Wednesday, July 31, 2019 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: not-so-funny jokes and elections; indictments in the 9th; not-so-tasty legislative pork; State Health Plan controversy and a newspaper ends its print edition.
Other WRAL Top Stories
ELECTIONS AREN'T FUNNY BUSINESS
WILL DORAN: NC Elections Board chairman resigns, apologizes following sexist joke at convention (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- The resignation follows remarks Cordle made at a gathering of state officials comparing women to cows
LAURA LESLIE & TRAVIS FAIN: State elections chair resigns after joke about cows, sex (WRAL-TV reports) -- State Board of Elections Chairman Robert Cordle is facing criticism after telling a joke about cows and sex to a gathering of 600 local elections officials.
In reversal, NC board could certify voting vendors this week (AP reports) -- N.C.'s elections board indicated that it could certify suppliers of new voting machines this week while scrapping a tentative plan to require "human-readable" paper ballot records.
Foot dragging on paper ballots led to this week’s elections board confusion (Fayetteville Observer reports) -- Then the board chairman resigned, after pressure over an inappropriate joke
Our elections remain vulnerable, but the GOP resists tougher security measures (Greensboro News & Record reports) -- Anyone who’s paying attention knows that Russians meddled extensively in America’s 2016 elections. Anyone who’s paying attention knows it’s likely that Russians and maybe others will be doing everything they can to interfere in next year’s elections.
SPECIAL CAMPAIGNS & ELECTIONS 2019
ALAN BLINDER: Election Fraud in N.C. Leads to New Charges for Republican Operative (New York Times reports) -- McCrae Dowless, who was previously indicted over work in other elections, was charged in connection to efforts related to the 2018 general elections.
MORGAN KRAKOW: New indictments handed down for N.C. political operative at center of election fraud scheme (Washington Post reports) -- A grand jury returned several new indictments Tuesday for a political operative who prosecutors say orchestrated a ballot-tampering scheme while working for a Republican congressional candidate in 2018.
JONATHAN DREW: N.C. ballot fraud investigation yields new charges (AP reports) -- A ballot fraud investigation produced new felony charges against the political operative at the center of a disputed congressional election that's being rerun.
RUSTY JACOBS: More Indictments In 9th District Ballot Tampering Investigation (WUNC-FM reports) -- The political operative whose alleged ballot tampering in the 9th Congressional District resulted in a new election now faces more criminal charges. New indictments from a Wake County grand jury allege Leslie McCrae Dowless obstructed justice during the 2018 general election season when he worked for GOP candidate Mark Harris. Harris's narrow victory was tossed out by the state elections board and a new contest is underway.
CARLI BROSSEAU: Bladen County political operative faces new perjury, obstruction of justice charges (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- A Republican political operative who worked for one-time congressional candidate Mark Harris in Bladen County faces felony charges in connection with the 2018 general election. Leslie McCrae Dowless was charged with two counts of felony obstruction of justice, perjury, solicitation to commit perjury, conspiracy to obstruct justice and possession of absentee ballot, the document showed.
LAURA LESLIE, AMANDA LAMB & TRAVIS FAIN: Criminal charges filed in 9th District absentee ballot fraud scandal (WRAL-TV reports) -- The absentee ballot fraud scandal that forced a new election in the 9th Congressional District resulted in criminal charges against more than a half-dozen people.
JIM MORRILL: In NC District 9 race, Bishop slams McCready over ‘misleading’ claims in new TV ad (Charlotte Observer reports) -- Republican Dan Bishop blasted what he called the "false claims" in a new TV ad from Democrat Dan McCready. The ad features a woman talking about finding high health care bills after the hospitalization of her infant son. "Dan Bishop was the only senator to vote no on a bipartisan bill that helped families like mine get discounted prescription drugs to help lower our bills," the ad says.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2019
ROB SCHOFIELD: Legislative hypocrisy on “pork” [and we’re not talking about hog farms] (NC Policy Watch column) -- The problem, of course, is the absurdly hypocritical lack of process and transparency. Simply put: state lawmakers ought not to be inserting special language into the budget to give $5,000 to their hometown Boys & Girls Club. To the extent that government wants to get in the business of funding private entities to perform public works, it should delegate the decision for meting out funds to professionals in the relevant state agencies and establish safeguards so that the most deserving applicants are selected – even those without powerful legislative patrons. A decade ago, such a critique was a boilerplate talking point for North Carolina conservatives looking to gain power. Today, it’s clear that that was just talk.
JAMIE BOLES: Millions for Moore County Blocked by Cooper’s Veto (Southern Pines Pilot column) -- As we enter the fourth week of the new fiscal year, the budget standoff continues. Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the budget because it did not expand Medicaid. This action blocked critical funding for projects all over the state, specifically several million dollars that would go directly to Moore County.
JAKE PATTERSON: Jake Johnson chosen to replace Henson in NC House, will focus on state budget (Hendersonville Times-News reports) -- The executive committees of the Henderson, Polk, and Transylvania County Republican parties chose Jake Johnson, a county commissioner from Polk County, to be the replacement for Rep. Cody Henson, R-Transylvania, who resigned last Friday after pleading guilty to cyberstalking his wife.
KASEY CUNNINGHAM: Bill aims to keep you safe when using ride share programs (WRAL-TV reports) -- A bill is headed to Gov. Roy Cooper's desk that aims to keep you safe the next time you request an Uber or Lyft.
EMMY VICTOR: Bill would toughen laws against child sex abuse (WRAL-TV reports) -- Consequences could soon change statewide for sex offenders who try to lure children online.
