The scandal that keeps on giving
The State Board of Elections is looking at more donors to Black, Mark Johnson of the Charlotte paper reports, based partly on another complaint by Joe Sinsheimer.
Meanwhile, Democracy North Carolina's Bob Hall writes in a letter to the editor that the group "applauds the 2007 General Assembly for taking specific steps to change the political culture in Raleigh."
Of course, before we all move into the new era of goodness and light, there apparently are still loose ends to clear up.
Update: I could be wrong, but this could be an ethics complaint that has nothing to do with Jim Black, which I guess is what might have to pass for a refreshing change around here.
Comments (4)
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WOW, Mark,
I didn't know that it was legal to change the wording in a bill that had already passed. Does that mean that it doesn't have to go back to the House? Does this happen often? Has the bill containing the Cabarrus amendment been signed by Gov. Easley?
I know that there is lots of shady stuff that goes on, like closed sessions of the budget discussions, but this seems like a really bad process.
Is it, or am I just being silly?
Posted on August 7, 2007 12:08 PM
Well, bills have to pass both the House and the Senate. And during normal process, both chambers will make changes. If the first chamber doesn't agree to the changes made by the second, they go to a conference committee. That's sort of basic.
What the Senate did in this case is they took a bill sent to them by the House, stripped out its original content and replaced it with something entirely different. It's a maneuver you see a lot at the end of session. That sort of thing wasn't exactly contemplated by the framers of the N.C. Constitution, I don't think, but legally...it's passable.
Posted on August 7, 2007 3:14 PM
"Keep Hope alive!", Mark Binker.
One day, perhaps coming up here real soon, everyone in these parts will be talking about how your average NC JoeBob blew the whistle on the NCGA.
When it happens, I predict the N&R will publish a really great editorial cartoon, as the illustrative staff will look to your blog for inspiration.
Only at the Capitol Beat can one find real stories of hundreds of honorables & legislative staff wandering around Jones Street wondering:
"Is the building that houses this whole institution about to go up in smoke?",
"Can I light up now, since we're outside, or did we outlaw that already?",
"What's that smell? It's like french fries, on fire..."
"Oh no, dear God, not the cafeteria - and we're gonna be stuck here all night, with no food!",
"All I smell is moths burning on the camera equipment of that there CBS crew."
"Oh! Hey, Stan; think I could I bum a ride, in your most fuel efficient vehicle, to that Bojangles on Hillsborough?"
Mark, you've done a fantastic job this year running our fourth branch of government. As a resident of Guilford County, I thank you.
- Maria Barton
Posted on August 8, 2007 2:07 AM
Maria: Thanks for reading.
Posted on August 8, 2007 11:09 AM