1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,640 go to dpetecleanershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,719 smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,519 your support. All right, so let me start with this. 10 00:00:31,519 --> 00:00:35,640 This is about the customs and border protection operation that 11 00:00:35,759 --> 00:00:39,200 was running in Charlotte for the past what five days? 12 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:45,280 Six days? Now it has apparently concluded, and apparently they 13 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,240 told the local Democrat leaders that they have concluded, and 14 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,240 the Democrat leaders promptly rushed out to tell everybody, good, 15 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,880 dear God, we're all going to be stronger together now. 16 00:00:58,759 --> 00:01:02,920 But yesterday I missed this yesterday, Otherwise I would have 17 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:05,719 brought it to your attention, but I saw it now, 18 00:01:05,719 --> 00:01:06,959 so I'm going to tell you about it now. And 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:12,799 it is a statement from a North Carolina Supreme Court judge. 20 00:01:14,079 --> 00:01:17,840 See if you can take a guess who this judge 21 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:23,480 might be statement, this is not who we are as 22 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,760 a nation, and it's not who we are as North Carolinians. 23 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,799 I cannot be silent while the constitutional rights of our 24 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,560 neighbors are being violated right here in North Carolina. Across 25 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:38,599 the state, we are seeing reports a federal agents stopping 26 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,439 and seizing lawful residents and immigrants with no criminal records, 27 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:47,359 causing many North Carolinians to be fearful of leaving their homes, 28 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,640 going to work, sending their children to school, shopping for food, 29 00:01:50,719 --> 00:01:54,439 or getting medical attention. We need strong public safety measures, 30 00:01:54,719 --> 00:01:59,000 but this is not law enforcement intended to protect the public. Indeed, 31 00:01:59,079 --> 00:02:02,400 it is making the public Let's safe in part because 32 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,040 it has resulted in abandoning the effort to stop serious crimes. 33 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,800 That's just stupid anyway, These agents are being pulled off 34 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:16,120 cases investigating sex trafficking, child abuse, and terrorism. This type 35 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,439 of political stunt further eroads the public's trust in the 36 00:02:19,479 --> 00:02:24,120 already broken justice system. Remember this is a sitting judge. 37 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,879 They actually have a code of conduct. I just point 38 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,199 that out. You're not supposed to trash talk the justice system. 39 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,560 But this judge does have a history. Oh that's a hint. 40 00:02:33,759 --> 00:02:37,240 Does have a history of doing that The willingness of 41 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:41,719 this administration to abandon the prosecution of serious crimes simply 42 00:02:41,759 --> 00:02:45,680 in service of political theater and to scapegoat immigrants is appalling. 43 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:47,599 This is not who we are as a nation, and 44 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:49,879 it's not who we are as North Carolinians. Okay, did 45 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:54,919 you figure out who it is yet, Nita Earles. That's right, 46 00:02:55,080 --> 00:03:01,520 the left wing activist lawyer turned Supreme Court judge Earls, 47 00:03:01,759 --> 00:03:05,240 who is up for reelection next year. So keep that 48 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:10,080 in mind. Now. I mentioned that the Border Patrol is 49 00:03:10,199 --> 00:03:13,560 rolling up its operation. We got a statement from Mecklinberg 50 00:03:13,599 --> 00:03:19,879 County Sheriff Gary not my fault McFadden, who announced that 51 00:03:19,879 --> 00:03:25,800 the federal officials have confirmed with him that the Operation 52 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,960 Charlotte's Webs officially concluded. As a result, there will be 53 00:03:29,039 --> 00:03:33,360 no CBP operations in Charlotte on Thursday, November twentieth. It 54 00:03:33,439 --> 00:03:37,800 is important to clarify that while the Charlotte's Web operation 55 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:42,800 has ended, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE, will 56 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,960 continue to operate in Mecklinberg County as they always have. 57 00:03:46,479 --> 00:03:50,759 ICE maintains full authority to detain, apprehend, and take into 58 00:03:50,759 --> 00:03:56,120 custody any undocumented immigrant in accordance with federal law. As 59 00:03:56,159 --> 00:04:00,080 a reminder, the Mecklumberg County Sheriff's Office will not engage 60 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:05,199 in any enforcement actions regarding immigration with ICE. We will 61 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:07,800 continue to follow the law as it relates to House 62 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,599 Built three eighteen and release those in our custody to 63 00:04:10,719 --> 00:04:13,280 ICE within the forty eight hour time period, right because 