POLICY & POLITICS
GILBERT BAEZ: Ft. Bragg comes together, begins tough process after 2 soldiers killed in Afghanistan (WRAL-TV reports) -- One day after military leaders at Fort Bragg confirmed two soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division were killed while on duty in Afghanistan, the difficult process begins to let next of kin know. The Defense Department says 20-year-old Pfc. Brandon Jay Kreischer of Stryker, Ohio, and 24-year-old Spc. Michael Isaiah Nance of Chicago died "as a result of wounds sustained in a combat related incident" in Tarin Kowt, in southern Afghanistan. The 82nd Airborne has about 3,000 paratroopers on the ground in Afghanistan.
Officials say 3 correctional officers assaulted at Bertie County state prison (AP reports) -- A state official confirms three correctional officers were assaulted at the Bertie Correctional Institution prison where an officer was killed two years ago.
BRIAN MURPHY: How much did Trump administration give NC farmers impacted by tariffs? (McCLATCHY D.C. reports) -- N.C. farmers received more than $105.1 million in payments from the federal government to compensate for losses due to retaliatory tariffs imposed by China and other nations, according to a data analysis.
MANDY MITCHELL: Nonprofits nervous as giving declines with new tax law (WRAL-TV reports) -- Making a donation to a charity feels good, and, for a long time, donors also saw a tax benefit. Changes to federal tax law that took effect in 2018 removed at least part of that incentive, and local nonprofits are starting to feel the strain.
COLIN CAMPBELL: Judicial fundraising (The Insider reports) -- In the race for chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court, Republican associate justice Paul Newby has a fundraising advantage over incumbent Democrat Cheri Beasley. In campaign finance reports covering the first half of 2019, Newby raised a total of $336,636 and ended the period with $326,763 on hand. Beasley, who has served on the court since 2012, was appointed chief justice in February by Gov. Roy Cooper. She raised $105,923 -- including $32,000 she loaned her campaign -- ending the period with $48,462 on hand.
MATT DEBNAM: Sheriff's office responds to racial discrimination lawsuit (Washington Daily News reports) -- The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and four high-ranking officials responded to a lawsuit led by a former deputy who alleged racial discrimination during and retaliation after his employment there. The defendants roundly deny Frank's accusations and said he was terminated for "unstable, aggressive, and unprofessional behavior."
EDUCATION
UNC Charlotte chancellor to retire in June 2020 (AP reports) -- The chancellor of UNC Charlotte has announced plans to retire next June.
KELLY HINCHCLIFFE: MVP math suing Wake County parent for 'libel and slander' after he criticized program (WRAL-TV reports) -- The company behind a controversial math curriculum being used in Wake County public schools has filed a lawsuit against a Cary parent, accusing him of "libel and slander" and "tortious interference with business relations" after he criticized the program.
BILL KIRBY JR.: Fayetteville State trustees were consulted about interim president (Fayetteville Observer column) -- A spokesman for UNC System says Bill Roper did talk with Fayetteville State University trustees and others before selecting Peggy Valentine to temporarily take charge of the school, and a trustee affirms it.
HEALTH
ANNE BLYTHE: Can N.C. dental hygienists help fill coverage gaps through a public-private partnership program? (N.C. Health News reports) -- N.C. Dental Board proposes a rule change that could slightly expand the scope of practice for the state’s hygienists.
DALE FOLWELL: Secret contracts are driving up N.C. health costs (Greensboro News & Record column) -- The Department of State Treasurer is responsible for providing health care coverage to more than 720,000 teachers, active and retired state employees and their dependents through the State Health Plan.
New law helps combat opioid crisis (Wilson Times reports) -- A new state law aimed to reduce barriers in the fight against the opioid crisis will also influence local initiatives.
NEIL COTIAUX: Dogwood Health Trust hopes to make first grants in fall 2020 (Carolina Public Press reports) -- Six months into its existence, the Dogwood Health Trust, a private grant-making foundation whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of the more than 900,000 people who call Western North Carolina home, is beginning to take clearer form with a slate of milestones anticipated in coming weeks and bigger plans ahead. On Feb. 1, Dogwood became fully operational, created with proceeds from the sale of the nonprofit Mission Health system to for-profit HCA Healthcare. Dogwood holds investment assets of about $1.5 billion and is overseen by 14 unpaid directors. It expects to make grants of up to $75 million annually.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
ELIZABETH OUZTS: In N.C., power struggle threatens Volkswagen settlement funds (Energy News Network reports) -- N.C. governor and legislature can’t agree on who ultimately controls $92 million in clean transportation money from the Volkswagen emissions settlement.
CORINNE SAUNDERS: Visible Change: Alligator River ‘Ghost Forests’ (Coastal Review reports) -- The effects of climate change on the N.C. coast are especially pronounced at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, where the rising sea level is visibly transforming habitats.
CHARLES DUNCAN: (Durham Herald-Sun reports) -- Toxic algae blooms along the Chowan River and the Albemarle Sound in eastern North Carolina could be dangerous for people and pets, the state warns. "State environmental officials have been monitoring numerous blooms in the Chowan River since May," the state Department of Environmental Quality said earlier this month.
... AND MORE
MARK JURKOWITZ: The Sentinel stops the presses (Outer Banks Sentinel reports) -- This is one story we didn’t want to ever write. But you are reading the last print issue of the Outer Banks Sentinel. There is only one reason we are making this announcement. Sadly, the financial realities of operating a print newspaper in this era made it impossible to sustain the publication.