What Pat McCrory means by 'changing the culture' in Raleigh

What is it about Republicans? Do they really think they can tell whatever lies they want and no one will notice? That sure seems to be the case with Pat McCrory, whose promise to "change the culture" in Raleigh looks more like a cheap campaign slogan than any real commitment to democracy. Not only is McCrory raking in the dough from corporate interests outside the state, he's also playing the same old games he's always played, even as he pretends to be oh-so concerned about the influence of special interests.

Click on the letter shown here, read it all the way through (be prepared to retch), and then consider the statement below from McCrory's campaign manager - via the Charlotte Observer:

Pat McCrory, Charlotte's mayor, last week sent a fundraising letter to political action committees. PACs help those aligned with an interest group – such as employees of a company or members of a trade association – to focus their political giving.

“Once elected,” McCrory writes in the letter, “you will have a governor that will work with you to develop solutions and initiate constructive change to state government.”

McCrory's campaign sent copies of the letters to lobbyists connected with the PACs.

The involvement of lobbyists in political fundraising is controversial because their job is to influence legislation and other official government action. Critics say that allowing lobbyists also to raise money for candidates creates at least the appearance of a “pay-to-play” system.

State law bans lobbyists from giving personally to campaigns and from serving as the treasurer of a candidate's campaign committee. They also are prohibited from collecting and delivering contributions under certain circumstances.

McCrory's campaign manager Richard Hudson said the campaign is following the law. It contacted the lobbyists, he said, because many still advise PACs on whom they should support.

“Those are the folks who typically make the decision about where the money's going to go,” Hudson said. “My understanding is that's normal procedure.”

Normal procedure? I suppose he's right. It is normal procedure for the Mayor of Charlotte to lean on corporate lobbyists and their PACs who want to buy influence in the governor's mansion.

What it's not is the kind of change Pat McCrory keeps talking about. And in this instance, his actions speak far louder than his words.