1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:05,599 Speaker 1: What's going on? 2 00:00:05,759 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,080 is heard live every day from noon to three on 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,839 WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,160 like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily 6 00:00:17,199 --> 00:00:19,480 show prep with all the links, become a patron, go 7 00:00:19,559 --> 00:00:23,399 to thepeakclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button. 8 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,359 Get every episode for free right to your smartphone or tablet. 9 00:00:26,359 --> 00:00:30,199 And again, thank you so much for your support. It's Tuesday, 10 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,479 it's noon, you know that, But that also means we 11 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:36,359 talk to Andrew Dunn. He is a contributing columnist over 12 00:00:36,439 --> 00:00:40,000 at the Charlotte Observer as well as the Roleigh News 13 00:00:40,039 --> 00:00:42,079 and Observer, and I forget the third paper that they own, 14 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:43,840 the McClatchy outfit. 15 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: But also he is. 16 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:49,079 Speaker 2: The publisher of Longleaf Politics longleafpol dot com. 17 00:00:49,119 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: Andrew, how are you today, sir? 18 00:00:52,039 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 3: I'm well, always good to talk to you. 19 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:54,399 Speaker 2: Pete. 20 00:00:54,439 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: Do you remember do you know the name of the 21 00:00:56,039 --> 00:00:57,960 third newspaper? Is it the. 22 00:00:58,039 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 3: Durham That's what I thought, Durham Harold's son. 23 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,439 Speaker 2: Okay, so you were at the North Carolina Faith and 24 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,680 Freedom Coalition Salt and Light conference this weekend. So first, 25 00:01:10,719 --> 00:01:13,519 for people who don't know what that is, tell folks 26 00:01:13,519 --> 00:01:14,040 what that is. 27 00:01:15,799 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, basically, it's a huge gathering of national 28 00:01:20,799 --> 00:01:25,640 conservative figures from around the country. Everyone comes down to Marion, 29 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,000 North Carolina up there in the mountains for a full 30 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:34,239 weekend of speeches and worship and networking and all sorts 31 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:35,280 of good stuff. 32 00:01:35,719 --> 00:01:39,359 Speaker 2: And put on by Jason Williams and Jim Quick and 33 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,319 more than what two thousand attendees. You say were there 34 00:01:42,359 --> 00:01:46,439 this weekend, And you moderated a panel discussion with some 35 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,319 state lawmakers, and I wanted to ask you two quick 36 00:01:50,359 --> 00:01:52,480 things on that. You said that you talked with them 37 00:01:52,719 --> 00:01:57,239 about potential follow up legislation to Arena's Law. 38 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,719 Speaker 1: So what came out of that conversation. 39 00:02:01,359 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, So that was a great panel that I had 40 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,640 the honor of leading. With two House members and two 41 00:02:07,719 --> 00:02:10,919 Senate leaders. I was able to kind of diffuse some 42 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:16,759 of the bomb throwing over the budget, thankfully. But yeah, 43 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,159 you're right, I mean, that was one of the big 44 00:02:18,199 --> 00:02:20,240 things that I drilled down on. Is all right, So 45 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,319 Arena's Law has been passed by the General Assembly, it's 46 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,840 still kind of unconscionable to me that Governor Stein hasn't 47 00:02:26,879 --> 00:02:29,560 signed it, but we can talk about that in a 48 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,800 little bit. But I wanted to ask them about, all right, 49 00:02:32,879 --> 00:02:35,360 so what comes next? You know, we talked about last 50 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,800 week and I think the week before too, how Arena's 51 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:41,319 law is a good start, but it's not everything that 52 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,159 we need in North Carolina. And what I heard from 53 00:02:44,199 --> 00:02:47,159 the lawmakers is that what they're really focused on in 54 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,439 terms of a next step is what do we do 55 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,240 with folks who are showing signs of mental illness and 56 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,280 signs that they might be a danger to themselves and others. 