Of Bev, Richard, Parton and the DOT
You may recall that Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue has been slagging her Democratic rival, Treasurer Richard Moore over the whole Randy Parton theater deal. The latest example comes from a press release today:
Raleigh, NC - The Bev Perdue campaign today called on Richard Moore to return all contributions from donors affiliated with the Parton Theatre fiasco. According to an editorial in today's Charlotte Observer, Moore's Local Government Commission:"muffed a big one... the commission's members evidently did not review a 2005 feasibility study that predicated the project's success on completion of other facilities in a proposed entertainment complex."
"It's time for him to finally do the right thing," said Perdue spokesman David Kochman.
“He needs to explain why he withheld vital details of the feasibility from the Local Government Commission, return the contributions he received from people involved with the Parton Theatre, and turn over the rest of the documents related to the project."
On December 11, Bev Perdue returned the contributions she received from Rick Watson, former President of the Northeast Partnership, and has declined to accept any other contributions from people known to be involved with the project.
This has been going on for quite a while. (And, to be fair, Moore has been going after Perdue plenty.)
Okay, fair enough. But now does this story from the Associated Press strike anyone as out of kilter?
RALEIGH (AP) _ A state Board of Transportation member resigned Friday after his boss questioned his effort to raise campaign money for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue from people connected to a high-profile commercial project in Roanoke Rapids.Thomas Betts Jr. of Rocky Mount, who represented six northeast Piedmont counties on the board, submitted his resignation to Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett.
Wait a minute, isn't it suppose to be Moore getting a hard time over Parton stuff?
Yes, this is a contributor and supporter of Perdue, not Perdue herself. And everyone who think that distinction is going to stick more than two seconds, raise your hand.
Read on after the jump if you have any doubts about your answer.
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- "I have enjoyed my tenure and take much pride in the DOT crew in my division and the good things we have accomplished," Betts wrote in the three-sentence e-mail to Tippett.
Tippett said he talked to Betts about whether Betts had been raising money for Perdue in Roanoke Rapids from people connected to Carolina Crossroads, a new entertainment and retail complex along Interstate 95. The cornerstone of the complex is a theater previously managed by Randy Parton, the brother of Dolly Parton.
Tippett said he was concerned that Carolina Crossroads officials would feel obliged to give to Perdue because the board had approved economic development money for the project.
"I told him that it would probably be in the best interest of the state" to step down, Tippett said. "Board members are held to the highest ethical standards. ... we weren't going to accept anything less."
Betts didn't return messages left Friday on his cell phone or at his home. Perdue's campaign acknowledged that Betts was helping with a Nov. 13 fundraiser in Rocky Mount but wasn't aware of the efforts to attract Roanoke Rapids donors at this event until Friday.
Betts' resignation embarrasses Perdue, who has made the troubles at the former Randy Parton Theatre a campaign issue in her primary race against State Treasurer Richard Moore, her leading opponent.
Last week, Moore said if elected he would seek legislation banning Transportation Board members from donating to any candidates or collecting donations on behalf of a candidate to reduce political influence on the board.
Betts' resignation confirms that Perdue doesn't want to change the system, Moore's campaign said.
"Bev Perdue has been disingenuous about Roanoke Rapids from day one," Moore campaign manager Jay Reiff said. "The bottom line is she doesn't get it - the DOT board needs to get out of the fundraising business."
Rick Benton, the economic development director for the town of Roanoke Rapids, said late Friday that Betts e-mailed him asking him to help raise $20,000 at the fundraiser. Betts mentioned "the Partons" and others as a possible donor, Benton said.
Benton said he wrote back that it was inappropriate for him to participate because he was a city employee, but he forwarded the request to some local residents.
"I'm not involved in political fundraising," he said.
Perdue campaign spokesman David Kochman said Perdue refused to accept eight checks totaling $9,000 received earlier this month from people associated with Carolina Crossroads or others linked to Roanoke Rapids. She has said she would consider a board fundraising ban as part of broader campaign reform if elected.
Perdue has criticized Moore's leadership on a state panel that approved $21 million in debt used by Roanoke Rapids to build the music theater. Financial records show Randy Parton had spent public money on alcohol and trips to Las Vegas. He hasn't performed at the theater since early last month.
Since then, "we made it very clear that we weren't going to accept any contributions from any people related to the project," Kochman said.
The office of Gov. Mike Easley, who appoints all members, referred questions about Betts to Tippett.
Comments (2)
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Is it not true that Moore used this to have a fund raiser for him that brought in over $30,000?
It it not true that Moore changed this contract to reward his special interest friends first?
Is it not true that Easily got $2,250 from this?
Is it not true that Basnight got $6250?
Is it not true Black got $1,750?
Is it not true that there are many conflicts of interest in this project?
Posted on January 20, 2008 3:12 PM
Betts is a god-send to Moore. Richard was getting ready to go down with Randy Parton's anchor around his neck because of his crappy leadership of the Local Government Commission. Now the issue is off the table.
The great unwashed may not be clear about the distinction between Perdue and Moore on this issue, but journalists should not be part of the obfuscation. This is not about DOT. This is not about fundraising.
This is about failed leadership by the chair of the LGC (Moore) when he neglected to share information with other commission members - information that was entirely relevant to the decision the commission made about the Parton fiasco in the first place.
Posted on January 23, 2008 8:23 PM