64 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,439 we had to pass a law to make you do that. 65 00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:21,480 Now he wants credit for following this law that he opposed, 66 00:04:21,519 --> 00:04:25,360 by the way, and then he says they give a 67 00:04:25,399 --> 00:04:31,680 quote from McFadden. We will continue to build relationships, mend bridges, 68 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,240 and listen to the voices of everyone in our community, 69 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,360 well not everyone, as we move forward. I want the 70 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,360 City of Charlotte to know I will keep fighting for clarity, accountability, 71 00:04:42,519 --> 00:04:45,399 and trust. I will continue to protect this city and 72 00:04:45,519 --> 00:04:52,399 every single one of its citizens. Oh my gosh, there's 73 00:04:54,480 --> 00:05:03,480 here's a suggestion then, like I don't know, maybe keep 74 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,600 people from killing themselves in the jails, keep people from 75 00:05:06,639 --> 00:05:09,199 overdosing in the jails like that, that would like you 76 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,439 have direct control over that. I don't know how you 77 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,240 think that you're going to continue to protect the city 78 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:18,920 and every single one of its citizens like this? That 79 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,920 is a delusion of grandeur. Okay, you cannot do that. 80 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,519 Law enforcement is reactionary. Okay, you don't know when a 81 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:29,920 crime is going to occur. You're you're responding to the crime. 82 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,879 And Mecklimber County isn't even a responding agency like that. 83 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:38,000 The sheriff's deputies, they do the courthouse security, they do 84 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:43,800 the jail. They're not They're not running around doing sting operations, 85 00:05:44,319 --> 00:05:49,560 you know anyway? And then what was the other one 86 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,879 I had here? From thank you? The City of Charlotte 87 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:56,800 statement from the mayor Viaisles. It appears that US Border 88 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,399 Patrol has ceased its operations in Charlotte. I'm relieved for 89 00:06:00,519 --> 00:06:05,360 our community and the residents, businesses, and all those who 90 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:10,279 were targeted and impacted by this intrusion. See again, like 91 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,160 I would love a reporter to ask any of these 92 00:06:12,199 --> 00:06:15,279 Democrat officials that are making these statements now, are there 93 00:06:15,319 --> 00:06:18,680 any other laws that we should not be enforcing? Can 94 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,560 you tell me what other laws we should not be doing, 95 00:06:21,879 --> 00:06:26,000 we should not be following? As we move forward, she says, 96 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,160 it is essential that we come together not as separate 97 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:33,199 groups divided by recent events, but as one Charlotte community. 98 00:06:33,879 --> 00:06:37,560 Our strength has always come from our ability to support 99 00:06:37,639 --> 00:06:41,480 one another, especially in challenging times. I am calling on 100 00:06:41,639 --> 00:06:44,839 all members of our community to join in this effort 101 00:06:44,879 --> 00:06:48,519 against the fascist Nazis that came into town. No, I'm kidding. 102 00:06:48,519 --> 00:06:52,199 I just added that last part. Let us stand together, 103 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,759 listen to one another, and recommit ourselves to the values 104 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,279 of dignity, compassion, and unity that define our city. This 105 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,759 is all just pap Okay, this doesn't mean anything to me. 106 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,480 It doesn't mean anything really at all. Was this another 107 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:11,720 chat GPT derived statement. That's what this sounds like. This 108 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,800 is like a lot of words to say nothing except 109 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,399 to virtue signal to the people in your own base, 110 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,519 to say like, this wasn't our fault. Please don't hold 111 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:28,120 it against us. We want all illegals to stay. Never 112 00:07:28,199 --> 00:07:31,839 once does she mention the rule of law, that we 113 00:07:31,879 --> 00:07:34,399 are a nation of laws. We are a nation of 114 00:07:34,519 --> 00:07:40,160 laws before we are a nation of immigrants. Okay, let 115 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,480 me jump over and get Michelle on. Hello, Michelle, welcome 116 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:43,879 to the show. 117 00:07:44,879 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 2: Hi, Hello, thank you Pete for taking my car. 118 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: Sure. 119 00:07:49,319 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 2: I just an observation, is that all this protesting that's 120 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,560 been going on in Charlotte about ice in bordhist control. 