It must be nice to have friends in high places. Earlier this week, we saw how the Beer and Wine Wholesalers got the legislature to do it’s bidding in a contractual dispute with big suppliers. Now, we have a lobbyist and legislator conspiring to fix something that ain’t broke but might financially benefit a company from another state.
Raleigh lobbyist Andy Dunn, who was once one of House Speaker Tim Moore’s top aides, came up with an idea to benefit his client, a data firm out of Southern California. He suggested creating a new sex offender database even though the agency that oversees it didn’t ask for the help. Nevertheless, the legislature put $500,000 into the project. Now, Dunn’s client can bid for the job.
This story is another look at how politics and money work. Legislators and lobbyists got together to find a solution to something that wasn’t a problem. According to the Sheriff’s Association, the group that will oversee the fund, it “ provided no input on the provision and learned about it only within the past month.” That said, I’m sure they’re not complaining.
However, the state already has sex offender database. So does the federal government. Instead of working with the people who oversee these tools, they decided to make a unilateral decision to give sheriff’s offices the power to create a new database with tax payer money.
A lot of people have good ideas that would make government better. What they don’t have is a lobbyist who is connected to the most powerful people in the state. So when Republicans complain about the government picking winners and losers, remember that they’re doing it every day in the NCGA.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
What a bunch of corrupt clows are running my native state. This is what happens when the Republicans of this generation get control. I still contend their day is coming. Tar Heels need to speak up and votes these bums out of office.
The Republican majorities in the NCGA and the US Congress are the most corrupt, self-serving governing bodies that I have seen in my six decades. The NCGA like the US Congress, are stepping beyond the powers given to them in the respective constitutions to bully the people. Our rights guaranteed under the Bill of Rights are at risk, heightened each time a minority group is attacked. We are headed toward government similar to Turkey, and Germany under Hitler if we don’t wake up and change the legislative bodies.
Probably not the worst example of waste and stupidy, but so obviously not needed, that it will further empower those who want government diminished. I can think of so many real needs that $500,000 would assist. AND, this is just the down payment. Year after year after year, this contract will continue in some form.