Showing posts with label Phil Berger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phil Berger. Show all posts
Monday, February 2, 2015
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
ICYMI: NC Legislative Leaders Urges US Supreme court to Hear Marriage Amendment Defense
Click here to read story,
“We’ve said all along North Carolina voters deserve to have their voices heard, and this important issue won’t ever be settled until a final decision is made by the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham). “Today’s petition is the most efficient and cost-effective way to reach a final resolution.”
“Regardless of where you stand on the ultimate issue, it is important to protect the will of the North Carolina voters who overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment,” said House Speaker-Designee Tim Moore (R-Cleveland).
Monday, September 15, 2014
News Conference to Address Senator Berger's Misleading Voter Information
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2014
Contact: Tom Wolf, NC NAACP - tiwolf13@gmail.com or 504-940-4441
Corrected:
News Conference to Address Senator Berger's Misleading Voter Information
10:00 a.m.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
RALEIGH, NC: One of the primary tactics used by the extremist right to confuse voters in North Carolina has been to spread false information. Most recently, this manifested itself in the form of a television ad endorsed by the North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger, in which the Senator blatantly distorts key elements of the new voting laws.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
The North Carolina NAACP and Clergy Members Representative of the Broader Forward Together Movement Clergy Deliver Letter to State Political Leadership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2014
Contact: Sarah Bufkin, NC NAACP - smbufkin@gmail.com or 404.285.3413
A promotional video for the upcoming Moral Week of Action was also released
| |
| Moral Week of Action Promo | Forward Together Movement |
RALEIGH - After speaking about the moral urgency of acting now at the state legislature to turn North Carolina away from a regressive public policy agenda, the North Carolina NAACP and clergy members representing the broader Forward Together Moral Movement coalition delivered a letter to Gov. Pat McCrory, Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate Leader Phil Berger today.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Open Letter Calling for a Deadline Extension for Eugenics Victims to Apply for Compensation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2014
Contact: Sarah Bufkin, NC NAACP - smbufkin@gmail.com or 404.285.3413
The North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Movement Release an Open Letter Calling for a Deadline Extension for Eugenics Victims to Apply for Compensation
RALEIGH, NC - The North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement are releasing an open letter calling upon Senate Leader Phil Berger, House Speaker Thom Tillis, Gov. Pat McCrory and all legislators in the NC General Assembly to extend the June 30 deadline for victims of the state's sterilization program to apply for the $50,000 compensation set aside for each victim.
In 2013, the General Assembly finally passed a bill that included a $10 million fund to provide restitution for the estimated 5,000 victims of the state's eugenics laws. Anyone who wishes to apply for compensation must submit a formal application by Monday, June 30. As of the middle of June, less than 600 of the estimated 1,800 victims have applied for their compensation.
North Carolina has a moral responsibility to find these men and women, and the Forward Together Movement asks this state legislature to fulfill that responsibility with the urgency it deserves.
The NC NAACP's open letter is included below:
30 June 2014
North Carolina Legislators
16 W. Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Dear Legislators of North Carolina:
The North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement call on you to extend the deadline for victims of the NC eugenics program to 'Apply for Compensation' by a year until June 30, 2015. But a year's extension is the minimum; there should not be a deadline that blocks these victims from claiming their compensation. This proposed $50,000 does not make up for our state forcibly taking their right to bear children, but it does start to make amends of the terrible wrong that was done. And we should not exclude some of these victims from the process with an arbitrary application deadline.
One bill to extend the deadline has already been introduced this session, but the House leadership has left it buried in committee. If state legislators work to extend this deadline, they will show they are serious about making amends. If they do not, we will know that this restitution program is merely a political ploy to get political points in an election year.
This is not a political issue. Eighty-five years ago, the state of North Carolina began preying on poor, marginalized people - many of whom were women of color - and forcibly sterilizing them using race-based logic of so-called social engineering. That eugenics program wasn't stopped until 1974. But our lawmakers have only given victims about a year to file for compensation. They provided no money for an aggressive outreach campaign to find these people, relying instead on the beneficence of nonprofit and advocacy groups to undertake the hard work of locating individuals on the basis of incomplete and long-outdated state records. This arbitrary deadline of one year contradicts the moral obligation to rectify the decades of inhumane treatment. There should be grace in this situation and, therefore, a grace period in this deadline.