57 00:02:58,879 --> 00:03:01,759 You know, undercurrent state law were kind of limited in 58 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,479 what we're able to do. You know, there's limits rightfully, 59 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,639 so you know, for you know, civil liberties reasons. You know, 60 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,120 you can't just lock somebody up for long periods of 61 00:03:12,159 --> 00:03:16,000 time without just cause. But there's there is a gap 62 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,800 in there, and there's room to make things better so 63 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,039 that people who do pose a risk are not out 64 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,120 on the streets well. 65 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: And one of the things that came up in the 66 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,000 House debate on Arena's Law. Marsha Morey retired judge from 67 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,120 Durham Durham, and she talked about how all of the 68 00:03:33,159 --> 00:03:37,639 guidelines for bail specifically are those are handed down at 69 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:42,400 the local district court level. And I this morning, I 70 00:03:42,439 --> 00:03:45,960 went over to the Mecklenburg County Court System website and 71 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,800 I pulled our guidelines twenty pages. But some of the 72 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,879 stuff that you can walk with cash list bail on 73 00:03:52,599 --> 00:03:56,520 are seem pretty egregious, but they're classified as you know, 74 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:00,719 misdemeanor class two level and so they get to just get, 75 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,599 you know, a written notice to appear. And this has 76 00:04:03,639 --> 00:04:08,879 been a concerted philosophical direction that the local courts have 77 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,039 gone in with their adoption of the local guidelines. And 78 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:14,840 so I don't know because on the one hand, Maury 79 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,759 was saying, you know, these are local guidelines, it's not 80 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,120 the magistrate's fault, and you know, but you guys don't 81 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,600 have any guidelines that you're passing as part of Arena's law. 82 00:04:25,319 --> 00:04:27,279 But then she turns around and says that she doesn't 83 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:32,399 want the legislature encroaching on the judiciary's responsibilities. So like, 84 00:04:32,639 --> 00:04:34,759 I'm unclear, So what we just got to suck it 85 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,879 up and live with these cashless bail guidelines. 86 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: There's no other recourse? Did that at all come up? 87 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,079 Speaker 2: If there's any kind of I don't know, muscle that 88 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:48,040 the General Assembly could could push. 89 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:51,399 Speaker 3: Well, it's worth noting that the General Assembly kind of 90 00:04:51,399 --> 00:04:53,920 holds all the cards in North Carolina government, I mean, 91 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:59,160 all cities, all judicial districts, all towns, counties. Everything that 92 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,600 they're able to do flows from laws passed by the 93 00:05:01,639 --> 00:05:05,639 General Assembly. So it is it is absolutely a concern 94 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,639 of the state legislature to take that on. Arena's law 95 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,839 does have some provisions around restricting cash list bail for 96 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,720 violent offenses, especially, and I think that's perfectly within their purview. 97 00:05:18,759 --> 00:05:21,839 I mean, I'm sure there'll be some pushback. You know. 98 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,800 The rhetoric that I typically hear around that is that, 99 00:05:24,879 --> 00:05:26,920 you know, we don't want to have debtors' prisons, or 100 00:05:27,079 --> 00:05:28,920 you know, we don't want people to be stuck in 101 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,079 jail just because they're poor when rich people are able 102 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:32,680 to get out. 103 00:05:33,439 --> 00:05:34,399 Speaker 1: But I think. 104 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,600 Speaker 3: I'm somewhat sensitive to that. But at the same time, 105 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:43,360 if people are accused of very serious crimes, we need 106 00:05:43,399 --> 00:05:46,360 a mechanism. You know, a written promise to appear is 107 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:47,480 just not good enough. 108 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:48,079 Speaker 1: You know. 109 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 3: We we heard from the congressional hearing yesterday on Monday 110 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:54,279 that you know, a police officer who said that, you know, 111 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,399 we arrest these folks and is you know, before we 112 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,519 even get done filling out the paperwork, they're already back 113 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,399 out on this street, right, And that's just not acceptable. 114 00:06:02,519 --> 00:06:02,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. 115 00:06:02,759 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 2: Well, and maybe the guidelines need to include some sort 116 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:11,079 of mental health screen. If somebody is brought in and 117 00:06:11,199 --> 00:06:15,360 some of the facts of the arrest, you know, it 118 00:06:15,399 --> 00:06:17,639 would indicate that the person is suffering from some mental 119 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:18,319 health disorder. 