ethics

There's more than one way to skin a cat... or at least declaw it. Looks like California is passing a law that requires judges to recuse themselves from cases involving parties that gave them more than $1,500 in campaign contributions. North Carolina could always pass a similar law, severing at least one connection between well-funded judge candidates and ideological backers:

I don't like it when people I believed in and voted for break the law and get busted on ethics charges. It makes me even madder than when the "other side" does it because I feel betrayed. But I'm also a realist about human behavior and I know hubris is a powerful force. I understand how it happens. But this? To back off from the chance to publicly lead the charge for stronger ethics -- and possibly turn the tide of public opinion -- while also doing the right thing? I don't get it. It's unnecessarily stupid. The huge percentage of new NC voters who choose to go on the books as Unaffiliated would indicate a problem that needs addressing.

According to a complaint noted in Blue Ridge Now, Schuler has been getting the benefits of cheap rent without reporting these as gifts.

From the Democracy NC Link of the day:

A WRAL-TV report follows the standard “gotcha” approach of emphasizing only the negative aspects about a series of amendments filed by the campaign committee of Gov. Bev Perdue. Most recently, the Perdue committee sent $48,000 to the State Board of Elections that it received from donors tied to Rusty Carter of Wilmington from 2005 to 2008, but now believes were likely from Carter’s business, an illegal source of campaign money. Perdue should actually get more applause for hiring staff to audit her committee’s finances so thoroughly and ferret out problems that have occurred with campaigns of Republicans and Democrats for years.

lllicitizen's blog on Heath's advising and extending his remarks using Genentech talking points is doubled down by the Smoky Mountain News this week reporting on more trouble with his dealings with TVA in East Tennessee.

I don't know Joe Sinsheimer, but I like how he writes, and especially what he writes. Joe gave me permission to post this letter in full, a letter from him to Governor Perdue.

__________________________________________

November 18, 2009

Governor Bev Perdue
Office of the Governor
20301 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-0301

Dear Governor Perdue,

The recent State Board of Election hearings on Governor Easley and his alleged campaign activities, as well as the Verizon contracting scandal, have once again shaken confidence in our state government. These repeated scandals are damaging our state’s reputation for honest government and demand executive leadership. While we all hope the General Assembly will take on the call of reform in the 2010 session, there are a number of positive and immediate steps you could take as governor to help restore confidence in state government:

A few weeks ago, Connie posted some information here at BlueNC that sent me off on a digging expedition, and I subsequently posted my meager findings on an NC Policy Watch diary that dealt with the same subject matter. Being that I'm not a lawyer and don't even play one on TV, I decided to wait and see if anyone smarter than me (big crowd) would take the ball and run with it. But since I haven't seen any movement yet, plus the fact that I have the patience of a toddler, I decided to blog about what I see as a major issue with our State's highest court.

Dear Blue NCers,

Our research uncovered some troubling new information regarding travel contributions to the Mike Easley Committee and the NC Democratic Party. You will likely find mention of it in the N&O and other papers today or over the weekend. Because I know the details will concern many of you, I am posting the email notice we sent out to our advocates this morning about the matter -- it includes a link that will allow you to download a letter Democracy North Carolina sent to the state Board of Elections detailing the new information:

Congressional Quarterly is reporting that the Tennessee Valley Authority Inspector General's report is headed to the House ethics committee and Rep. Heath Shuler's conduct and that of his representatives is in question.

The inspector general of the Tennessee Valley Authority has forwarded to the House ethics committee a report saying that Rep. Heath Shuler contributed to the appearance of preferential treatment when he was an investor in a development that sought water access from the authority.

The inspector general drew no conclusions, however, about whether Shuler violated House ethics rules.