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Thursday: The Rumor Mill
posted at 2007-04-05 23:00 | Last modified 2007-11-14 10:38
Sinsheimer's back...
...And this time, he's going after a new target. Democratic crusader Joe Sinsheimer hand delivered a letter today to House Speaker Joe Hackney, asking him to call for an investigation into New Hanover Dem Thomas Wright (already under other investigations) and now, Speaker Pro Tem William Wainwright, who, Sinsheimer says, received money from certified nurse anesthetists in exchange for killing a bill that was unfavorable to them.
Here's what we know so far: the nurse anesthetists lobby did give a lot of money to a lot of people, including former Health Committee Chair Wright, who did in fact fail to report that his Health Committee had approved a bill his donors didn't like.
On the other hand, that's technically not illegal. Under House Rules, there's a big gray area on whether and when a committee chair must report a favorable finding on a bill to the House Clerk. And it's not unusual for a committee chair to hold a report till s/he has the necessary votes to put a bill on the House calendar.
When I asked Sinsheimer today what proof he had that Wainwright had acted inappropriately, he could only say he couldn't talk about specifics at the moment, but that some might be forthcoming.
Wright has made a habit of flouting campaign finance laws, and that makes him an easy target for probes like this. But Wainwright may be another story. At this time, there is no formal investigation into the Speaker Pro Tem's campaign finance records, though some say there's abundant interest, thanks to Wainwright's close connections to Wright and Black.
And Hackney said...
Asked today about Sinsheimer's letter, Hackney responded that his office doesn't employ any investigators, and that the State Elections Board and Ethics Commission are more appropriate venues for Sinsheimer's requests for an investigation. While the House does have an Ethics Committee of its own, Hackney says this may not fall under its jurisdiction. He says he wants some time to reflect on it.
Shubertiana
Former State Senator and current anti-Establishment crusader Fern Shubert may not like the big-money lobbies that pervade Jones St. But that apparently didn't stop her from enjoying their fruits Tuesday night at an NC History Museum reception hosted by lobbyists for the NC Assisted Living Association. Two observers told me Shubert arrived on the arm of Rep. Curtis Blackwood, then proceeded to enjoy plenty of free food and wine till the staff was ready to lock the place up. Cheers!
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