121 00:07:57,639 --> 00:08:01,639 It's just funny that these people seem to care about 122 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,360 the safety of illegal aliens, but none of them have 123 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:11,439 gone and protests in the streets when individuals and being 124 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:18,480 raped and molested, TEX traffic, kids killed. You know, where 125 00:08:18,519 --> 00:08:22,639 is the protests for the American citizen? The children, the women, 126 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:25,959 the men of them are being killed might as well, 127 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:28,839 even if they live, they feel dead. Where is the 128 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:34,320 protesting for them? Because when does their life matter? 129 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:35,639 Speaker 3: There? 130 00:08:35,879 --> 00:08:41,919 Speaker 2: We have them going to school and being cms, being molested, 131 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:46,720 sexually harassed. Nobody's protesting for them. 132 00:08:46,879 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: Now, this is why it's called suicidal empathy. That's where 133 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:56,399 this that's what the term refers to. Suicidal empathy. When 134 00:08:56,639 --> 00:09:01,600 and I appreciate the call, Michelle, when a society values, say, 135 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,840 honor above all things, then it is okay to die, 136 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:11,440 if it's an honor death right. If you elevate empathy 137 00:09:11,639 --> 00:09:17,159 as the highest attribute to achieve in a society, then 138 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:22,759 you know, committing Harry Carey basically to signal that you 139 00:09:22,799 --> 00:09:26,399 are the most empathetic that becomes the most rewarded thing. 140 00:09:27,159 --> 00:09:29,200 That's where the term comes from. That's what it applies to. 141 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,399 That's why we see no protests for you know, otherwise, 142 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,759 like shouldn't there be protests in front of the jail 143 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:39,519 for the release of the violent illegal alien offenders? 144 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 3: Right? 145 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: We've seen none of that. We don't see protests down 146 00:09:43,039 --> 00:09:46,759 at the courthouse demanding accountability for the judges and the 147 00:09:46,799 --> 00:09:49,600 magistrates who turn people loose with no bond. We don't 148 00:09:49,639 --> 00:09:53,120 see that. We don't see protests for reduction in crime. 149 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,840 We may see a vigil for somebody who has been murdered, 150 00:09:56,879 --> 00:09:59,559 but we don't see protests. We don't see anger in 151 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,919 the street like we saw over the last six days. Here. 152 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:08,159 It's suicidal empathy. It is best for us to sacrifice 153 00:10:08,159 --> 00:10:11,879 our own lives in order to signal to others that 154 00:10:11,919 --> 00:10:15,759 we have empathy. I care about your feelings more than 155 00:10:15,759 --> 00:10:19,679 I care about my own life. That's what that term means. 156 00:10:19,919 --> 00:10:20,799 I appreciate the call. 157 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 3: You know. 158 00:10:21,639 --> 00:10:24,159 Speaker 1: Stories are powerful. They help us make sense of things, 159 00:10:24,159 --> 00:10:27,600 to understand experiences. Stories connect us to the people of 160 00:10:27,639 --> 00:10:30,960 our past while transcending generations. They help us process the 161 00:10:31,039 --> 00:10:34,440 meaning of life, and our stories are told through images 162 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:38,320 and videos. Preserve your stories with Creative Video. Started in 163 00:10:38,399 --> 00:10:41,080 nineteen ninety seven and Mint Hill, North Carolina. It was 164 00:10:41,159 --> 00:10:44,519 the first company to provide this valuable service, converting images, 165 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:48,720 photos and videos into high quality produced slide shows, videos 166 00:10:48,799 --> 00:10:52,440 and albums. The trusted, talented and dedicated team at Creative 167 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,559 Video will go over all of the details with you 168 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,519 to create a perfect project. Satisfaction guaranteed. Drop them off 169 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:00,279 in person or mail them. They'll be ready in a 170 00:11:00,279 --> 00:11:03,279 week or two. Memorial videos for your loved ones, videos 171 00:11:03,279 --> 00:11:08,159 for rehearsal, dinners, weddings, graduations, Christmas, family vacations, birthdays, or 172 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,000 just your family stories, all told through images. That's what 173 00:11:12,039 --> 00:11:15,519 your photos and videos are. They are your life told 174 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,039 through the eyes of everyone around you and all who 175 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,360 came before you, and they will tell others to come 176 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:26,679 who you are. Visit creative video dot com. I got 177 00:11:26,879 --> 00:11:31,639 forwarded to me a message that was posted or pushed 178 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:35,240 out to parents. I should say this came from a 179 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:42,720 teacher at Sedgefield Middle School and reportedly they had taken 180 00:11:42,799 --> 00:11:48,759 down after I guess complaints about this because the teacher 181 00:11:48,879 --> 00:11:54,879 pushed out the following. This was two days ago. This morning, 182 00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:00,399 I received quite a few questions and comments from students 183 00:12:01,519 --> 00:12:05,960 about the presence of border patrol across the city. Okay, 184 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:12,720 my understanding is that this came from a science teacher. Okay, 185 00:12:12,879 --> 00:12:17,759 so here just again, I'm not a trained educator at all. 186 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:22,120 I don't have all of the you know, the the 187 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:26,200 training that comes with, you know, going through four years 188 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:30,639 of teacher college. Although I did attend Winthrop University, and 189 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,919 I did take one class in the education field, and 190 00:12:34,039 --> 00:12:38,200 I did spend K twelve then four years of college, 191 00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:43,320 you know, in education, so I feel like I have 192 00:12:43,399 --> 00:12:46,440 some bit of experience in this. But here's how I 193 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:50,559 think my science teachers would have answered questions like this. 194 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:56,080 That's not on the agenda for today. That has nothing 195 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,519 to do with the course curriculum we are covering. This 196 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:04,159 is a sign science class. Now open your textbooks or 197 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:08,519 open your laptops, and we will proceed with the lesson. Okay, 198 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:11,679 just because kids are asking you things doesn't mean you 199 00:13:11,759 --> 00:13:16,279 need to answer them, you know, just like if a 200 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:18,679 kid asks, you know, hey, why do you have that 201 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,440 bull ring thing through your nose? What is that? Why 202 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:23,519 does your face look like a tackle box like? Stuff 203 00:13:23,519 --> 00:13:26,039 like that doesn't mean you need to answer those questions. 204 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,360 They don't need to know who you're attracted to. They 205 00:13:29,399 --> 00:13:33,159 don't need to know about your living arrangements and your polycule. 206 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,399 We never would even think to ask a teacher about 207 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:39,960 those things, And if anybody ever did, the teachers would 208 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,799 have just said, none of your business. Shut up your 209 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,399 ind attention, like that's it. That's how you answer that stuff, 210 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:47,519 especially if it's not part of what you are teaching. 211 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,840 You are a science teacher. But you know, I'm only 212 00:13:50,879 --> 00:13:53,720 sending this out to everybody because they just add so 213 00:13:53,759 --> 00:13:57,120 many people, so many of these kids, they were asking 214 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,960 about the presence of border patrol. In response to this, 215 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:04,279 I the cool teacher that I added that part I 216 00:14:04,399 --> 00:14:08,679 shared with the students the attached graphic about their rights 217 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:12,960 and your rights if encountering law enforcement, and it's taken 218 00:14:13,039 --> 00:14:18,919 from a nonprofit group called United We Dream. I also 219 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,559 tried to communicate the sensitive nature of and empathy required 220 00:14:22,679 --> 00:14:26,240 to navigate these current events. With that being said, your 221 00:14:26,279 --> 00:14:29,600 students may come home with questions, No, they're they're their kids, 222 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:33,919 dude or lady. I don't know, like they're not. They're 223 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:39,960 not the parents' students. It's the parents' children. You're telling 224 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:44,559 them things that maybe those parents don't appreciate you. You 225 00:14:44,639 --> 00:14:47,639 do what you going off book here outside of the 226 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:51,000 science curriculum to share with them a graphic telling them, 227 00:14:51,519 --> 00:14:54,759 don't open the door for law enforcement, demand a warrant, 228 00:14:54,759 --> 00:15:00,320 don't sign anything, remember ice may lie. Do gree to 229 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:05,759 follow them anywhere. That's the stuff this teacher shared with 230 00:15:06,039 --> 00:15:08,480 kids and then sent out to the parents as a 231 00:15:08,519 --> 00:15:10,919 heads up, like, Hey, I gave your kid this information 232 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:15,039 and maybe you need it too. It did get taken down, though. 233 00:15:15,559 --> 00:15:18,240 Here's a great idea. How about making an escape to 234 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:21,799 a really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina. 235 00:15:21,879 --> 00:15:24,080 Just a quick drive up the mountain and Cabins of 236 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:28,480 Asheville is your connection. Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon, 237 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:30,759 maybe you want to plan a memorable proposal, or get 238 00:15:30,759 --> 00:15:33,679 family and friends together for a big old reunion. 