The scandal in Raleigh – NC Policy Watch

Response: This is a very good article.

The biggest political story in Raleigh this week has not been the debates between the candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for governor. It has been the troubles at the N.C. Democratic Party.

Executive Director Jay Parmley resigned Saturday after news accounts that the party had paid a former staff member as part of a settlement over sexual harassment charges against Parmley. (More)

See related:

David Parker, chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party, continued to resist calls for his resignation Wednesday and said he would call a referendum on his job at a meeting June 17

Democratic Party of North Carolina

SPINCycle for August 19, 2010

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Welcome to this week`s edition of SPINCycle.

This week depending on where you tune in, two different programs will air.  Due to some mix up’s, WRAL and WFMY did not air our special edition of NC SPIN last week which included a discussion between Reverend William Barber and John Tedesco regarding school assignment and student achievement.  This show also included regular panelists John Hood and Chris Fitzsimon.  This show is too important for you to miss, so we have asked them to air it this week.

All other stations will air a program where we will talk about the investigation into the State Bureau of Investigation, look at November’s elections to tell you what to expect, talk about the recently released end of grade test scores to see if real progress is being made and ask our panel whether all this stimulus money has really helped North Carolina.  This program will include political consultant, Brad Crone; Chris Fitzsimon, Director of NC Policy Watch; John Hood, President of the John Locke Foundation and former House Speaker, Joe Mavretic.  This show will be moderated by Tom Campbell.

Both of these shows can also be viewed and heard by visiting our website www.ncspin.com where you can either hear the radio version or video stream the show.

Tom Campbell`s Spin
It is time for adults to resolve the dispute about school assignment plans.  Read this week’s column “School Assignment”.

Heard on the Street

Attorney General Facing Mounting Legislative Pressure
Will Roy Cooper be able to put his finger in the dike to protect the tarnished SBI Crime Lab?  There’s mounting pressure from a coalition of legislators to move the SBI Crime Lab out from under the supervision of the Attorney General and put it in an independent office such as a Special Superior Court Judge at the Administrative Office of the Courts.  Powerful Representative Mickey Michaux has fired the warning shot – noting that the Black Legislative Caucus and liberal Democrats are demanding accountability. Cooper is already smarting from his bitter legislative fight with the same group over DNA Testing.  The Black Legislative Caucus and the liberal Democrats are using the negative press about the sloppy results at the SBI Crime Lab as further evidence to show the SBI can’t be trusted to handle DNA evidence obtained from suspects facing minor charges – not to mention major felony cases including murder suspects.

It’s unlikely that Cooper will win the fight to keep the labs under his supervision, Cooper will have bigger fish to fry – trying to repair his reputation and protect his political flank from a potential run by Republican U.S. George Holding, who wore out the SBI and Attorney General in press clipping last week. That was the opening shot in the 2012 Campaign. We understand that Holding is being recruited by the GOP to challenge Cooper and point to his record of fighting corruption in state government, sending Democrats and Republicans to federal prison.

We Stand Corrected
Heard on the Street incorrectly reported last week that Capstrat had done business with the Governor’s Highway Safety Program on their seat belt safety campaigns and drunk driving enforcement efforts. That’s not the case we have been told by officials at DOT. We apologize. We also learned that Capstrat has represented the Health and Wellness Trust Fund on their anti-smoking initiatives.

The story remains that Democratic legislators are asking state contractors to raise money after the Democrats blocked efforts to pass ethics reform legislation that prohibits candidates for the General Assembly and state offices to solicit campaign cash from people who do business with the state.

Heard on the Street understands GOP Senator Phil Berger said he would support a special session of the Legislature to pass the bill if the Democratic Leadership in the State House and Senate would make the call.

Alice Garland the Heads Up Favorite to Assume Lottery Job
Who’s going to replace Tom Shaheen, the outgoing lottery director who resigned this week, to take a job in the video lottery terminal business?  Shaheen is leaving his $247,000 a year job that he’s held for nearly five years to work for a lottery vendor who wants to sell lottery tickets through machines like an ATM.

Will Shaheen get into the the video gaming business?