About 1,400 living victims of the eugenics program have not applied for the compensation because of lack of state outreach. We ask that you to consider the reasons these victims were chosen for the eugenics program in the first place - they were marginalized, poor and without a voice, and now there has been little to no effort or resources from the state to locate these people and help them prepare their applications. These victims have suffered for years, in some cases enduring immense physical and psychological trauma.
While there should not be a deadline, we call on you at a minimum to extend this deadline by a year until June 30, 2015 and to commit additional energy and resources to an aggressive outreach campaign in the media and at the grassroots level. Let the state be as zealous locating the between two and four thousand victims and their heirs as it was when it tracked them down in their early teens, convinced the eugenics board they were defective people and then removed their reproductive organs. The extension will not significantly delay payments, since according to the present law no one receives payment until July 2015.
Compensation will not make these victims whole. But it is a sign that the State of North Carolina wishes to repair the injuries it caused some of her citizens.
Please, do the right thing.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
President of the North Carolina NAACP
A PDF version of the letter can be found HERE and can be accessed on the NC NAACP website.
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Saturday, June 28, 2014
Call upon State Lawmakers to Extend the June 30, 2014 Deadline for the Victims of the NC Sterilization Program to Apply for Compensation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2014
Contact: Sarah Bufkin, NC NAACP - smbufkin@gmail.com or 404.285.3413
The North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement Call upon State Lawmakers to Extend the June 30, 2014 Deadline for the Victims of the NC Sterilization Program to Apply for Compensation
Two thirds of the victims have not filed claims for compensation because of lack of state outreach about the available compensation.
RALEIGH, NC - The North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement call upon Senate Leader Phil Berger, House Speaker Thom Tillis, Gov. Pat McCrory and Budget Director Art Pope to extend the June 30 deadline for victims of the state's horrific sterilization program to apply for the $50,000 compensation set aside for each victim in 2013.
As of the middle of June, less than 600 of the estimated 1,800 victims have applied for their compensation. Close observers believe the state has failed to launch a broad outreach campaign to locate eligible North Carolinians, many of whom the state labelled as mentally defective as the reason for sterilizing them.
For almost a decade, the NC NAACP has demanded that the victims of the Winston-Salem based sterilization program that preyed on mainly poor African American women be compensated. In 2013, the General Assembly finally passed a bill that included a $10 million fund to provide restitution for the estimated 5,000 victims of the state's eugenics laws. Anyone who wishes to apply for compensation must submit a formal application byMonday, June 30.
Those familiar with the victims of the program were all concerned about how to reach people and how to help them fill out all the forms necessary to receive their compensation. There is no master list of victims. Many of the state's records are incomplete. Many of the victims lacked Social Security numbers in their early teens, when the majority were sterilized., and the addresses in the records are 40-50 years old. People have moved, married, changed their names. Many are poor and without ready access to legal advice. Some are functionally illiterate.
"These victims were targeted by the zealous eugenics program in the first place because they were marginalized, poor and without a voice, and now there has been little to no effort or resources from the state to locate these people and help them prepare their applications," said Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, president of the NC NAACP. "This state has a moral responsibility to find these men and women. Its responsibility did not end with setting aside money for victims to apply for. We call on our state lawmakers to extend this deadline by a year until June 30, 2015 and to commit additional energy and resources to an aggressive outreach campaign in the media and at the grassroots level. Let the state be as zealous locating the between two and four thousand victims and their heirs as it was when it tracked them down in their early teens, convinced the eugenics board they were defective people and then removed their reproductive organs. The extension will not significantly delay payments, since according to the present law no one receives payment until July 2015.
"The NC NAACP with our over 200 coalition partners addressed the issue of wrongful sterilization with the adoption of the coalition's 14-point agenda in 2007," Dr. Barber continued. "Since that time, obtaining compensation for the victims of the forcible sterilization program has been a mainstay of our agenda. Ten years have passed since the state offered a formal apology to victims of the involuntary sterilizations in 2001. These victims have suffered for years, in some cases enduring immense physical and psychological trauma. Compensation will not make these victims whole. But it is a sign that the State of North Carolina wishes to repair the injuries it caused some of her citizens."