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There's a publication called Inside 260 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:47,120 Climate News, I believe, and they described your latest report 261 00:16:47,559 --> 00:16:52,320 that examined the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, 262 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,360 which is kind of neither or encore as it's referred to, 263 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:01,039 that they that it wasn't good at rebuilding, entering budgets, 264 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:05,559 overseeing contractors, or helping hurricane victims. Many of whom were 265 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,920 left living in motels for years while their homes were 266 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:13,920 supposedly being rebuilt. But I guess other than that, they 267 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:14,759 did a good job. 268 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 3: Right. Other than that, well, look, INCORE was set up 269 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,839 to respond to both hurricanes Matthew and Florence. That was 270 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,240 his primary purpose. And what we took a look at 271 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:30,759 was the recovery process, which was based on the home 272 00:17:31,319 --> 00:17:36,799 rebuild program at INCORE. The homeowner recovery program really is 273 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,440 the technical word for it. And there were I mean, 274 00:17:40,759 --> 00:17:43,480 we had the disaster of Matthew, we had the disaster 275 00:17:43,599 --> 00:17:48,200 of Florence, and North Carolinians experienced the third disaster, which 276 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:54,400 was Incoor. And what the big picture on this is 277 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:58,039 is that this agency, which was set up to help 278 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:02,599 people in eastern North Carolina, spent way too much money, 279 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:07,400 way too much time on process over actually swinging hammers 280 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:09,079 and getting results. 281 00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 1: You say in the report that that inadequate oversight of 282 00:18:15,559 --> 00:18:20,640 vendors led to increased costs. Now, this was part of 283 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:26,319 the previous administration. ENCORE was set up under Or is 284 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:30,279 managed mainly by Roy Cooper, the previous governor, and Cooper's 285 00:18:30,319 --> 00:18:34,160 office has responded by saying that the federal government did 286 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:37,920 not provide enough resources to meet the state's needs. It 287 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:42,880 was that at all factored into this report by your office. 288 00:18:44,079 --> 00:18:46,039 Speaker 3: Well, what we took a look at was where the 289 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,039 rubber meets the road, and here's here's what we found 290 00:18:49,319 --> 00:18:56,000 with respect to the process over boots on the ground 291 00:18:56,079 --> 00:19:00,400 and results and with vendor over So when the INCREP 292 00:19:00,519 --> 00:19:05,599 was first set up, the vendors ran the oversight, they 293 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:10,799 governed the program. In Corps basically outsourced the management of 294 00:19:10,839 --> 00:19:14,759 the entire program. So you had a situation where, for example, 295 00:19:15,319 --> 00:19:20,000 when applicants applied for INCORE to be a part of 296 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:24,359 the program, the vendor managing that received four hundred and 297 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:29,920 eighty dollars a month for up to approximately and this 298 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:36,039 was never specifically designated, but generally up to eighteen months 299 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:39,799 while somebody waited in line. The vendor could receive four 300 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,160 hundred and eighty dollars a month, whether there was a 301 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,440 decision made or whether there was any action taken on 302 00:19:45,519 --> 00:19:50,039 behalf of a particular applicant who was looking to receive 303 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:54,960 help from INCORE. Now, by twenty twenty two, late in 304 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:59,759 the game, in Corps actually took over the governance of 305 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:05,680 program and after that the government itself began to hold 306 00:20:05,759 --> 00:20:10,000 not only a self but contract vendors more accountable. The 307 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:14,759 process of building homes increased, but look, people had to 308 00:20:14,759 --> 00:20:17,440 wait two and a half years even to get approved, 309 00:20:18,599 --> 00:20:21,559 and then it took an average of four years to 310 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:25,039 sling a single hammer to get anything done. And we 311 00:20:25,039 --> 00:20:28,319 haven't even talked about the temporary relocation assistance. I mean, 312 00:20:28,599 --> 00:20:31,759 you know, Pete, we spent an average of thirty two 313 00:20:31,759 --> 00:20:38,720 thousand dollars on hotel rooms for people. One family, for example, 314 00:20:38,759 --> 00:20:41,880 spent one four hundred and ninety nine days in a 315 