3, 2012 - 11:23am — SocratesNCYour post got me to thinking and to searching online and making some calls. Here's what I've found out and it debunks what you say. It appears that only James McCall, former Republican candidate for Commissioner of Insurance earlier this year, was willing to debate Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. The video of the Raleigh debate between Goodwin and McCall is online and has been for months. Causey refused to show up. And I hear Causey refused to speak up when there were legislative meetings on insurance issues and Goodwin was in attendance. Mike Causey has been afraid to debate Goodwin, perhaps because it is actually Causey that is afraid of certain questions will come up again that arose when he ran in 1992 and 1996 and 2000. I also hear he remained mute during legislative meetings about car insurance and coastal insurance, though Causey has promised folks in Dare County that he'll lower coastal insurance by raising rates on everybody else in the state. And by the way, Causey is not just a farmer. He's worked for the insurance industry for decades and worked as a paid lobbyist for another decade for special interests. Though he is running a farmers' market, he has and continues to publish articles on insurance for special interest magazines. Causey says he worked for consumers but when are body shops, glass repair shops, insurance companies, and so forth working for consumers? Goodwin is not just a lawyer. Goodwin is an experienced, independent expert who has been Assistant Commissioner and Commissioner, and he's got a record of saving people over a billion dollars, and who has spent his professional and private life fighting insurance companies, fighting for fairness.
oh yeah
August 3, 2012 - 10:44am — boythetruthhurtsHey goodwin, how about your wife's sweet deal appointment by your friend Gov Bev? Working out of the same state building and DOI? Geez, even Easley had his wife set up with a sweet deal in a neighboring city and different branch. The word is out on you and the good old boys. You have lulled yourself into thinking because you are a lawyer and connected, you can fool everybody. Plenty of politicians and cronies are being unmasked and defrocked. Every month in NC. You can read it here. In my opinion, NC is second only to Louisiana in crookedness. And its not just Dems, there's plenty on both sides.
Why dont you debate Causey? Are you scared? Youre an attorney. He's a farmer. Should be easy. Or do you not want some painful questions asked of you?
big deal
August 3, 2012 - 10:29am — boythetruthhurtsYes, the commissioner has much more to do than elaborate complaints about petty issues.
Causey said he would make the necessary corrections. Lets see if he does. It looks to me like there was no intent of wtongdoing. If he does what he says then he is doing more than w;hat goodwin has done in recent weeks.
goodwin's dept is rife with laziness and corruption. Since Jim Long passed goodwin the torch, problems have worsened to the point of near paralysis. There is mucho outsourcing going on because the 430 plus employees can't or won't do their jobs. The whole agency is dysfunctional. It is costing the taxpayers and licensees money because the dept of ins cant do its job effectively or efficiently.
At this point, ANY change would be good change for the dept. And if you go back and look at some of goodwins campaign reports, you will find letters back and forth from the bd of elections regarding simple corrections. Aint that right wayne? Wash your own windows first bub!
This complaint will be a bump in the road, but perceived by the public and those who follow as crybaby tactics. And it tells me that goodwin is worried.
Causey's response raises more questions
August 3, 2012 - 9:42am — SocratesNCDoes Mike Causey believe his not reporting campaign contributions and not reporting campaign expenses are trifle or minor? That's what he said to the reporter. Laws exist for a reason. And in elections, whether somebody is a Repub or a Demo or Tea Party or whatever, not paying for ads and not reporting expenses is a big no-no.
I checked out Mike Causey's political activity on the State Board of Elections website. Mr. Causey says he hasn't run for office in 10 years. But he has apparently run for the same statewide office four times over the last 20 years and has had an active campaign committee at the Board of Elections throughout. And he was a paid lobbyist at the legislature for years. For him to say he doesn't know the rules is laughable. And he's his own campaign Treasurer. Doesn't a Treasurer have certain legal obligations before filing official reports? You betcha.
Then in Causey's reply he says "he knew little" about a campaign raffle that may have been organized by supporters of his campaign. He pleads ignorance on the subject ... but I saw an exhibit in the online complaint where it is his candidate campaign committee itself organizing the raffle and promoting the raffle. He's the candidate. He's the treasurer. He's the committee. And he was planning to attend the event. To say "others" may be responsible, raises an eyebrow. The buck stops with him. To blame "others" is passing the buck, while he's trying raise some bucks.
Then there is Mike Causey's assertion that the magazine publisher placed campaign ads for him in the magazine and Causey didn't know about it. Uh, isn't that illegal when the ads themselves say "Paid for by Causey for Insurance Commissioner"? If it's not illegal, then it sure violates the spirit of the law. I'm pretty sure the full complaint online says that Causey is a contributing editor for the magazine, not just some innocent bystander. Surely he reads the magazine that he's an editor for and a columnist for ... For him to basically say "I didn't know about it" is very fishy. And, if he didn't authorize the ads, then why didn't he tell the publisher to stop? And, ... how can Causey not know about these ads when they include ads he ran elsewhere? The ads include him or his campaign committee asking for volunteers and paid staff and votes and dollars ....
And then to say that all of those statewide magazine ads only cost together a grand total of $1,020 ... Hmm. Does that magazine's publisher charge such an amount to all the other listed advertisers which include some big corporate accounts? Maybe Mike Causey is getting a special deal (another unreported contribution?) since he has been writing for the car body shop magazine for more than 10 years. If he believes all those ads going out to many thousands of people every month are only $1,020 total in cost, then surely he's overlooking all the other ads for him that did not say who paid for them.
Mike Causey's response raises many more questions. I hope the State Board of Elections looks into this very quickly before the election is over.