Who’s going to replace Shaheen?  It looks like Alice Garland, a fixture in Democrat politics and public affairs, will be the lead candidate for the job. Garland is former head of PR for Electricities and is married to Johnston County native Mike Davis, who is one of the top Democratic political consultants in the state.  Garland is well connected and we hear she has done a tremendous job at the lottery, serving as a good in-state foundation for Shaheen, who came to the state from the New Mexico Lottery.

Garland would be a good fit, she has the experience and understands the state’s politics and with four years experience at the Lottery, understands the gaming business. She would enable the state to have a ‘home grown’ candidate.

GOP Senate Caucus Makes a Haul in Western North Carolina
There’s parity in the fundraising fight for the N.C. Senate and that’s something of a first. We heard earlier this week that Senator Phil Berger and a number of Western Senators and Senate candidates were on the stump raising money in the mountains. Heard on the Street was told the GOP Senate Caucus took out more than $150,000 out of the hills to fund competitive senate elections.

All eyes remain on a few seats:

            Boseman – Wilmington

            Albertson – Duplin, Sampson, Lenoir

            Snow – Cherokee

            Forriest – Burlington

            Davis – Greenville

            Dickson – Fayetteville

            Soles – Columbus / Brunswick Counties

            Queen / NW Mountains

            Goss / NW Mountains

GOP campaign operatives are telling us they think there will be some will be some surprises.  The Republicans are pushing the theme that State Government Is Broken and it’s gaining traction.

Meanwhile-Jim Hunt back on the Trail
With Governor Bev Perdue’s numbers in the tank, Democrats are calling out former Governor Jim Hunt to help.  Hunt is hosting a series of fundraisers to help Sen. Basnight and Sen. Martin Nesbitt. He is also headed to Lexington next week to help House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman.  We hear Hunt is scheduled to help State Rep’s Van Braxton and Randy Stewart as well with special efforts targeted to the business community.

Hunt is talking about education – surprised? Hunt is making the pitch that the state has to invest in public education and work on improving our public schools performance to educate the next generation so that they kids growing up will be able to compete in a competitive global market.

A New BOE Report on Perdue’s Plane Flights
We hear that the State Board of Elections will be seeing a new report from Kimberly Strach on the Bev Perdue Flightgate story. It’s reported to us that Strach has updated her report with additional information and new interviews including statements given to her from Perdue’s campaign accountant, Dunn Mayor Oscar Harris, a prominent CPA in Harnett County.

One of the key findings – there was no computer glitch, the staff just didn’t know how to reconcile the computer programming to the scheduling information. One set of records was kept the old fashioned way – in a ledger notebook.

Democrats Coordinating Field Efforts
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx; former U.S. Senate Candidate Cal Cunningham and former DOT Board Member, Nina Slozberg are heading up the coordinated campaign effort for the Democrats this fall. Chairman David Young has been relegated to the back seat because of the internal grumbling about his low-profile performance and the lack of any type of aggressive communication effort coming out of the Goodwin House.

The Democrats are hosting a huge party in Raleigh next Thursday, August 26 at the home of Bruce and Heather Thompson on Stratford Court featuring NC Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Lt. Governor Walter Dalton. Among the top dollar donors.

Water Forum report
We continue to make plans for the NC SPIN Water seminar which will be held October 12^th.  The keynote speaker for the event will be Dr. David Moreau, former chair of the NC Environmental Management Commission and Professor Water Resources & Environment at UNC-CH. Moreau will provide statistics and information about current water conditions, availability, supply and demand. The luncheon speaker for the event will be Norris Tolson, President of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. A series of panel discussions on relevant topics is being developed and there will be ample opportunity for audience input. For more information, including sponsorship details, contact us at (919) 832-1416 or contactus@ncspin.com.

Until next week, watch out for the SPIN!

Claire Cox-Woodlief, Editor
Tom Campbell, Publisher
contactus@ncspin.com
www.ncblogger.com
www.ncspin.com
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SPINCycle for April 1, 2010

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Welcome to this week`s edition of SPINCycle.

Welcome to our Easter edition of SPINCycle. This week we’ll ask our panel to talk about North Carolina not getting a gold, silver or bronze medal in the race to the top funding, about Governor Perdue under the microscope, a 65 billion dollar shortfall in transportation funding and a close vote to continue the ban on terminal groins along our coast.