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:44,960 hotel at a taxpayer cost of two hundred and thirty 316 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:48,200 four thousand, eight hundred and ninety six dollars. We could 317 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:49,279 have built a house for that. 318 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right. So the timeline on this is Hurricane 319 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,119 Matthew hit in late twenty sixteen. Pat McCrory was still governor, 320 00:20:56,519 --> 00:20:59,480 but then Roy he lost the reelection and Roy Cooper 321 00:20:59,519 --> 00:21:04,079 took over. Then Hurricane Florence hit in twenty eighteen. So Encore, 322 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:06,000 and I want to make sure I understand this. So 323 00:21:06,279 --> 00:21:11,119 encre hires a vendor and the vendor is compensated for 324 00:21:12,039 --> 00:21:16,000 I guess on a per applicant basis, So there's essentially 325 00:21:16,079 --> 00:21:20,240 an incentive for them to keep the and the applicants 326 00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:24,200 are just homeowners that were impacted by these storms. So 327 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:27,880 it sounds like there was an incentive for the vendor 328 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:31,119 to keep as many applicants waiting because they would draw 329 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,920 like four hundred dollars whatever you said, that number was 330 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,920 per applicant per month, and so if you string them 331 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,359 out for a year and a half, the vendor's going 332 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:41,000 to make more money. Is that what you're. 333 00:21:40,839 --> 00:21:44,640 Speaker 3: Saying, Yeah, I would. I wouldn't say that the vendor 334 00:21:44,799 --> 00:21:47,519 necessarily because we don't have any evidence, so sure, sure, 335 00:21:47,559 --> 00:21:49,720 clear don't want to be accurate. We don't have evidence 336 00:21:49,799 --> 00:21:53,119 that the vendor did that with an incentive motive. But 337 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,599 that leads to another technical and I know a lot 338 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,200 of this state auditor stuff really gets in the wage date, 339 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:03,000 but it is important, I think for taxpayers to know 340 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:09,000 a lot of the process. And the lack of metrics 341 00:22:09,319 --> 00:22:12,400 and the lack of key performance indicators and the lack 342 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:20,200 of accountability written into these contracts really accelerated the lack 343 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:24,440 of production because there really wasn't any accountability on either side. 344 00:22:24,559 --> 00:22:27,799 You know, the government who invites contractors and vendors to 345 00:22:27,799 --> 00:22:30,440 come in to do things on behalf of taxpayers as 346 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:35,039 a responsibility as well to work with the contracting firm 347 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:38,720 to get the job done and to provide that environment 348 00:22:38,759 --> 00:22:41,400 where they can actually succeed. And the vendor, on the 349 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,519 other hand, has the responsibility to comply with what the 350 00:22:45,559 --> 00:22:50,640 government is asking in their contracting process. We did neither 351 00:22:51,079 --> 00:22:55,680 neither well, right, there was not accountability on either side 352 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,559 of that into way laid into the game fee. And 353 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,880 by that time we had wasted hundreds of millions of dollars. 354 00:23:02,799 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: Right in half a decade. I mean that's the uncontract. 355 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, the time was the big thing. I mean 356 00:23:10,599 --> 00:23:13,000 four years to start swinging a hammer. I mean that's 357 00:23:13,039 --> 00:23:13,960 just unacceptable. 358 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 1: And you say in your report payments were made without 359 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:22,960 full verification of work completed. So even after the work 360 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:25,400 was done there, we don't even know if it was 361 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:30,440 done as per the contracts were required to be completed. 362 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:30,640 Speaker 3: Right. 363 00:23:31,519 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: It seems like it takes a really long time to 364 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,440 get the hammers swinging, and then when the work is done, 365 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,960 it's just okay, good job, here's your check, and there's 366 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,680 no verification that it was done. 367 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:46,279 Speaker 3: There was some verification, but we found the verification to 368 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:51,000 not be procedurally consistent, okay, and we also found we 369 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:55,079 found the processes not to be standardized. And when you've 370 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:59,160 got contractors needed and get paid, you're also in essence 371 00:23:59,279 --> 00:24:01,960 wanting to keep people on the job because eastern North 372 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:04,799 Carolina is also a hot housing market, so you want 373 00:24:04,839 --> 00:24:09,240 to be able to keep contractors in the job process. 