10/30/2009
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Friday: Full of WIN
Created by
Laura Leslie
posted at 2009-10-30 19:12 | Last modified 2009-10-30 19:12
posted at 2009-10-30 19:12 | Last modified 2009-10-30 19:12
Wow, it's a rare day when a call for a criminal investigation of a former governor is a win for everyone involved. But if the reactions flooding my inbox are any indication, that's the case today.
- Easley attorney Thomas Hicks says it's a win because the former governor wanted the case to go to the DA. (Really. He said so. )
- Democracy NC's Bob Hall says it's a win because the SBOE found "evidence of earmarking" in two checks sent to the Dem party but intended for Easley. (The party was fined $9K, the value of the checks.)
- The NC Dems say it's a win because they were cleared of allegations of systemic efforts to skirt campaign law, and were only fined $9K.
- The Republicans say it's a win because Democrats are finally being called to account.
- The Easley campaign committee folks aren't calling their $100K fine ($40K for the probe, $60K for the flights) a win, exactly, but they recognize it could have been a whole lot worse.
- NC Coalition for Lobbying Reform's Jane Pinsky says it sends the message the state won't let campaigns get away with violations.
I could go on, but let's just say the spin cycle in Raleigh was strong enough to pull the Beltline in by a couple of yards.
If you missed my wrap-up story during All Things Considered this afternoon, you can hear it here.
In the meantime, I've got a lot of questions left over from the hearings, but I'll post them over the weekend. I'm ready for a break tonight -- especially in light of the news that Ruffin Poole lost his case at the NC Court of Appeals today, so the SBOE may reconvene the whole show sometime very soon.
Comments? Drop me a line.