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Thom Tillis and GOP Friends are changing the NCGA House Rules.
From NC Blue,
If you have a bunch of protestors pointing out your bad policies, what's the best way to solve the problem?
If you're Republicans in the NC legislature, the answer is simple - change the rules to make the protestors go away.
Wral Report that the committee that over sees the NCGA House rules haven’t met since the 90’s..
Tillis and his gang in only doing this to stop the Moral Mondays Protests, Well, Good Luck with that Thom.
also Wral reports that,
The proposed new rules would remove the prohibition on visiting the second floor and allow visitors to carry signs, as long as they were not mounted on sticks or weren't "libelous or vulgar."
NAACP has this to say,
"Instead of working to repeal legislation that is hurting North Carolinians, these extremist lawmakers are seeming working to try and deter people from exercising their constitutional rights in the People's House," Dr. Barber said. "According to Article I, Section 12 of our state constitution, 'the people have a right to assemble together to consult for their common good, to instruct their representatives, and to apply to the General Assembly for redress of grievances; but secret political societies are dangerous to the liberties of a free people and shall not be tolerated.' Under our constitution, Speaker Tillis and Senate Leader Berger should welcome the people - even their critics - and should ban their secret meeting with those individuals who work against the common good. The North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement will respond to whatever new building rules are passed. We will not stop until we turn this state away from the path of dangerous extremism."
Friday, April 19, 2013
Open letter to Governor McCrory and State Legislators
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
17 April 2013
For More Information: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, President, 919-394-8137
Mrs. Amina J. Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700
Atty. Jamie Phillips, Public Policy Coordinator, 919-682-4700
Moral and Religious Leaders will hold a News Conference on Monday, April 22, in Raleigh to elaborate on their concerns. Those who have signed this letter are just the Initial writers of the letter. It is presently being circulated among hundreds of ministers, rabbis, imams and other religious leaders across the state. This letter is being released on the anniversary of the release of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's historical "Letter from Birmingham Jail," that called on all People of Faith and Good Will to take a moral stand against the outrages of the racist backlash the second reconstruction civil rights movement that Dr. King and others had built in the face of dynamitings, jailings, beatings, and great personal sacrifice from 1954.
Micah 6:8
What does God require of us but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.
Dear Governor McCrory, President Pro Tempore Berger, and Speaker Tillis,
We are clergy members who have devoted our careers to serving the people of North Carolina. Many of us are natives, and have lived here all our lives. We care about the moral fabric of our State. We trust you also care about the people of North Carolina-all the people.
We have never doubted the good heart of the state and its people. North Carolina ranks high in the South. It is consistently characterized as a caring state, by observers across the nation.
At the core of North Carolina's good reputation is our ability to build bridges of democracy-not walls of division. We have earned the nation's respect because most of the time we govern for the common good-the hallmark of democracy. We take seriously our pledge that this is a nation with liberty and justice for all.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
NC NAACP Open Letter To Governor McCrory and NC Legislative Leadership:
Do Not Reject Medicaid Expansion and Create Healthcare Apartheid
18 February 2013
Hon. Pat McCrory, Governor of All the People of North Carolina
Hon. Phil Berger, Leader of N.C. Senate sworn to govern for the good of the whole.
Hon. Tom Tillis, Leader of the N.C. House sworn to govern for the good of the whole.
Hon. Skip Stam, Leader of the N.C. House sworn to govern for the good of the whole.
Re: Senate Bill 4 Creates Healthcare Apartheid
Dear Gov. McCrory, Sen. Berger, Speaker Tillis, and House Leader Stam:
Thursday, January 10, 2013
NCDP’s Response to Senator Berger’s Inflammatory Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9, 2013
Contact: Clay Pittman – (919) 821-2777 (ext. 304)
Today, on the floor of the North Carolina General Assembly, Senate Leader Phil Berger said the following:
“For too many years, North Carolina tried to tax and spend its way to prosperity,” Berger said. “And for too many years, North Carolina lost jobs, lost businesses, failed to educate many of our children and struggled to compete.
“Our leaders had lost their way. And our state lost its place as the leader of the South, and the envy of the nation.”
