I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding outside parties during money into ads for local races.If one is uninformed, these ads can be very misleading.Keep it local.
Thomas: "But over the last few days, my Facebook feed has loaded up with ads with images..." Seriously. Public information (fed elec commission) reveals NO acceptance of money from the mentioned PAC. Seriously. I think you should print a retraction. And many of us know personally of a man that was handed over to ICE from the OC jail back in 2019 - under Blackwood's watch. Want the facts? https://www.wral.com/video/advocates-protest-orange-county-sheriff/18534578/ Leaning on your Facebook feed (we all know how truth suffers in the social media echo chambers, esp in the age of AI ) as your source is just lazy - and actually damaging to those who would be better served under new leadership. Which is what we need.
Let's have coffee and we can talk facts! And I do appreciate your other, continuing work...
Charles Blackwood is the gold standard of progressive, competent, and compassionate law enforcement in NC. He's represented what we as Democrats value very well.
And is that why the MAGA owned Mace Sports in Mebane has a digital billboard to re-elect Blackwood. Blackwood is a DINO because he knows a Republican can’t win in Orange County.
Handing any president the power to count or reject votes would be reckless. The record shows that Donald Trump often interprets events in ways that align with his own understanding, not with objective reality.
I don’t have a dog directly in this fight since I’m down in Chatham County, but I have to agree in principle. It’s been a long slog trying to get the state party apparatus to reorganize around a localization effort (and I congratulate Anderson Clayton with successfully herding that particular clowder of cats). Taking it national now — especially in such a bizarre fashion — would be a big step backward. I’ve got not much use for social media and none for Facebook, so I haven’t seen any of these ads, but it’s hard to imagine a big dark money PAC just decided to pick a random sheriff’s race to wade into on their own.
I am not on Facebook and no longer live in Orange County, where I grew up, but I find it hard to believe that this PAC would post a lot of attacks on Blackwood over a local Sheriff’s race without a connection with Blackwood’s opponent. It would make no sense.
Lots of national groups are looking to influence local elections. That’s how Republicans took over so many state legislatures starting more than 20 years ago. Democrats are just lately trying to catch up. A sheriff is often the most powerful office holder in a county and it should not be surprising that people connected with it are scouting for races to support, being contacted by a candidate’s supporters. Especially now with folks riled up about ICE abuses. But that’s a far cry from the candidate or committee “working with” the group. There are strict campaign finance rules about that.
It’s a terrible system that the Supreme Court has allowed but there are some restrictions that even that court hasn’t
LaBarre knows his electorate, apparently. I remember watching the public comments of a Chapel Hill Town Council meeting after the BLM protests and 99% of the folks wanted to talk about Minneapolis. Went on for more than an hour. Some wanted to Defund the Police and send out mental health counselors on domestic calls, which CHPD was already doing. Very few actually knew how local police did their jobs and made other suggestions that were ignorant of their SOPs.
I am in the process of sending you information that I shared publicly on Saturday at a forum with the Sheriff candidates. I asked Sheriff Charles a Blackwood, why he is violating NC Board of Elections Disclosure Regulations https://www.ncsbe.gov/campaign-finance/disclosure-legends and the regulations set forth by Meta (Facebook). He is also in complete violation of Meta’s rules for a political campaign. I started out my comments by asking if he knew the what NCSBE and Meta required and he said yes.
Since you are not a reporter and just comment on news and politics, I will share evidence with you showing the facts. It’s obvious that Mr. Blackwood did not know the requirements. It should be concerning given all the requirements and rules a sheriff needs to be aware of, especially one running for a FORTH time.
I will say that no other candidate (new or incumbent) in Orange County is in violation.
And the situation will only worsen as legislators continue to push municipal elections into even-numbered years, resulting in greater domination of the public square by the two major political parties.
I wholeheartedly agree with you regarding outside parties during money into ads for local races.If one is uninformed, these ads can be very misleading.Keep it local.
