Citing reporting from Carolina Journal, the National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys has asked U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to launch a formal investigation into the handling of the prosecution of a gang leader. CJ Managing Editor Rick Henderson explains why the group has expressed “grave concern” over the details of the story – details that sent Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Walker into hiding for a time, and then to leave her job. Next is a look at former Gov. Jim Martin, who played a critical role in helping transform North Carolina from a one-party state into a battleground that attracts national attention during each election cycle. Now Martin’s story gets the attention it deserves in “Catalyst,” a new biography from John Locke Foundation Chairman John Hood. Hood shares details from the book and explains why he labels Martin one of the titans of late 20th-century Tar Heel politics. Then we turn to the presidential race. North Carolina voters heard very different economic messages from two recent presidential candidates visiting the Tar Heel State. Republican Jeb Bush outlined his tax plan during a trip to Garner. Democratic Bernie Sanders made his plea for spread-the-wealth populism during a rally in Greensboro. You’ll hear highlights from both events. That’s followed by a look at the intersection of education policy and local politics. North Carolina’s largest school system has faced a recent series of contentious school board elections. N.C. State University political scientist Andrew Taylor explores the reasons for the heated elections in the book “The End of Consensus.” Taylor shares key findings from his research. And finally, Terry Stoops, the John Locke Foundation’s director of research and education studies, analyzes the education component of the newly approved General Fund operating budget.