LOD: General Assembly News

Rotten news and better news from the NC General Assembly: The bad news is that a bunch of NC lobbyists are giving up to $2,500 each for a state legislator’s campaign fundraising event. That’s especially odd because North Carolina law specifically prohibits a lobbyist from giving state legislators campaign donations. It doesn’t matter if the legislator is running for reelection or for another office, such as governor or county sheriff. The law basically says information, not money, should be the tool a lobbyist uses to make his or her case. Well, it turns out our state law doesn’t apply when the legislator runs for a federal office; federal law take precedence and it allows such donations. With an eye on that loophole, lobbyists Theresa Kostrzewa, Rufus Edmisten, Gene Ainsworth, Lu-Ann Perryman and others are lining up to co-sponsor a fundraising event for Sen. David Rouzer who is running for the 7^th Congressional District seat now held by Rep. Mike McInytre. The better news is that Republicans say they won’t try to override Gov. Perdue’s veto of the photo ID bill when they reconvene on September 12. The fight is by no means over; they’ll just save it for another day, possibly in the short session beginning next May!