374 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:13,799 So they just oftentimes went ahead and paid invoices without 375 00:24:13,839 --> 00:24:15,599 the verification process. 376 00:24:16,039 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: So what do we do? Where do we go from here? 377 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:23,200 Because obviously, like they're they're winding this thing down. I mean, 378 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,319 even Governor Josh Stein is moving the Hurricane Helene relief 379 00:24:26,319 --> 00:24:31,160 efforts into a different organization and see Grow I think 380 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,440 is the name of that one. Even he recognizes that 381 00:24:34,599 --> 00:24:40,200 Encore was inadequate here. So what is your recommendation going forward? 382 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:44,000 Speaker 3: And I just testified in from the House and Senate 383 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:48,400 Joint Oversight Committee on this issue, and we have several recommendations. 384 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:50,799 First of all, I think you're you're dead on with 385 00:24:50,799 --> 00:24:55,599 with Governor Stein clearly, and I have not directly talked 386 00:24:55,599 --> 00:24:57,559 to him about that, although I've talked to him about 387 00:24:57,559 --> 00:25:01,480 other things. He made a policy decision not to continue 388 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,279 with incore and stood up another agency. And that's what 389 00:25:05,319 --> 00:25:09,279 we do in North Carolina when a disaster occurs. The 390 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,440 current process is to stand up an ad hoc agency 391 00:25:13,839 --> 00:25:17,440 and start from scatch scratch. You know, Pete Enforce spent 392 00:25:17,599 --> 00:25:23,000 twenty five point four million dollars on a software program 393 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,480 that they ultimately never could work correctly because they didn't 394 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:28,960 design it right from the beginning. Oh my god, We've 395 00:25:29,039 --> 00:25:33,599 we've We've got to have a plan and a strategy 396 00:25:34,079 --> 00:25:36,519 for dealing with what I call the back end of 397 00:25:36,559 --> 00:25:38,880 the house. The front end of the house, to use 398 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:43,319 a restaurant analogy, that's first responders, swift flight or rescue, 399 00:25:43,559 --> 00:25:47,319 stabilizing the situation. The back end of the house is 400 00:25:47,319 --> 00:25:51,440 the recovery, and that is also accounting for the billions 401 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:55,400 of dollars that tax payers are giving to help these 402 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:59,359 recovery efforts. We've got to have a strategic plan in place. 403 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:03,000 I've reckoon ended involving all the Council of State members. 404 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:05,920 I'm a Council of State member. I signed up to 405 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:10,000 be a statewide elected official. I want to be held accountable. 406 00:26:10,279 --> 00:26:12,960 I'm willing to be part of the process. It needs 407 00:26:13,039 --> 00:26:15,839 to be housed with the governor, the chief executive officer, 408 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:20,440 but all of the executives elected statewide play a part 409 00:26:20,519 --> 00:26:23,359 right now in Helen recovery. We need to be able 410 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,440 to have buy in on this as well as legislative 411 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:31,359 leadership and relevant cabinet members to have a standard way 412 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,480 of responding so we can flip the switch, Pete, because 413 00:26:35,559 --> 00:26:37,920 we can't continue down this path. We can't start from 414 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:39,559 scratch every time a storm. 415 00:26:39,599 --> 00:26:44,200 Speaker 1: Hells, Yeah, that's insane, that's insane. And do you have 416 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:46,759 any understanding of why that is the case. 417 00:26:48,839 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 3: Well, it's just there's never been I guess the political 418 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:57,640 will to move forward with a standardized way of doing this. 419 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:02,759 You know this this started in commerce in course, started 420 00:27:02,759 --> 00:27:07,079 in commerce, moved to incoors. Right now. Inc Grow is 421 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:13,079 the main component of government that is working on Helene recovery. 422 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,599 But the Department of Commerce is running a lot of 423 00:27:15,599 --> 00:27:19,920 the rebuild program. So we we seem to be moving 424 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,000 in a better direction. But you still have a bifurcated 425 00:27:23,039 --> 00:27:26,359 system even within the Governor's office today, where you've got 426 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:31,079 Commerce working on rebuilding, you've got inc GROW coordinating agencies 427 00:27:32,039 --> 00:27:34,799 and you know, my office, for examples, never been called 428 00:27:34,839 --> 00:27:37,839 by the Governor's office or NCI GROW for input. And 429 00:27:38,839 --> 00:27:40,839 I've talked to other Council of State members who have 430 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,960 also not been called yet. Each each Council of State 431 00:27:44,039 --> 00:27:48,720 member is responsible for really unique and focused parts of 432 00:27:48,759 --> 00:27:54,000 the recovery agriculture for example, the treasurers it is running 433 00:27:54,039 --> 00:27:57,920 a loan program, the insurance commissions really important in recovery. 