Has Rep Justin Burr's vote been bought?

When you see large newspaper ads, signs all over the roadsides, direct mail, television ads and hear radio ads in higher priced specific time slots, you just have to wonder how incumbent NC House of Representative Justin Burr can afford such an expensive reelection campaign.

To see where all that money comes from, just check his campaign report at www.ncsbe.gov. The first quarter of 2012 campaign reports are yet to be posted; however, all of 2011 and prior years are available.

In 2011, NC Rep. Justin Burr received $25,800 in campaign contributions.

Now to have received that amount in contributions representing the citizens of Stanly and Montgomery County would, unquestionably, have really been a statement of support, however; when you look further into his campaign report that’s not what you’ll find.

Of the $25,800, $1,100 came from 5 individual supporters outside his district, $2,050 came from 15 individual supporters in Stanly County and $22,650 came from 28 Political Action Committees (PAC’s) not only outside of his district, but some are not even in North Carolina.

You can see the entire report at the website, but here are several notable PAC contributions:

*Parker, Poe, Adams & Bernstein PAC (they represent the Stanly County
Commissioners against ALCOA) $250
*NC Farm Bureau PAC, Inc. $500
*RJ Reynolds $1,000
*TimeWarner Cable $1,000
*NC State Farm Agents Associates $2,000
*ASSOC For Home & Hospice Care Of NC $3,000
*Alliance For Access To Dental Care $4,000
*NC Bail Agents Association $4,000

Accepting large outside campaign contributions and buying expensive Brooks Brothers’ Suits, rugs, lamps, picture frames, office furniture, ½ of a washer and dryer then paying rent from campaign funds makes one wonder if voting to reelect Rep Justin Burr is in the best interest of the citizens of Stanly and Montgomery Counties.