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The hits just keep coming...
posted at 2007-10-01 23:42 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Wright’s rates
Wilmington's Mark Schreiner reports long-embattled state representative Thomas Wright (D-New Hanover) is in trouble again - this time, for charging mileage and subsistence to attend advisory panel meetings in Raleigh when he was already IN Raleigh, collecting mileage and subsistence on the legislature's tab. Estimates put Wright’s double-billing at around $1400.
Meantime, House Speaker Joe Hackney called today for the Legislative Ethics Committee to look into Wright’s expense billings, even while disclosing that the committee’s investigation of Wright is on hold per the SBI’s request.
That’s not entirely unexpected – the committee’s rules specifically permit it to step aside to avoid conflicts with official law enforcement investigations – but it’s the first official word that that’s what the Ethics Committee has decided to do.
Wake County DA Colon Willoughby said earlier this month he was hoping to wind up the SBI investigation into Wright by October 1st. That’s today, obviously, but there’s no word as of yet on the outcome. When I hear more, I’ll pass it on.
Blackwater keeps on rollin'
It just keeps getting worse for Moyock-based military subcontractor Blackwater. After its implication in a mass slaying in Baghdad two weeks ago, word came out today that the initial incident report on the slaying was written by – yep, you got it – a company contractor. Not surprisingly, the report found no fault with Blackwater.
Blackwater CEO Erik Prince will testify tomorrow before a tough crowd - the congressional committee that’s looking into Blackwater’s problems in Iraq. There’s no shortage of material for them to talk about. For a full recap, check out Robert Siegel's interview with Jackie Northam on tonight’s All Things Considered.
Elon: Iraq and a hard place
Elon’s poll out today shows most Tarheel voters are done with Iraq and more than ready to bring the troops home. 65% disapprove of President Bush's handling of Iraq. That could make a big difference in next year’s elections. The full polling data is here.
The numbers are a little surprising. As a big military state, NC normally follows its commander-in-chief more closely than the rest of the country. But it looks as though the wives and families of military personnel have had enough.
And it really doesn’t bode well for Senator Elizabeth Dole, who until last week stuck close to President G.W. Bush in supporting the Iraq war. According to Elon Poll chief Hunter Bacot,
"Almost 51 percent of North Carolinians indicated that President George W. Bush’s performance was somewhat or very important in their evaluation of Dole."
Her polls don't leave much uncertainty as to how that's likely to work out for her. While she has a 53% job approval rating, her approval ratings on the war are much lower - 32%. And 78% of respondents say the war will be one of the main issues they'll consider in next year's elections. Even at a 3.9% margin of error, that's a serious problem.
She’s in
Lieutenant Governor Bev Perdue finally kicked off her long-anticipated ‘08 gubernatorial campaign in New Bern tonight. Char-O's Mark Johnson has the story.
Update: Greensboro's Mark Binker has the good stuff - audio, pictures, and a little bit of attitude - over here.
Whose dinner?
Perdue's rival, State Treasurer Richard Moore, wasn’t about to let Perdue have the news cycle to herself. He sent out this release calling on state Dems to rename their yearly Vance-Aycock dinner. That's after the conservative "Carolina Stompers" raised a stink about the racist tendencies of one of the two namesakes, Charles Aycock. Asheville’s Jordan Schrader has more here – and if the comments on Jack Betts’ blog are any indication, it’s clearly brought the haters out in droves.
A lot of state Dems have found themselves trying to defend one of the architects of 1898’s Wilmington race riots. Moore, I think, was a whole lot smarter. Honestly, how much do the Dems really care what they call their annual honors dinner? Enough to keep defending an overt racist at the expense of the party’s image? Doubt it.
Comments? Drop me a line.