North Carolina Democratic Party spokesman Clay Pittman issued the following response:
Senate Leader Phil Berger’s statement on the floor of the North Carolina General Assembly is disgraceful. The Senator seems to be forgetting that it was the Democratic Party that built our Community College system and our University system into model programs for the rest of the country. He has forgotten that it was Democratic leadership that has made North Carolina a consistently top-5 ranked state for business. He has forgotten that it was the Democratic Party that built the Research Triangle Park, that recognized that Pre-K education is the most important asset a child can have, and that have always known that good jobs grow from a good education.
Senator Berger also seems to have forgotten that his party has fought every step of the way to take us backwards. Just last year, under his leadership, North Carolina Republicans slashed funding for our schools, put profits for special interests ahead of the health safety our citizens, and demonstrated blatant disregard for racial justice. Senator Berger continued, saying “To my Republican colleagues, we must show our constituents, this state, and this country that there is a real difference between a Washington Republican and a North Carolina Republican.” As the NCGOP looks to disenfranchise over 600,000 North Carolinians, it looks like the Senator may have a point. While Washington Republicans have proven themselves more than capable of obstructing progress, the North Carolina Republican Party continues to show that they are eager to dismantle it entirely.
###
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
NC NAACP Urges Speaker Pro Tem to Fund Compensation for Eugenics Victims
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2012
For More Information: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137
Mrs. Amina J. Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700
DURHAM - The North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP delivered a letter this afternoon to Senator Phil Berger's office urging him and his colleagues to include compensation for victims of forced sterilization in the final budget. The letter can be downloaded here and is copied below.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
VoteforMarriageNC hold Presser at NCGA concerning Domestic Violence
Via email,
Tami Fitzgerald, bring a bunch of lawyer together to say that if Amendment 1 passing it won’t impact NC Domestic laws.
Jeff Hunt, a District Attorney from Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania Counties said, "I urge the public to take a look at this. Do not fall for false analyses. I am amazed that these claims are even being made by lawyers, but I can assure you that the Amendment does not weaken our protections of children. It does not weaken the 50b and 50c protections. It does not weaken domestic violence protections in any way."
These are some that were there..
Phil Berger Jr – DA, Prosecutorial District #17A (Rockingham County)
Locke Bell – DA, Prosecutorial District #27A (Gaston County)
Wallace Bradsher - DA, Prosecutorial District #09A (Caswell and Person Counties)
Raven Byrne – Family Law Attorney (Wake County
Garry Frank – DA, Prosecutorial District #22B (Davidson and Davie Counties)
Jay Gaither – DA, Prosecutorial District #25 (Burke, Caldwell and Catawba Counties)
Jeff Hunt – DA, Prosecutorial District #29B (Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania Counties),
Sheriff Terry Johnson – Alamance County
Tom Keith – Fmr. DA, Prosecutorial District #21 (Forsyth County),
John Snyder – Fmr. DA, Prosecutorial District #20B (Union County)
Jerry Wilson – DA, Prosecutorial District #24 (Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey Counties)
Sheriff Carey Winders – Wayne County
Paul Wright – Fmr. Superior Court Judge
Each one a lawyer who in the pass has lie in court, have used double talk to get their clients off of major charges all for Money.. In the future they would most likely used the Amendment for their clients in Domestic Violence and Child Custody cases.. Simply but can we really trust this group of lawyers to really speak the truth. No we can’t. With Phil Berger being one of, while just look what he has done in the NCGA.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thom Tillis the double speaker of the house..
Tillis to Citizens: you are welcome to the GA, except when your not
Then, when protesters arrived at their intended protest site on the second floor of the Legislative Building — a venue that is frequently crowded during legislative sessions with lobbyists, reporters and all sort of political hangers on and interested members of the public and that also includes several legislative offices in which citizens can visit their lawmakers — the officers ordered the protesters to depart, citing a rule that supposedly bars the public from the second floor of the Legislative Building without prior authorization (a rule that has never been enforced in the memory of anyone in the group — which included many folks who have been coming to the legislature for decades.) After some uncomfortable and semi-tense moments, the protesters removed to the House gallery.
