jim black

My former state representitive is still in the news

The Wake County school system stands to get less than half of the amount it expected from land that disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black gave to pay part of the fine for his state corruption conviction.

By the way, could someone explain to me why Wake County schools get the money?

read more at: Charlotte Observer

Be sure to click the picture for a good laugh.

When considering why it is so important to have an informed electorate prior to our judicial elections, consider this: Former House Speaker Jim Black was sentenced to federal prison for corruption and was allowed to pay off half of a $1 million fine with the transfer of some land he used to own. Wake County School Board member Ray Margiotta and many others voiced their opposition to the deal and said that Black should have paid off the entire $1 million fine in cash. (Hey, look, the guy had the resources!)

Just think. It took seven long years under the leadership of Jim Black for the NC House to degenerate into a clusterf/ck of incompetence, backroom dealing, graft, and greed. Speaker Thom Tillis has accomplished all that and more in seven short months.

Thom Tillis has a tough decision to make: Allow his BFF Stephen LaRoque to keep stinking up the North Carolina House of Representatives, or send the Kinston crook packing. Given that Tillis is already proving to be just another power-hungry pol, I'm betting he gives LaRoque a pass. Mr. Speaker is starting to look an awful lot like old Jim Black.

Granted, History is an art and not a science, but damn:

"If the right people want to take you out of the picture, stepping on the sideline is absolutely prohibited. So, that's just how it happened."

Stepping on the sideline? Dude, you charged through the crowd, ran cross-country for awhile, hopped a boxcar, caught a freighter to Vladivostok, and then tried to stow away on one of those travel-to-space-for-a-million-dollars Russian rockets. Sheesh.

Jim Morrill at the Charlotte Observer has the story:

Former Republican Gov. Jim Martin plans to be among those asking federal officials to move former Democratic House Speaker Jim Black to a prison closer to home or commute his sentence altogether.

What do you think?