434 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:02,160 There's a lot of responsibility. We still need to get 435 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,839 on the same page so the taxpayer is getting the 436 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:06,920 most efficient work out of discoverment. 437 00:28:07,519 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: Yeah. I appreciate your efforts on this and appreciate your 438 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,599 time as always. North Carolina State Auditor Dave Bollock, thanks 439 00:28:14,599 --> 00:28:16,200 so much, Start to take care, appreciate it. 440 00:28:16,400 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 3: Thanks State you too. 441 00:28:18,279 --> 00:28:20,079 Speaker 1: All Right, if you're listening to this show, you know 442 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,119 I try to keep up with all sorts of current events, 443 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,240 and I know you do too. And you've probably heard 444 00:28:24,279 --> 00:28:28,319 me say get your news from multiple sources. Why Well, 445 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:31,079 because it's how you detect media bias, which is why 446 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,319 I've been so impressed with ground News. It's an app 447 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:37,720 and it's a website, and it combines news from around 448 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:40,160 the world in one place, so you can compare coverage 449 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,119 and verify information. You can check it out at check 450 00:28:43,359 --> 00:28:47,559 dot ground, dot news slash pete. I put the link 451 00:28:47,599 --> 00:28:50,720 in the podcast description too. I started using ground News 452 00:28:50,759 --> 00:28:53,480 a few months ago and more recently chose to work 453 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:55,519 with them as an affiliate because it lets me see 454 00:28:55,559 --> 00:28:59,359 clearly how stories get covered and by whom. The blind 455 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,200 spot feature shows you which stories get ignored by the 456 00:29:02,279 --> 00:29:06,000 left and the right. See for yourself. Check dot ground, 457 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:09,880 dot news, slash pete. Subscribe through that link and you'll 458 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,079 get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use the Vantage 459 00:29:13,079 --> 00:29:16,559 plan to get unlimited access to every feature. Your subscription 460 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,359 then not only helps my podcast, but it also supports 461 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:22,640 ground News as they make the media landscape more transparent. 462 00:29:23,799 --> 00:29:28,119 So Wral's story on this. Some victims of Hurricane Florence 463 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:33,079 and Matthew remained in temporary housing for more than fourteen 464 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,440 hundred days because the state agency created to lead the 465 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:43,759 disaster recovery prioritized process management over repairing and rebuilding homes. 466 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:48,319 That's according to the State Auditor's office. Their report dropped yesterday. 467 00:29:48,799 --> 00:29:52,559 You just heard from the state auditor himself. They're recommending, 468 00:29:53,279 --> 00:29:55,960 you know, standing up a different model, which, by the way, 469 00:29:56,079 --> 00:29:58,920 I was very critical of Roy Cooper during COVID for 470 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:02,319 this very thing. You have ten Council of State statewide 471 00:30:02,359 --> 00:30:05,759 elected offices, and he would make all of these decisions 472 00:30:05,799 --> 00:30:10,000 on his own, never bringing in like the agriculture Commissioner, 473 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:14,720 which is stupid, because agriculture was impacted, these industries, the 474 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,119 insurance industries, like all of these different industries that you 475 00:30:17,119 --> 00:30:19,279 have the Council of State over, they were all impacted 476 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:22,319 and he didn't and he stiff armed all of these 477 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:26,960 other statewide Council of State offices so he could have 478 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,680 complete control over the process. And I think the auditor 479 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:32,680 is right that needs to stop. 480 00:30:34,319 --> 00:30:36,279 Speaker 4: All right, that'll do it for this episode. 481 00:30:36,279 --> 00:30:38,359 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening. I could not do 482 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,559 the show without your support and the support of the 483 00:30:40,599 --> 00:30:43,640 businesses that advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, 484 00:30:43,799 --> 00:30:45,880 please support them too and tell them you heard it here. 485 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,519 You can also become a patron at my Patreon page 486 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:52,240 or go to dpetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so 487 00:30:52,319 --> 00:31:02,119 much for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.