The panel includes: former legislator, Gene Arnold; Chris Fitzsimon, Director of NC Policy Watch, John Hood, President of the John Locke Foundation and Cash Michaels, columnist with the Wilmington Journal.  Tom Campbell will moderate the discussion.

Tom Campbell`s Spin
With March Madness about to conclude, we need to look at the process that produces these teams.  Read this week’s column “Basketball Factories”.

Heard on the Street

Happy April Fool`s Day
Used to be people took great joy in playing April Fool`s jokes on others. Have we lost our senses of humor? Seems like everyone is too pinched up and serious today, but we couldn`t help but chuckle at the big one Carolina Journal published this morning. We won`t spoil the fun for you but a visit to their site should make it obvious.

March Madness
Even as tulips burst into full bloom, the colors of Easter make our vistas beautiful and temperatures soar into the 80`s, we are not through with basketball. UNC will try to salvage their season with a win in the NIT finals tonight while Duke plays in the Final Four Saturday.

Much as we love college basketball, we also recognize how college sports have gotten out of control. Yes, they produce millions for their schools and are great sources of pride for fans, but things are greatly out of kilter when the head basketball coach makes more than the brightest and best professors. What business are these schools in? By the way, our interview with former UNC President Bill Friday offers some good insights into college sports. The first part of this special 600^th edition show airs next week on NC SPIN.

The most damming thing we`ve seen about college sports is the graduation rates of basketball players in last year`s NCAA tournament. There are some schools, like Wake Forest, Carolina and Duke who graduate a very acceptable percentage of their basketball players, but too many don`t. Few are the schools that graduate 70 percent of their black students. Read the report to see who does and doesn`t graduate acceptable numbers of students. Only 1 in 100 will ever play pro ball, so these kids who have worked so hard will find themselves with no degree and no pro career after having made millions for their college. Read more about this in this week`s My SPIN, “Basketball Factories.”

Tough times in government
These are hard days. Unemployment is hanging at the 11 percent level, causing havoc in retail, automotive and home sales.  Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools are talking seriously about laying off 600 teachers. Durham Schools are giving teachers a choice between furloughs and layoffs. Most every government, with the exception of the Town of Cary, is dealing with deficits. And the state will have to address this issue when the legislature comes back to Raleigh next month. We reported last week that a big layoff of state employees looks likely.

Lost race to the top
North Carolina learned this week we did not get funding in the first round of the Race to the Top funding from the federal government. There is widespread speculation that part of the reason for this involves our cap on charter schools. Tennessee, which also had a cap, has relaxed theirs and they secured 500 million. Senator Larry Shaw says this will be a priority for him when the short session convenes in May. President Obama has made it clear he wants alternatives for parents over failing schools. For more discussion on this topic, be sure to catch this week`s NC SPIN.

Memo to State: Offshore drilling coming, ready or not
Governor Perdue was upset that she hadn`t been informed about President Obama`s planned announcement about offshore drilling until the night before it was made. We were informed before President Bush left office that the moratorium on offshore drilling was being rescinded and have had time to establish policies for our state. So far we have formed study committees and little else.

Obama announced offshore drilling might be located off the coast of Virginia. We couldn`t help but wonder if he was talking about the projected reserve of natural gas some 40 miles off the North Carolina Coast?

In our opinion, the President didn`t handle this well with regards to the states or even with Congress.

We have to play catch-up now, determining if we want to be players or not. At stake could be big revenues in licensing, perhaps revenue sharing, refineries and fleet services to support the drilling.

Testing program to change
The State Board of Education is formally agreeing that our state`s testing program is not working and is proposing changes in measuring accountability. The ABC program was designed to measure how well our teachers and our schools were teaching curriculum and how well our students were learning. We decided, foolishly, to design our own tests rather than use national tests. We reported to you several months ago that this was coming and will likely be later this summer before a formal replacement is adopted. The board might decide to have students take the SAT or ACT college entrance exam prior to graduation or WorkKeys, a test that measures readiness for the work force.

This Board of Education appears willing to consider reforms that might improve North Carolina`s schools.

