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 Zero Tolerance for Self-dealing
by Tom Campbell
March 11, 2004
“Something is rotten in the State of Denmark,” William Shakespeare once penned. The same might apply to the State of North Carolina, as yet another charge of self-dealing and conflict of interest is revealed.
Representative Thomas Wright, from Wilmington, is the latest to be implicated. His creation, The Community’s Health Foundation, never received state money because of the terrible budget ills experienced, but the intent was clear. Based on the promise of state funding the agency bought a building and, because funds never materialized, lenders are about to foreclose on that structure. Additionally, Wright’s personal residence was listed for foreclosure. Wright wants to sell the building to another nonprofit, but that deal hinges on Wright’s ability to deliver state funding to it. Need it be said that Wright was a House Appropriations Chair and in clear position to direct money to whom he pleased?
When The Star-News in Wilmington questioned Wright, he responded that the legislature “frequently” directs state funds to non-profits formed or run by legislators, their families, or close associates. If so, Shakespeare was never more right. That is rotten!
How many other instances of self-dealing and conflicts of interest are there to be uncovered? Truth is, we may never know. Most are buried deep in agency budgets or hidden as special provisions of the state budget. It is obvious that legislative leaders either condone the misuse of state funds or, at the least, turn their backs on the shenanigans.
There is absolutely no place for legislators or any public official to be involved in slush funds given to questionable organizations in which they have a direct or indirect involvement. This practice needs to be stopped immediately, as it taints both legitimate nonprofits, but, more importantly, it reflects on every one of the 170 members of the General Assembly.
How do we bring this self-dealing to an end? First off, the media and the electorate should ask every candidate if they have any connection with any organization that receives government funding, directly or indirectly. Closer media scrutiny is obviously needed and perhaps the newly formed group advocating for more disclosure of public records can take on this cause. State law currently requires every elected official to file an annual statement revealing sources of incomes and potential conflicts of interest. These reports need more specific questions asking if the official, a spouse, any member of his or her family, or any close friend or associate receives directly or indirectly any government funding. Instead of just being put in a file these statements need to be reviewed and should be made public. We would go so far as to say that if the answer to the question is “yes,” the official should remove all questions about propriety, even to the point of resigning the position. Further, laws regarding conflicts of interest and self-dealing need to be strengthened to include removal from office and severe fines and penalties.
It is becoming evident that Representative Wright is more correct than we want to believe. Self-dealing and conflicts of interest occur far too frequently. We need to adopt a zero tolerance policy to even an appearance of conflicts and call upon those good, decent, honorable officials to publicly condemn this bad situation and pledge to correct it. Our Republic is based on the consent of the governed. When the governed have no trust in those they elect, our demise is not far off. That trust is badly shattered and needs repair.
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