RALEIGH — The practice has been characterized by various state officials as problematic, shrouded in secrecy, lacking accountability, and being an end run around the legislature. DOT records show former Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Dare, personally authorized at least $50 million for nearly 800 projects over his 18-year tenure as Senate leader.
RALEIGH — N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper on Thursday appealed to state legislators to provide more tools for state investigators and prosecutors to ferret out public corruption. Board of Elections to Investigate BlackBy Mitch KokaiRALEIGH — The N.C. Board of Elections decided Thursday that it will conduct a three-day hearing in February on House Speaker Jim Black’s campaign finances. Board Chairman Larry Leake says the hearing will help the board address some “information that causes us some concern.” Related NC Ethics & Corruption Articles: Black 'glad…attorney general agrees with me' Blust: '(Cooper's) saying things I've been saying for 10 years'
RALEIGH — Democrat Bill Faison, the only state representative from Orange County who's not from Chapel Hill, says he does not consider himself an intentional defender of House Speaker Jim Black, who is the subject of a federal investigation into his relationship with former political and legislative aide, and lobbyist, Meredith Norris.
RALEIGH — Joe Sinsheimer, a former Democratic political consultant who a few weeks ago started a website calling for the resignation of N.C. House Speaker Jim Black, says he did so because his disgust with continuous revelations of unethical conduct reached a boiling point.
The speaker has again managed to show his disdain for an open political process by giving access to lottery deliberations to the friends of insiders.
NC Speaker Jim Black seems to think he is doing a great job of helping Mecklenburg County while presiding over a slush fund-greased political machine. Oh, were that true.
In their recommendation that the state sell a building to Johnson & Wales University for a dollar, the editorial board of The Charlotte Observer demonstrates that they have no idea who in government is authorized to make promises on behalf of the state.
RALEIGH — State Senate leader Marc Basnight last week characterized his personal spending of taxpayer dollars on pet projects as an "error," but when similar activity was revealed in 1997, he acknowledged that the practice was wrong. Basnight was then part of a similar agreement with former Speaker Harold Brubaker and former Gov. Jim Hunt. They distributed $23 million in "discretionary" funds to projects favored by friends and supporters. "Somehow or other, you've got to help these areas in the state that need the money," Basnight said in February 1997. "But it shouldn't be left in my hands to decide or Brubaker's hands to decide."