Media bias
Charges of bias in the media have been around almost since the first publication came off the press. And they are true. Despite what anyone will tell you, everyone has prejudices depending on their age, sex, nationality, race and other factors. Try hard as you might, you cannot escape them, especially when you are charged with reporting the news. We try to be as objective as we can, but we won`t deny our biases.

We do get amused when publications get caught in their biases. Jon Ham in his Media Mangle column in Carolina Journal pokes at The News and Observer for blasting conservative Republicans but allowing liberals and Democrats off the hook. Worth reading.
Huckabee coming
Mike Huckabee was one of the more interesting and real persons on the campaign trail in 2008. He is coming to the Triangle April 22^nd to appear in the SAS Health Care & Life Sciences Executive Conference. Should be worth attending.

President coming to Charlotte
President Obama, still cheerleading his health reform plan, will come to Charlotte tomorrow. We are told he will face Tea Party activists who oppose his every breath. It is too much to hope that the event will be civil.

Orr writes the President
Bob Orr, former candidate for Governor, former Supreme Court Justice, head of the NC Institute for Constitutional Law and sometimes NC SPIN panelist, gets back on his soapbox on targeted tax incentives for corporations in our state. In a column in today`s Charlotte Observer, Orr asks the president to do something about the nationwide practice. Indeed, most have come to the conclusion that the only way to stop giveaways by states (and local governments) is to have Congress step in and declare them illegal.

Orr is right, to our way of thinking. We don`t have money to give teachers pay raises but we can give $400 million to a company to create 450 jobs. Our understanding is that a 1 percent pay increase amounts to about $110 million. Read his op ed piece.

Five weeks and counting
The Primary Elections are five weeks away. Incumbent Senator Richard Burr is making his move with voters. Expect him to go up on TV next week. None of the Democrats vying to run against him have the money to go on TV. The voters will go to the polls knowing little about the candidates. Best known, of course, is Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and most pundits pick her to lead the ticket. Even so, she doesn`t have a commanding lead over Cal Cunningham or Ken Lewis, both of whom are praying for a second place finish and a shot at a runoff election with Marshall in June. But without money, none can win against Burr. The DSCC may have pledged support for Cunningham but there was little money attached. He believes he will get the bucks if he makes the runoff.

But nobody else has any money either. Pickin`s are slim in the 2010 elections so far.

(Note to Campaign Media Buyers:  NC SPIN is a great value!  Contactus@ncspin.com for a media kit.)

Perdue still under the microscope
Last week we sounded support for Governor Perdue and the beating she is taking in the press, saying if someone had specific information about misdeeds by the governor they should come forward. This week GOP chair Tom Fetzer did exactly that, releasing information about Perdue appointees and campaign contributions to her campaign. We recant our support. There are sufficient questions to warrant more candor from the Governor.

We will have a good discussion on this week`s NC SPIN. Let us know how you come down on it.

Next week
We are brimming with excitement about our interview with former UNC President Bill Friday, conducted two weeks ago at the beautiful Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center on the Centennial Campus in Raleigh. We edited parts of this interview into two NC SPIN shows, the first of which will air next week, April 11^th. This is no hype, folks. This is some good TV. Bill Friday is candid, funny, humble and well worth hearing. Please plan to catch these shows. We will have a full DVD copy of the entire interview available for sale and will give more details about this next week.

Thanks to the Telegram
For some time The Raleigh Telegram has helped its 6,500 subscribers stream the NC SPIN videos each week. Randall Gregg and his team are producing a great online newspaper. We thank them and encourage you to take a read.

Become a fan on NC SPIN’s Facebook page, check out some pictures from our Evening with Bill Friday and join the discussion.

Until next week, watch out for the SPIN!

Claire Cox-Woodlief, Editor
Tom Campbell, Publisher
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www.ncblogger.com
www.ncspin.com

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Note: Can’t wait to hear more about the testing program to change. DCN Publisher

NC Spin This Week’s SPINCycle

—– Original Message —–

From: NC SPIN

To: cdancyii@embarqmail.com

Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2010 3:18 PM

Subject: SPINCycle for January 28, 2010

If you are having trouble reading this email, you may view the online version

Welcome to this week`s edition of SPINCycle.

