Carolina Politics Online

COLUMBIA — Months before the South Carolina Senate confirmed Jim Schweitzer in 2004 as the new director of the Department of Public Safety, Sen. Jake Knotts of Lexington said he showed him a videotape of Highway Patrol troopers harassing local narcotics agents on a stakeout because the troopers were upset the local officers were in their territory.

The troopers, in an unmarked SUV, parked near the local agents and then did what they could to discourage the agents from staying, Knotts said, including shining their lights on the highway, shouting and singing over their vehicle’s loudspeaker and turning on their blue lights. And when the agents finally pulled out onto the highway in pursuit of the car they were waiting on, the troopers blocked them, Knotts said.

He said Schweitzer told him that he couldn’t believe what he was seeing when watching the tape after Knotts told him that the commander of the patrol, Russell Roark, didn’t always hand out the necessary punishment when his officers misbehaved.

The Greenville News

It’s becoming more clear that getting rid of these two chuckleheads was the right thing.  This story above make them sound like a bunch of children.  Schweitzer was aware of it and simply didn’t care.

Gov Mark Sanford, who has called on the Legislature to send him a bill cracking down on illegal immigration, said the bill before a House-Senate conference committee lacks teeth.

Sanford wants tougher penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants.

“I’d give the House and Senate real credit for all the hard work they’ve put in so far on this bill” Sanford said. ” …That being said, a real pitfall when it comes to this bill is the idea of not including a meaningful verification requirement for private employees.

The State

Sanford is making the right move.  All that talk from the General Assembly about cracking down on illegal immigration and what we got was wimpy, wimpy, wimpy instead of the Hefty bag.  They need to come up with a verification that is more reliant the I-9 from the Feds.

A House lawmaker has proposed raising the state’s gas tax by a nickle a gallon, in exchange for eliminating the sales tax on cars.  The proposal was offered by Rep. Rex Rice during debate on a bill to use some car sales tax revenue to pay for road improvements.
The House Ways and Means committee adjourned without voting on the proposal. They will take it up again later today.

The State

What another brilliant idea coming from our RINO majority in the State House.  After all, it’s not like gas isn’t expensive enough already.  Let’s tack on some more to the charge.

State Rep. Thomas Wright acted unethically in pocketing money meant for charity and mishandling campaign contributions and should be kicked out of the legislature, six of his fellow lawmakers concluded Thursday.

The disciplinary recommendation by the special House ethics committee will now be considered by the whole chamber. But it was unclear when – or if – House Speaker Joe Hackney would ask Gov. Mike Easley to call the General Assembly back to Raleigh for a special session.

The Wilmington Star

It looks like Wright’s future in the General Assembly is short lived.  Jim Black had better start making some room in his jail cell.  He’s going to have a new roommate shortly.

GREENSBORO — A Guilford County commissioner facing accusations of fraud and slander declined to say Thursday whether he would leave office.

“I do not want to speak tonight,” Republican Steve Arnold said during a break in Thursday’s meeting.

Arnold filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in November, the same month his development company, Arcon, also filed for bankruptcy. At that time, Arnold mentioned he was considering stepping down from the board.

Asked if he has made a decision on his future with the Board of Commissioners, Arnold said, “I’ve already decided what I’m going to do, and I will let you know when the time comes.”

The News-Record

CHAPEL HILL — A public debate between two Democratic candidates and one Republican candidate running for the 23rd District N.C. Senate seat representing Orange and Person counties has been scheduled for April 9.

Incumbent Sen. Ellie Kinnaird and Orange County Commissioners Chairman Moses Carey Jr. are facing off for the Democratic nomination in the May 6 primary. Jon G. (Greg) Bass, a Person County Republican resident, is unopposed in the primary.

EmPOWERment, Inc., the League of Women Voters and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce will host the debate.

The Herald Sun

Kinnaird is a nut bag.  The woman has an extreme left, radical ideology that does not fit in with the citizenry.  She belongs in California, not North Carolina.  Hopefully, one of these two will manage to take her out.  The state would be all the better for it.

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s presidential primary not only matters for the first time in decades but has turned into a jewel in the Democratic nomination fight. It’s the second-biggest prize left and will soon attract a swarm of campaign teams, packed rallies and the national spotlight.

Charlotte Observer

This is indeed a rare and exciting occurrence for North Carolina.  With the state’s primary always being so late in the presidential primary season, the nominees in both parties are generally decided by that time.  The Democrats will be able to have a voice this year.