Pay-to-play politics can be petty – or deadly serious. The Wilmington Star-News reports that state Sen. Thom Goolsby received a $4,000 donation from the head of the city’s home builders association and shortly thereafter introduced a bill in the General Assembly that the association’s lobbyist had prepared. The bill overrides a city policy about how the Wilmington convention center is rented to groups. That policy hardly deserves statewide attention, but the Goolsby/builder interaction does, because the two men risk being charged under the state’s anti-bribery law if “it could reasonably be inferred that the thing of value
[the $4,000 donation] would influence the legislator in the discharge of the legislator’s duties” (NC General Statute 120-86). Meanwhile, one of the biggest campaign donor’s in the state, Duke Energy, joined several other businesses in pushing a surprise bill yesterday that will stop North Carolina from regulating toxic chemicals released into the air by power plants, paper factories, steel mills, etc. This example of arrogant special-interest legislation illustrates the grave consequence for people’s health of pay-to-play politics. On the national level, the Koch brothers are the poster boys of using their money to gain policies that help their businesses and personal fortune at the expense of others’ health and safety. A fascinating, horrible case in point: they’ve used their clout for years to prevent proper regulation of formaldehyde as a carcinogen, costing untold damage.
From the news story: “On Monday, when asked by a reporter about the contribution, Goolsby said he didn’t know if he received money from Stevens and would check with his campaign treasurer and get back to the reporter. He didn’t immediately report back…Goolsby acknowledged the contribution when approached outside of his legislative office Tuesday morning.”
Could one invent a much clearer case of bribery? Mr. Goolsby has nothing but contempt for the public he is sworn to serve, and if the proper officials won’t act, then the people of New Hanover County certainly need to elect someone who puts the public good first. Of course, that won’t happen until and unless deals like this get waved in their face like the rotten fish they are — “Look me in the eye,” indeed. That Goolsby expects his constituents to accept that he really didn’t know about a four thousand dollar campaign out of election season, in the face of his his immediate submission of a bill that directly benefits the particular need of the contributor, as if he just thought it up all of a sudden on his own, and, oh gosh, look, didn’t those dear folks just give me some money, is utterly contemptible. And even then he had to be chased down for the truth. Thank you, Wilmington Star-News.
[…] grim conclusion to a lousy session Post on June 16, 2011 by Rob Schofield No Comments Yesterday’s link of the day from the good folks at Democracy NC helps highlight what disastrous week this has been at the General Assembly (and what a fitting […]