So lobbyist who are carrying nice little white or brown envelopes are pre-allow to be on the second floor now that Tillis/Berger are in control of the NCGA.. THE money must FLOW…
They are changing the rules on a day by day bases..they don’t want the eyes of NC to know what they are doing.. They want to keep us Carolinians in the dark while they return NC back to days of Jim Crow or worst.. What is next? Slavery returns!!!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Here we go again, will there be Hostages?
So will what will the Berger-Tillis Gang do about? I mean they claim to have pass many jobs bills, wait where is that list of new jobs.?
Will the B&T Gang hold the unemployed of NC once again as political hostages, to get what they want?
remember this
Last spring, Democratic Governor Bev Perdue and Republican legislative leaders got into a heated political battle over exactly the same problem. That standoff lasted seven weeks, affecting nearly 50,000 people.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
What the Hell is Phil Berger Problem: beside not having a Brain!
Recently the Governor Perdue call on the out of touch members of the Legislature to comply with the most recent court order, concerning the “more at Four” Program.. However Berger-head reply that he wasn’t interested in funding the program, and they are seeking to over turn the court order.
The NCDP (NC Democratic Party), Chairman David Parker say it the best..
“Phil Berger needs to stop picking on four-year-old children
and do his job,” said North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman David Parker. “Instead of working with the Governor to put over 6,000 kids back in the classroom, Senator Phil Berger is playing politics with our children’s futures—his priorities are clearly out of whack.”
Why is Berger picking on these at risk kids.. O’ don’t worry Berger-Head is also opposed to the Governor’s proposal to stimulate the NC economy, he recently block the Governor’s efforts to bring in New Jobs to our state as well..
We need to get Berger and his sick, backward ideology out of the Legislature.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
NCGA to Hear Marriage Amendment Monday, (1 of 3 versions)
The NC Senate will start debating the marriage amendment Monday - without telling the public about it. http://t.co/8vEtnuI
But a new version of the bill leaked to WRAL Friday night shows the bill the committee will take up Monday has absolutely nothing to do with term limits. The new H61 is an amended version of the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.
Berger's chief of staff, Jim Blaine, said late tonight there was no intention to deceive the public or hide the bill. He is earning that paycheck this week..
Events on Monday and Tuesday at NCGA Halifax Mall, Will see a few Rallies.
THE North Carolina Value Coalition will hold a Protect Marriage Rally, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm (55 rvsp) (please note that there was a pro-gay marriage planned for the same day, from 12 to 2 pm, but it was canceled)
On Tuesday, Equality NC will hold there Marriage Equality Rally (1034 rsvp)..
Equality NC has organized 9 Candle light Vigils across the state.
- SANDHILLS ALLIANCE Vigil for Equality (Fay-ville)
- UNCW PRIDE Vigil For Equality (Wilmington)
- Winston-Salem Vigil for Equality
- Greensboro Vigil For Equality
- Asheville Vigil for Equality
- Charlotte Vigil for Equality
- Raleigh Vigil for Equality
- Duke and Durham Vigil for Equality
- Vigil for Equality Greenville
So hope to see you there, and at one of these vigils.. Please remember that the NCGA gallery is open to the public… Just don’t disrupt Tillis and you will be safe..
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Today hate and bigotry was alive in the NCGA
SchofieldNCPW Rob Schofield
Hate takes the mic at the General Assembly press room. Do Tillis and Berger really endorse this kind of hateful language? #ncga #ncpol
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Tillis and Berger you need to speak on this issue of Marriage.
By all appearances, North Carolina lawmakers are headed toward an historic (and terrible) vote the week after next.
Today, just 11 days prior to the scheduled legislative session, neither House Speaker Thom Tillis nor Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger has explained why North Carolina needs to take this action. All they’ve done is defer to the radical right-wingers in their own party and offer vague statements about wanting to let the people be heard, blah, blah….
I’m with Rob on this one. Tillis and Berger need to publicly stated where they stand on this issue. Currently they are hiding behind others in the House and Senate.
These two haven’t been shy on other issues, so why are they quite now on this issue???
If they are not willing to formal speak their position on this matter then they don’t need to be in office.. The Citizens of NC deserve to know where they stand on this..
