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Sunday Roundup
posted at 2007-11-25 18:22 | Last modified 2007-11-25 18:22
Morgan: "I'm Flattered"
The AP reports former GOP House Co-Speaker Richard Morgan has filed amended campaign finance reports disclosing the interest rates he charged his campaign for personal loans he made to it.
Meantime, Morgan tells the Southern Pines Pilot - again - that he’s done nothing wrong. He says he had always disclosed the loans and the interest payments, adding that it “doesn’t take a rocket scientist” to work out the rates.
Morgan tells the Pilot's David Sinclair that the 8.5-to-9% interest he charged his campaign is appropriate because the loans were “unsecured.” But the main reason loans are secured (i.e. with collateral) is to reduce the risk to the lender that the borrower won’t pay it back. When you’re lending yourself money, how much risk are you really assuming? Just asking.
Morgan also reiterated his claim that the loan issue is being pushed by political enemies who “must be scared of something.”
Orr in the limelight
It's been a good few days for GOP gubernatorial hopeful Bob Orr. Greensboro's Mark Binker had a nice write-up on Orr's incentives fight today. That’s following another good profile piece Wednesday by Asheville’s Jordan Schrader.
The former state SupCo justice has to be enjoying the attention – he hasn’t gotten much to date, and as he himself says, a campaign without a lot of money has to hope for a lot of good, free press. Both of these stories count.
Thanksgiving?
Not for these guys, it seems. This story is simply unbelievable. The Army is sending wounded soldiers a bill for part of their signing bonus if they’re unable to complete their tour of duty. HT: Blue NC and Fox News (how often does that happen?)
Pittsburgh station KDKA broke the story earlier this week. The next day, they reported the Pentagon now says there was "a mistake." But there’s no comment yet on whether the military will make things right for hundreds, maybe thousands, of other soldiers who may already have been billed or stiffed outright.
Meet the “new” guy
N&O Ombudsman Ted Vaden interviewed newly-appointed exec editor John Drescher (who’s actually been at the paper since ’02) about his plans for the N&O’s future. Interesting, but a little worrisome in parts, like the exchange on state political reporting. Check it out for yourself.
Other stories of note:
Char-O’s David Ingram talked to Mecklenburg Dem Tricia Cotham about her first year as the youngest member of the legislature. It’s a little ironic: Ingram himself took more than his share of ribbing when he was the youngest member of the press corps. Right, Junior?
Ingram had another interesting item this weekend: Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory still hasn’t said whether he’s running for governor in '08, but Ingram notes the Republican appears to be testing the waters of state policy.
Bloomberg’s Neal Roland reports Sen Elizabeth Dole is teaming up with Dem Sen and presidential hopeful Christopher Dodd in an effort to slow new federal mortgage rules some say could spell trouble for minority borrowers.
And - just for fun - the N&O’s Martha Quillin had a great Thanksgiving travel story about a 71-year-old hitchhiking oboist. Love it!
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