120 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:21,199 Speaker 1: Maybe that needs to be part of the guideline. But 121 00:06:21,319 --> 00:06:22,000 I mean, one of the. 122 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,759 Speaker 2: Things I saw stalking so stalk is you can walk 123 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,600 if you get taken in for stalking, which seems bizarre 124 00:06:30,639 --> 00:06:34,120 to me because that is by definition a threat to 125 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,519 somebody else, you know. But yeah, so, like, yeah, I 126 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,800 get it. Also the debtors prison kind of argument. I 127 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,720 agree with you on that. But if you are a 128 00:06:43,959 --> 00:06:46,680 if you're a threat to either yourself or to the public, 129 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,000 I think that's a pretty bright line. So it seems 130 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:51,519 like there should be some I don't know, it seems 131 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,399 like there should be some movement or clarity on that, 132 00:06:54,519 --> 00:06:56,759 I would think. All right, so let me ask you now, 133 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,800 because you were you not only moderated this panel where 134 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,759 you heroically prevented fisticuffs from breaking out over the budget debate. 135 00:07:04,319 --> 00:07:08,279 But you also gave a presentation on what you write 136 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:12,000 up at long leafpol dot com north Carolina's political state 137 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:15,240 of play heading into twenty twenty six, and you note 138 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,519 there were only sixty four days to the start of 139 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,600 candidate filing, one hundred and fifty seven days to primary 140 00:07:20,639 --> 00:07:23,959 election day, four hundred two days until election day twenty 141 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:27,560 twenty six. But who's counting, right except you, I guess. 142 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:31,720 So you said that you hear people say that, oh, 143 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:33,519 there's going to be another blue wave. 144 00:07:33,759 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: So why do people think that? Why do they say that? Yeah? 145 00:07:39,079 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 3: I mean, the reason why they say that is because historically, 146 00:07:42,399 --> 00:07:46,759 you know, whichever party the president is, his party tends 147 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,319 to do poorly in the midterm elections. And we did 148 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,240 see some of that in twenty eighteen, especially around the 149 00:07:53,279 --> 00:07:56,680 country during President Trump's first term. It was a little 150 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:00,319 bit muted in North Carolina, though, to be fair, Gretz 151 00:08:00,399 --> 00:08:02,920 did pick up ten seats in the North Carolina House 152 00:08:02,959 --> 00:08:06,759 and at least three or four in the Senate. I 153 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,279 can't remember right off the top of my head, but 154 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:13,680 it wasn't an overwhelming shift in North Carolina. But the 155 00:08:13,759 --> 00:08:18,120 thing is, you know, I'm skeptical of anybody saying that 156 00:08:18,199 --> 00:08:20,519 we're due for a blue wave in North Carolina in 157 00:08:20,519 --> 00:08:24,720 twenty twenty six. You know, the dynamics this coming year 158 00:08:24,839 --> 00:08:28,560 are just so different from everything we've seen before. You know, 159 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:30,759 the presence of a Senate race on the ballot really 160 00:08:30,839 --> 00:08:34,679 changes the dynamics. Your listeners probably remember in twenty eighteen 161 00:08:34,759 --> 00:08:37,840 it was the quote unquote blue moon election with no 162 00:08:38,039 --> 00:08:41,440 statewide races on the ballot. That's not the case in 163 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:46,120 twenty six. So there's a lot left to be figured 164 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,879 out on how things will shake out. But it's not 165 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:51,279 going to be like an election we've seen before. 166 00:08:51,639 --> 00:08:54,919 Speaker 2: Right, So you got Trump obviously not on the ballot, 167 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,519 but kind of sort of on the ballot. I think 168 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:01,279 your assessment that we're essentially going to be asking voters 169 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,000 do we want to send somebody to Washington who supports 170 00:09:04,039 --> 00:09:06,879 Trump's agenda or somebody who will fight against Trump's agenda. 