Conflict of interest

On the campaign trail, Pat McCrory continues to claim that he’s never had an ethical lapse or a conflict of interest. But this website has pointed out quite a few including his employment at a lobbying firm and his failure to disclose his energy employer to the U.S. Congress while testifying on clean air regulations.

But here is more evidence of McCrory’s sketchy ethical record, brought to you by the North Carolina Supreme Court. McCrory may have even perjured himself in the process.

And the fox said, "Don't you worry, I'll keep an eye on these hens while you're away.":

Gillespie, who once bragged about drawing [a] target on his office window that overlooks the building that houses the department, replied that he would make sure enough staff was employed to develop and enforce the fracking regulations and then added that talks were underway with the American Petroleum Institute to fund some of the positions.

Hat tip to ISS's Facing South and Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policywatch for staying on top of this. For those not familiar with API:

Getting the dirt out from under your fingernails can be hard:

Pittenger is a real estate investor who acquires properties, often in partnerships. In Gaston County, he has invested in land along the proposed parkway, a 22-mile toll road between western Mecklenburg and western Gaston counties. Pittenger has a reported stake in about 2,000 acres near four proposed exits.

Just to set Robert straight, when people said you need to "take ownership" of your service to the State, it was meant as a metaphor, not a shopping list. And for all you "anti-annexation" folks, this should curl your toes:

Conflicts of interest are apparently not of interest to the NC GOP:

Brown owns two Jacksonville car dealerships and is part-owner of another in Mitchell County. Since 2008, his businesses received about $177,000 from safety inspection fees.

And not only did he try to sway the opinion of the sponsor of a bill that would have an adverse impact on his personal income, Brown used his power as Majority Leader to quash the legislation:

On March 4, 2011, disbarred attorney Betsy Wolfenden argued to a three-member panel of the North Carolina State Bar's Disciplinary Commission that she should receive a new disciplinary hearing on the grounds the State Bar's witnesses -- Judge Joe Buckner, Judge Lunsford Long, Judge Beverly Scarlett, Donna Ambler Rice, Leigh Peek and Susan Lewis -- committed perjury. The Disciplinary Commission is an "arm" of the North Carolina State Bar and the three-member panels serve as both judge and jury at attorney disciplinary hearings. Wolfenden seeks to have disbarment order vacated.

But apparently asking isn't enough:

The Mooresville Board of Commissioners voted 6-0 Monday to ask Mayor Chris Montgomery to resign over hundreds of romantic e-mails he sent from his public account to a woman who isn't his wife.

Those "cheatin' heart" e-mails don't say much about the man's character, but if they had been sent to his wife? Probably wouldn't have raised an eyebrow. Not trying to sympathize or justify, but when the real conflict of interest plays second fiddle to infidelity and e-mail misuse, a lot more people may need a refresher course on ethics in government:

When asked about his ethics, he responded, "Well, duh, I'm caucasian."

Mooresville Mayor Chris Montgomery applied for a job with the company developing the planned $800 million Langtree at the Lake community - a day before the Mooresville Board of Commissioners was scheduled to discuss an adjustment to Langtree's special tax district. Developers Rick Howard and his son, Brad, denied Montgomery's application because Langtree has business before the town, Carney said.

In case you're wondering how I figured out his party affiliation in the shadows of a non-partisan government body, the Magic Internet provides all:

Is that a regulator in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Turner, Duke's second-highest paid employee and president of its regulated electric and gas units, resigned this week after The (Indianapolis) Star reported on dozens of e-mails between him and David Lott Hardy, then the chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The e-mails revealed a close relationship and inappropriate conversations. The pair exchanged eight to 10 e-mails a day at times, ranging from personal jokes to mocking ethics rules to serious discussions about Duke's potential (and eventual) hiring of the utilities commission's former executive director and its then-general counsel.

I think it's time we took a very close look at what's happening in our neck of the woods, as well. I don't for one minute believe this type of behavior is unique to the Indiana situation.

Now, I'm no chemist, but when you combine service to the community with service to your bank account, the resulting mix stinks to high Heaven:

A Navassa-based nonprofit plans to buy property from its own CEO to build affordable housing in Belville. The nonprofit, Countywide Community Development Corp., has an agreement with Brunswick County to develop the project at 10295 Chappell Loop Rd. Although the nonprofit's consultant, Benjamin Quattlebaum, says he doesn't see the site's ownership as a conflict of interest, Brunswick County Attorney Huey Marshall says he does consider it a problem.

You often hear people complain that our elected officials ignore the needs and desires of the folks on Main Street, but that's not really true, is it? Public opinion and perceptions play a major role in political campaigns, and a candidate ignores them at his or her own peril. But that doesn't mean we're getting closer to sound policy solutions either. Those opinions and perceptions can be manipulated by powerful people with an agenda, who sit back and watch each act of the play unfold.