Thomas: "But over the last few days, my Facebook feed has loaded up with ads with images..." Seriously. Public information (fed elec commission) reveals NO acceptance of money from the mentioned PAC. Seriously. I think you should print a retraction. And many of us know personally of a man that was handed over to ICE from the OC jail back in 2019 - under Blackwood's watch. Want the facts? https://www.wral.com/video/advocates-protest-orange-county-sheriff/18534578/ Leaning on your Facebook feed (we all know how truth suffers in the social media echo chambers, esp in the age of AI ) as your source is just lazy - and actually damaging to those who would be better served under new leadership. Which is what we need.
Let's have coffee and we can talk facts! And I do appreciate your other, continuing work...
Here’s the ad. 30K impressions. https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?id=2074579866665029
thanks for the info...We were underinformed but glad to support Blackwood even before your reveal!!
Charles Blackwood is the gold standard of progressive, competent, and compassionate law enforcement in NC. He's represented what we as Democrats value very well.
And is that why the MAGA owned Mace Sports in Mebane has a digital billboard to re-elect Blackwood. Blackwood is a DINO because he knows a Republican can’t win in Orange County.
Handing any president the power to count or reject votes would be reckless. The record shows that Donald Trump often interprets events in ways that align with his own understanding, not with objective reality.
I don’t have a dog directly in this fight since I’m down in Chatham County, but I have to agree in principle. It’s been a long slog trying to get the state party apparatus to reorganize around a localization effort (and I congratulate Anderson Clayton with successfully herding that particular clowder of cats). Taking it national now — especially in such a bizarre fashion — would be a big step backward. I’ve got not much use for social media and none for Facebook, so I haven’t seen any of these ads, but it’s hard to imagine a big dark money PAC just decided to pick a random sheriff’s race to wade into on their own.
This is a serious accusation to say either LaBarre or his campaign are clearly working with this PAC. Do you have any evidence?
I am not on Facebook and no longer live in Orange County, where I grew up, but I find it hard to believe that this PAC would post a lot of attacks on Blackwood over a local Sheriff’s race without a connection with Blackwood’s opponent. It would make no sense.
Lots of national groups are looking to influence local elections. That’s how Republicans took over so many state legislatures starting more than 20 years ago. Democrats are just lately trying to catch up. A sheriff is often the most powerful office holder in a county and it should not be surprising that people connected with it are scouting for races to support, being contacted by a candidate’s supporters. Especially now with folks riled up about ICE abuses. But that’s a far cry from the candidate or committee “working with” the group. There are strict campaign finance rules about that.
It’s a terrible system that the Supreme Court has allowed but there are some restrictions that even that court hasn’t
torn down.
I voted for Blackwood. He's doing a very good job.
LaBarre knows his electorate, apparently. I remember watching the public comments of a Chapel Hill Town Council meeting after the BLM protests and 99% of the folks wanted to talk about Minneapolis. Went on for more than an hour. Some wanted to Defund the Police and send out mental health counselors on domestic calls, which CHPD was already doing. Very few actually knew how local police did their jobs and made other suggestions that were ignorant of their SOPs.
Was LaBarre's campaign staff contacted regarding this and what was their response?
I’m not a reporter. I just comment on the news and politics, so I didn’t reach out to either side.
I am in the process of sending you information that I shared publicly on Saturday at a forum with the Sheriff candidates. I asked Sheriff Charles a Blackwood, why he is violating NC Board of Elections Disclosure Regulations https://www.ncsbe.gov/campaign-finance/disclosure-legends and the regulations set forth by Meta (Facebook). He is also in complete violation of Meta’s rules for a political campaign. I started out my comments by asking if he knew the what NCSBE and Meta required and he said yes.
Since you are not a reporter and just comment on news and politics, I will share evidence with you showing the facts. It’s obvious that Mr. Blackwood did not know the requirements. It should be concerning given all the requirements and rules a sheriff needs to be aware of, especially one running for a FORTH time.
I will say that no other candidate (new or incumbent) in Orange County is in violation.
And the situation will only worsen as legislators continue to push municipal elections into even-numbered years, resulting in greater domination of the public square by the two major political parties.
Good reporting. We need this.
I know you don't do local often, but thanks for this exception.