gregflynn's blog

I'm not a journalist but I've been surrounded by them for the past day and will be again today at Capitolbeat 2008 a national conference of statehouse reporters and editors being held in Raleigh. This afternoon, in the graveyard shift of conferences, just before happy hour, I'll be on a panel called "Ask a Blogger". The good news is that this session will be in a bar. The bad news is that I'll be a blogger surrounded by journalists in a bar. So to turn the tables and to allow for an exchange of information I want to give you an opportunity to "Ask a Journalist" all those burning questions about the mainstream media.

Charlotte has a crime rate about double that of Raleigh. Pat McCrory wants to bring his kind of "success" to Raleigh. We don't need it. We don't need a crime rate that's higher than New York, Los Angeles, or Raleigh.

An examination of Pat McCrory's campaign finance reports shows that he has received $45,150 from Duke Energy sources since the beginning of July 2008. This brings the total in contributions from Duke Energy sources to his campaign for Governor to $134,765 or a grand total of $151,520 from Duke Energy and affiliated sources throughout his political career.

Patrick "Duke" McCrory's Conflicts of Interest with respect to Duke Energy have been outlined and documented previously. The fact that McCrory's campaign has received $134,765 (about the same as the Governor's salary) from Duke Energy sources in his run for Governor raises even more questions about his ability to put the interests of the people of North Carolina above the interests of his "former" employer.

First Michele Bachmann, Robin Hayes and, Randy Kuhl. Now a State Senator, NC Republican Neal Hunt wallows in the mud.

"I would like some, some, normal person that knew him growing up to come forward and say "I love America and, and eh, I really like Barack Obama" I just hadn't seen anybody like that. Everybody, all of his associations seem to be radical American haters."

Hat Tip: WhalerCane

Joe Biden's star sure seemed to shine last week at the Meredith College rally in Raleigh. Could he be "The One"?

From McCrory's Third Quarter Report:

10/9/2008 $100
ROBERT CHRISTENSEN, COLUMNIST, THE NEWS AND OBSERVER
Individual Contribution, Check

UPDATE from Ryan at The Dome:

I just spoke with Rob. He said that he has not given a donation to any political campaign and does not sign his name as Robert on checks. We're not sure what this is about at this point, but we'll keep you posted.

LATE UPDATE: McCrory campaign messed up. They Googled "Rob Christensen" and found the columnist.

Don't think James will mind I changed the headline, think he stepped out. - RP
I changed it again - GF

Pat McCrory is still Mayor of Charlotte and only in January "quit" his simultaneous full time job with Duke Energy to run for Governor. Duke Energy PAC gave McCrory $4,000 the same month and $4,000 this July [7/23/08 according to FEC reports]. McCrory still will not disclose the full extent of his financial relationship with Duke Energy and related businesses.

McCrory once went to Washington, in 1997, to testify, as Mayor, against EPA clean air regulations for the Charlotte area that would have cost Duke Energy $600 million.

Again in 2007 McCrory spoke on Capitol Hill at a hearing of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. McCrory talked about climate change and advocated for "clean coal" and nuclear power, both beneficial to Duke Energy. He addressed the hearing as Mayor of Charlotte and Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Environment Committee. He did not state that he was also an employee of Duke Energy even though his boss addressed the hearing the very next day.

Yesterday the NC Democratic Party issued a press release with more examples of Pat McCrory's conflicts of interest with respect to Duke Energy and his role as Mayor.

Pat McCrory's plan to reduce school violence.

This morning I spoke with attorney representing the North Carolina Association of Realtors (NCAR). He declined to submit concerns in writing but they relate to three posts, on another blog, made in the last few days, which he requested that I remove and recognize with an apology.

In my posts I try to strive to present an abundance of fact, spiced with opinion, believing that sunlight is the best disinfectant and that humor is the best medicine.