Black sentenced...now what?
As the AP has been reporting, former House Speaker Jim Black has been sentenced to 63 months in jail.
"Today is the end of the line for Jim Black and his corruption," said George Holding during an news conference after the sentencing.
Really?
As I was leaving the federal courthouse in Raleigh there was no feeling that this sentencing really wrapped things up. And I'm not just talking about the fact that Black faces sentencing on state charges in Wake County Court before too long of the fact like former Black allies like Rep. Thomas Wright are facing scrutiny.
Something about this scandal - whether you believe Black guilty of the more severe crimes the prosecution alludes to or the "stupid mistakes" Black admits to - seems like its going to stick with us for a while.
I think I'll go ask a few folks about that.
Comments (12)
To report abuse of the comment feature on this site, please use the feedback form at the bottom of any page.
I want to know who the mystery lobbyist is with the $500,000.
Posted on July 11, 2007 1:44 PM
You and everyone who makes their living within a square mile of the General Assembly buidling.
Posted on July 11, 2007 2:03 PM
Hey, don't cut us out, Mark.
Down here in Charlotte we REALLY want to know who that lobbyist is/was -- along with the added twist of knowing if he/she has contributed to the Jim Black legal defense fund.
Posted on July 11, 2007 5:10 PM
Noted.
Posted on July 11, 2007 5:14 PM
You and everyone who makes their living within a square mile of the General Assembly buidling.* Mark Binker
What you mean is that over 4000 lobbyists who earn a living around that square mile of corruption. Surely, you can find this simple corrupt idiot, better than the feds who are avoiding this issue like discussing the pros and cons of the Scooter pardon. Get to cracking Mark and become a hero to the masses about the unknown lender of the century in North Carolina. Here is my list of the usual suspects or persons of interest in this caper.
Tony Rand? He did know Gedding very well reguardless of how many denials he could dream up.
The Gov? Naw, he is too dumb to think of that scam and besides he appointed Nifong.
Posted on July 11, 2007 6:03 PM
Mark,
Do you know why the fine was so ridiculously low? $50,000.00?? Chump change like that falls out of people’s pockets in the restrooms of breakfast joints around these parts. That’s not a “stupid mistake”, that’s smart business. In that one transaction (or call it two, or three, if you will), Jim Black netted $450K! If I grossed $500,000.00 at my job, my payroll taxes would be at least $210,000.00. Where is the IRS? Apparently the only way to launder money and get away with the “laundering” part is to open two checking accounts with your own name listed as the primary. It’s so simple, it’s genius!
Posted on July 12, 2007 12:06 AM
Mark,
Do you know why the fine was so ridiculously low? $50,000.00?? Chump change like that falls out of people’s pockets in the restrooms of breakfast joints around these parts. That’s not a “stupid mistake”, that’s smart business. In that one transaction (or call it two, or three, if you will), Jim Black netted $450K! If I grossed $500,000.00 at my job, my payroll taxes would be at least $210,000.00. Where is the IRS? Apparently the only way to launder money and get away with the “laundering” part is to open two checking accounts with your own name listed as the primary. It’s so simple, it’s genius!
Posted on July 12, 2007 12:07 AM
Mark,
Do you know why the fine was so ridiculously low? $50,000.00?? Chump change like that falls out of people?s pockets in the restrooms of breakfast joints around these parts. That?s not a ?stupid mistake?, that?s smart business. In that one transaction (or call it two, or three, if you will), Jim Black netted $450K! If I grossed $500,000.00 at my job, my payroll taxes would be at least $210,000.00. Where is the IRS? Apparently the only way to launder money and get away with the ?laundering? part is to open two checking accounts with your own name listed as the primary. It?s so simple, it?s genius!
Posted on July 12, 2007 12:08 AM
Hey, Mark, just want to apologize for the whole double-posting issue that seems to occur almost every time I reply to something on your blog. In the future, I will press the mouse button only once. Meanwhile, try highlighting my first comment, right-clicking it, then hit Ctrl+C & send it back to me. If the feds ever monitor this site, they'll think I only made that stupid mistake once. Sorry.
Posted on July 12, 2007 12:22 AM
Maria:
The judge went by the sentencing guidelines for the offense. Although he sentenced Black on the more severe charge (bribery versus accepting illegal gratuities) he used the lowest possible amount (the approx. $25,000 the chiropractors gave rather than all the money concearned with the Decker scandal).
The fine, I believe, was determined by the federal guideline range.
Posted on July 12, 2007 1:09 AM
If you can beleive what you read in the the virtual papers, Black was facing a maximum 10 year sentence and/or $250,000.00 fine. Anyone with a decent optometrist in NC can see that the former speaker is worth more in whatever revenue the court system can squeeze out of him than he could possibly generate serving time, which only depletes the general fund to which he still owes money. Remember back when a legislator actually had to pay to play? Yet, somehow, Jim Black still operates on credit...
Posted on July 12, 2007 1:49 AM
Have you heard the new motto of the democrats in NC.
Wine, Dine,and Pocket Line. Of course Tax Hike Mike being doing that for years. Just read where his boys spent millions of your tax dollars to improve his water front property. Maybe the feds need to start at the top.
Posted on July 12, 2007 7:15 AM