Be sure to watch this week`s show as we discuss a momentous week and what it means for our state. Specifically we will address the indictment of former Governor Easley`s legal counsel, a court decision which is a game changer in politics, the fallout to our state from the Massachusetts special election and the highest unemployment numbers in 30 years. 

The panel includes: Chris Fitzsimon, Director of NC Policy Watch; Henry Hinton, Eastern North Carolina`s host of “Talk of the Town”; John Hood, President of the John Locke Foundation and former Lieutenant Governor, Dennis Wicker. Tom Campbell will moderate the discussion.

Tom Campbell`s Spin

Data supports a significant power shift in our state.  Don`t miss this week`s column “Shifting Power”.

Heard on the Street

Given the momentous news recent events, it was only natural that the street was buzzing this week. Forget the Carolina-State basketball game. We can`t even raise much interest in the impending winter storm that threatens to hit our state tomorrow night. (By the way one weather forecaster we know reportedly said that if he blew this prediction he might consider taking early retirement). No, the big buzz of the week centers on indictments and corruption.

What will Ruffin say?

As Ruffin Poole turns himself in to federal authorities, there is widespread speculation about his indictment last week. Why did the US Attorney choose to indict Poole first? Most believe they have already gotten Lanny Wilson and MacQueen Campbell to give them testimony, but Poole has not yet cooperated to the extent they want. His indictment was intended to get Poole to come forward with what he knows and who was involved in the actions he took. He will be given a chance to plea bargain a lesser sentence and fines, much as Jim Black was supposed to do.

Does this mean that the feds don`t have enough to indict former Governor Easley? Most of those we talked with this week believe they do, but that they want Poole`s testimony to add to the case they have against Easley. One way or another, most believe Easley will be indicted.

Look for more great conversation on this week`s NC SPIN.

What did Lanny say?

Even more buzz surrounds Wilmington developer Lanny Wilson, who resigned from both the DOT board and the Toll authority. What has Wilson told the feds? We know that he has been a fundraiser for Democrats up to and including current Governor Perdue. We understand he played a significant role in helping Democrats raise money in the 2008 election cycle. How far up the food chain does Wilson`s testimony go? Is there any correlation between Wilson`s resignation and the resignation of Perdue`s chief of staff Zach Ambrose on the same day?

It would be accurate to say that many current elected officials are worried about what Lanny Wilson has said to federal investigators. We understand that even though Wilson has agreed to cooperate with the investigations, no deals have been cut for him or Campbell.

What are the feds doing at DMV?

We hear that federal agents have expanded their investigation into the NC Department of Motor Vehicles. They are looking at service providers, contracts, hiring records, and license agency agreements. DMV employees are cooperating with the investigation. We are told to expect significant revelations to come from this investigation.

DA under investigation

We also learned this week that an incumbent District Attorney in Person/Caswell counties is under investigation by six SBI agents and may very well be indicted on charges related to indecent conduct. We understand the DA has or will soon announce his retirement from the post but if he is indicted stands to lose his judicial retirement.

Perdue`s new chief of staff

Even as Governor Perdue is vacationing in “a warm climate” a short list of candidates to become her new chief of staff is being vetted. It is inevitable some of the names on the list would be leaked. If accurate, there are some significant names under consideration that include Linda Hayes, current Secretary for the Department of Juvenile Justice; Phil Baddour, former legislator; Norris Tolson, current head of the NC Biotechnology Center; and Brynn Thomas, special assistant to the Governor.

Boliek opts out of Cumberland campaign

We recently reported that Dave Boliek, Jr. would challenge Margaret Dickson in a primary election to replace Tony Rand in Cumberland County. This week we received a press announcement saying he wouldn`t run against Dickson. Little else was said, leaving observers to fill in the blanks. Boliek still has the “itch” to run for public office, we hear, and his gesture was one to ensure party unity.

Judge Julia?

When Senator Julia Boseman leaves her state Senate post she is telling friends that she plans to run for a new District Court Judge position that will be opening up. The pay and retirement are certainly better than service in the legislature. Read the story in the Wilmington Star-News

Filing period opens February 8^th

In 10 days the filing window opens for candidates who wish to run in the 2010 elections. Political wonks will be watching closely who files and who doesn`t. If this cycle is like most, you can expect at least one surprise in a candidate opting not to file for re-election and you can also expect to be surprised at some who might file. Republicans have been conducting a major effort to recruit legitimate candidates in their quest to take over the Senate and the House. We should see the results of their efforts soon.

