Black Fined $1 Million

By Mark Binker - August 2nd, 2007 - Greensboro News Record

RALEIGH — The federal courts had already taken former House Speaker Jim Black's freedom and power.

"It's the purpose of my sentence to take the money," Judge Donald Stephens, of Wake County Superior Court, told Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, during a sentencing hearing Tuesday.

Unfortunately the citizens of North Carolina are still burdened with the gerrymandered state legislature created after the successful bribe. That has not been undone. Black may have paid the price for his corruption personally, but the Democrat Party that he served, and the boss of that party, Marc Basnight, still survive. Nothing is being done to correct that injustice.

The political power that the Democrats gained after that corrupt deal is the reason that they are raking in the contributions at a rate three times the Republicans. THREE TIMES! Political power always means political contributions.

You have to wonder whether Black will be reimbursed for taking this hit for the Democrat Party after he gets out. The Democrat Party owes Black, big time.

Or perhaps he has already been paid. An AP article here in the Rocky Mount Telegram indicates that Black's real estate holdings (obtained while he was a poorly paid government official) are increasing in value by more than the fine. Wouldn't it be cool if you could rob a bank, invest the money, and when caught just give back the money but keep the profits? In America you can't keep the profits from your criminal activities . . . . unless you are a politician . . . or rather unless you are a Democrat politician.