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Monday: Ballot Bother
posted at 2007-08-20 20:02 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Wright Remiss
Wilmington's Mark Schreiner reported today that embattled Rep Thomas Wright (D-New Hanover) is in danger of having his campaign committee shut down. The State Board of Elections says Wright still hasn't filed his 2nd quarter campaign finance reports, due July 27th. According to this letter to Wright, the board will deactivate his campaign if they don't get a report soon.
Wright's getting acclimated to hot water. He's under SBI investigation after an elections board probe turned up serious discrepancies in his campaign finances. Some of the details came out at an SBOE hearing in May. After that, he handed in his gavels, but refused to resign from the House despite the urgings of Governor Mike Easley and House Speaker Joe Hackney.
Commenting on today's development, SBOE Chair Larry Leake told WHQR's Cat Welch he was surprised Wright wasn't being more forthcoming:
"One would have thought that given the many problems and difficulties we have had with him, and he has had with us, that he would be timely."
Yes, one would've. But Wright has refused to comment on the investigation, other than to say he's done nothing wrong, and is the victim of a conspiracy by his fellow Democrats.
Meet Mitt
If you've got a spare $500 lying around, you can meet Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney. He'll be in the Triangle next week to shake some hands and raise some money at an event hosted by Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford. The N&O's Rob Christensen has more details. (If anyone here goes, do me a favor: ask him about strapping his dog to the roof of his car. I just want to know what he says.)
Where's Bev?
Over at Dome, Bill Krueger says the NC Agribusiness Council will hear tonight from Representatives Bob Etheridge and Virginia Foxx, plus a host of other luminaries, including most of the top candidates for governor: Democrat Richard Moore, Republican Bob Orr, and Republican Fred Smith will all be in attendance. But not Beverly Perdue. The Lieutenant Governor apparently wasn't invited because she hasn't yet officially declared she's running. (Oh, please.)
So when is Perdue going to make it official? Her spokesman Tim Crowley told me earlier this summer that she was planning to wait till the end of session to announce. Any time now, ma'am - that was two weeks ago.
Of course, it doesn't really matter that much as far as fundraising goes - and hers is going quite well, thank you, officially or not. But you have to wonder why she's hanging back.
Rockin' the Vote
Bill drafting guru Gerry Cohen says the US Dept. of Justice has approved a new law allowing same-day registration and voting at one-stop (early) voting sites. Because of NC's spotted history of voting rights violations in a number of counties during the Jim Crow era, any statewide change to ballot access, etc., has to win clearance from the Feds.
Cohen says the new law will be in effect for this year's October and November municipal elections, which should give local officials a chance to work out any kinks before rush hour hits in '08.
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