Voter registrations, coupled with population shifts, point to a real shift of power in this state. Read more in My Spin.

What is Nick Mackey doing?

We have spilled lots of ink (o.k. cyberspace) talking about the antics of Representative Nick Mackey. Now there`s rumor that Wacky Mackey might be recruiting challengers to run against incumbent fellow Democrats Malcolm Graham, Beverly Earle and Becky Carney, all from Mecklenburg County.

One of those mentioned to run is a former legislative aide to Mackey. Another is a friend from his police days. Nick says he knows them and would even support them, but he had nothing to do in recruiting them. "It`s offensive to me for someone to say `Nick Mackey did this`, he said. "They don`t have any basis to say it."

Yeah, well why are so many saying it, Nick?

Eudy commiserates with PR agents

Capstrat Head Ken Eudy, himself the former executive director of the NC Democratic Party and Public Relations advisor to public persons, wrote a blog recently outlining the difficulty of PR consultants in dealing with politicians. Specifically, Eudy commiserates with Joyce Fitzpatrick, respected PR pro, who represented former US Senator John Edwards throughout his most recent implosions. Says Eudy, “You always hope that clients will be honest with you if you`re their public relations adviser. After all, you can`t give them your best advice if they don`t level with you. But some people – apparently Edwards is one of them – become separated from the ability to even know the truth, much less tell it on an ongoing basis.”

Read “How Can You Tell When John Edwards is Lying?”

Don`t know about you, but I`m tired of hearing about John Edwards. Now that we know what kind of guy he is,let`s let him crawl somewhere else. The media is giving him fodder for a new book. Get over it.

Gambling a “Safe bet”

The Cherokee casino and state lottery may have changed opinions about gambling in our state. A WRAL story elaborates on reports we have previously given concerning sweepstakes games spreading like kudzu in North Carolina. This is an interesting story and video. Watch Cullen Browder`s story.

Have a message for an “affluential” audience?

NC SPIN has a limited number of spots available for you to air your message to a group of highly-educated and affluent movers and shakers in our state.  There are packages available to fit most any budget.  If you would like to learn more, please contact Al Leonard, Director of Sales and Marketing for NC SPIN by e-mailing al.leonard@carolinabroadcasting.com.

Until next week, watch out for the SPIN!

Claire Cox-Woodlief, Editor

Tom Campbell, Publisher

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Setting the record straight – The myth of "liberal" corruption: Source – NC Policy Watch

01/30/2010

Setting the record straight

The myth of "liberal" corruption:
Understanding the real origins of pay-to-play politics

By Rob Schofield

The connection between prominent political leaders and the causes they stand for (or, at least, the causes they come to be associated with) is often very strong in the minds of the members of the general public. Sometimes, it’s as if the political leader and the stands he or she takes are indistinguishable. It’s hard to think of New Deal, for instance, without thinking of Franklin Roosevelt (and vice versa).

For those who champion a particular cause, however, these kinds of automatic connections are frequently a two-edged sword.

On the one hand, one charismatic person’s personal popularity can almost singlehandedly elevate a cause or issue well-beyond the heights to which it would have otherwise risen. Think of Ronald Reagan’s sunny charm and the way it helped advance what was really a pretty dark and pessimistic ideology about government and human nature.

The downside to these kinds of connections is that when one individual leader’s career flames out as the result of some peccadillo or other personal transgression unrelated to the actual issues he or she stood for, it can often wreak undeserved havoc with the cause. Whatever the substantive strengths or weaknesses of conservative Christianity, for example, its ultimate success or failure as a philosophy ought not to be byproduct the fact that some of its most prominent spokespeople have proved to be corrupt hypocrites.

Of Easley and Edwards

Right now, in North Carolina (aka "Corruption Central") we’re seeing plenty of examples of this kind guilt-by-association politics. With the absurd self-destructions of sometime-progressives, Mike Easley and John Edwards, it seems as if all who have ever held positive feelings about the men or any of the issues they championed are on the defensive.  (Read more… )

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