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Email from NC Democratic - Tillis, McCrory and Berger: Turning Back The Clock On NC Schools
Last week, Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly decided to challenge a court ruling on pre-kindergarten access could lead to an appeal of the landmark Leandro school-quality case.
A recent court ruling overturned the Republican's attempt to charge the parents of at-risk children a premium fee to send their 4 year olds to pre-K programs offered by public schools. Now, in GOP challenge to that ruling, Senate Republican leader Phil Berger's chief of staff said in a memo to Senate Republicans that, by appealing the ruling, the GOP’s ultimate goal of overturning the Leandro case could be a possible benefit of such action.
Governor Perdue acted swiftly in response to the court ruling by issuing an executive order restoring the high standards and accessibility of the ‘More at Four’ program for all at-risk children. Sen. Berger's Chief of Staff's reaction was to personally insult the Governor by suggesting that she is a 2-year old who needs to attend day care. Shameful.
Republicans clearly believe that slashing schools budgets, eliminating pre-k programs for as-risk children and decimating our public colleges and universities are all things to laugh about—Democrats don't think there is anything funny about this destructive agenda.
This effort by the GOP is nothing more than a Trojan horse designed to turn back the clock on decades of progress and excellence in North Carolina’s public education system. I have no doubt that the ultimate goal for the Republicans is to overturn the Leandro case, de-fund our schools and completely dismantle public education in North Carolina.
The Leandro case is the legal foundation that provides for a sound basic education for every public school student in North Carolina. By attempting to overturn the case, Republicans in the General Assembly are attempting to return to an era of extreme inequality in public education.
You don’t have to look far to find journalists, citizens and experts from all across the state who not only support the ‘More at Four’ program; they also oppose overturning the Leandro case. It’s destructive, it’s immoral and it’s against everything that we stand for in North Carolina.
It has become painfully clear that Tillis, McCrory, Berger and their allies in the General Assembly are out of control and must be stopped—Speaker Thom Tillis was even quoted recently as saying that he will "do whatever the hell he wants".
A simple penny would have would have prevented the Tillis, McCrory and Berger team cuts to pre-K programs like More at Four, and would have protected teacher and teaching assistant positions in the classroom. Make no mistake about it, the Republicans are dead-set on turning the clock back on North Carolina—unfortunately for them, Democrats will simply not let it happen.
Sincerely,
David Parker
Chair, North Carolina Democratic Party
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
NC Rep. LaRoque acting like a child at his own Press Conference..
#ncga Rep. LaRoque's name calling bit.ly/qirHJw doesn't address the facts is.gd/szzbWH unearthed by NC Policy Watch.
Well I guess if you can’t change the facts, then starting calling your accuser names, which never really works, but LaRoque is going through his second childhood while in the NCGA. Where daddies Tillis and Berger had help to protect him.. (more like the ncga crook-gang)
We all know if a NC NCGA Democrat, did ever thing that was reported that LaRoque did, the Republican NCGA members would be calling for their resignation ASAP.. So, Why aren’t the NCGA Dem’s calling for his?
LaRoque, a conservative Republican from Kinston, maintained at his hour-long press conference that he had done nothing wrong in the management of his two economic development non-profits, which have been funded with $8 million in federal dollars since 1997. The recent articles by NC Policy Watch were “political hit pieces” by a “liberal propaganda tabloid,” LaRoque said.
(The NC Policy Watch investigation, which can be read here, found that LaRoque received up to $195,000 a year, much more than what his counterparts received; allowed immediate family members on the board of directors that’s supposed to independently determine his pay; and loaned out federally-funded loans to personal and political associates, including two fellow GOP legislators.)
He stated that out of his $100,000 to $195,000, he had to pay his staff as well.
He declined to say how much he paid those employees, and how much he personally received out of the $100,000 to $195,000 in annual compensation he reported receiving each year to the IRS.
“It’s none of your business,” LaRoque said.
If this is public money then is our business you douche bag..
I would have to wonder why he would place his family on these boards if not to help him to get his way on money issues.
Finally, LaRoque also said he plans on keeping his wife and brother on the board of directors for his non-profits, unless they choose to step down. He says the two abstained from a recent vote to extend his contract with the non-profit, though did say after questioning that his family members hadn’t abstained from previous votes on LaRoque’s contract over the years.