171 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,960 So in that regard, you're looking at the camp or 172 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,120 you're looking at Trump's approval numbers and whether people are 173 00:09:14,159 --> 00:09:16,320 satisfied with the job he's doing. So much of that 174 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,279 is tied into the state of the economy, and if 175 00:09:19,279 --> 00:09:22,480 people feel good about what Trump is doing, then that 176 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,679 may redound to the benefit of Michael Wattley if he 177 00:09:25,759 --> 00:09:28,279 ends up being the nominee from the Republicans. But if 178 00:09:28,639 --> 00:09:32,840 you know, if the economy doesn't doesn't do well, if 179 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:35,360 inflation is still a problem, and you talk about real 180 00:09:35,399 --> 00:09:38,240 wages in this piece too, that's going to give people, 181 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:41,960 you know, a reason to vote against the Trump agenda. 182 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 3: I suspect, yeah, that's exactly right. I mean President Donald 183 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,840 Trump's almost his entire argument in twenty twenty four was 184 00:09:50,879 --> 00:09:55,240 around fixing the economy and you know, getting inflation under control, 185 00:09:55,279 --> 00:09:58,799 et cetera. And so, you know, his success, his party's 186 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,440 success in twenty twenty SI is largely going to depend 187 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:03,919 on that. And from the numbers that I'm able to 188 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,039 see right now, it's kind of a mixed picture, you know, 189 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,120 just looking at Trump's approval rating. I took a look 190 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,480 at what President Trump's approval rating in North Carolina is 191 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:17,960 currently and compared it to twenty seventeen during the same 192 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,159 time period. And North Carolinians are a lot more satisfied 193 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:24,679 with President Trump this year than they were back in 194 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:27,360 his first term. You know, the latest data point was 195 00:10:27,399 --> 00:10:31,559 forty nine percent approval in twenty twenty five versus around 196 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,080 thirty three percent or thirty five percent in twenty seventeen. 197 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,720 And that's not insignificant. I mean, yes it might. It's 198 00:10:38,759 --> 00:10:42,480 slightly underwater, I guess, but that's a pretty you know, 199 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,440 for President Trump, that's a really darn good approval rating 200 00:10:45,519 --> 00:10:48,600 in North Carolina. And then on the economy, I mean, 201 00:10:48,639 --> 00:10:53,159 inflation is starting to tick back up. I mean, we 202 00:10:53,279 --> 00:10:57,279 got close to the two percent inflation number the economists 203 00:10:57,279 --> 00:10:59,919 and the Federal Reserve aim for, and over the past 204 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,919 past few months it's been slowly ticking back up a 205 00:11:02,919 --> 00:11:06,600 little bit. But yeah, the real wages is that the 206 00:11:06,639 --> 00:11:09,279 one number that I'm looking at the most, and what 207 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,600 that is is how much people are making compared with 208 00:11:12,639 --> 00:11:15,840 their buying power. So it's all inflation adjusted. And North 209 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:20,120 Carolina is actually bucking the national trend right now. You know, nationally, 210 00:11:20,279 --> 00:11:23,720 real wages have increased over the past two years. In 211 00:11:23,799 --> 00:11:27,799 North Carolina, they're going down. And that's going to really 212 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:32,360 need to turn around if President Trump and Michael Watley 213 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,720 or the Republican nominee for Senator are going to be 214 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:35,759 successful well. 215 00:11:35,799 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 2: And also and last question here I'll just raise with you, 216 00:11:39,919 --> 00:11:43,039 is the structural advantage that you talked about Democrats having 217 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,159 in North Carolina for so long is basically gone at 218 00:11:46,159 --> 00:11:50,399 this point, and so Trump's approval numbers. If you're looking 219 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,600 at the voter registration numbers, you've got Republicans that keep 220 00:11:53,639 --> 00:11:56,879 adding more and more and more voters. Democrats keep losing more. 221 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:01,399 Voters on affiliateds keep growing. That the largest you know 222 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,399 affiliation now, but they tend to vote in a partisan way, 223 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,960 and so like it tells me like this is it 224 00:12:10,039 --> 00:12:12,120 seems to me like you've got a lot of Republicans 225 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,720 coming from other states that are moving here. And we 226 00:12:15,759 --> 00:12:18,159 could even see you mentioned Union County is like the 227 00:12:18,159 --> 00:12:22,360 top Republican stronghold could even be replaced by some of 228 00:12:22,399 --> 00:12:23,919 these counties down east. 229 00:12:25,919 --> 00:12:31,279 Speaker 3: Yeah, Brunswick County is the new hotbed for new Republican registrations. 230 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:34,840 I mean, they've added fifteen thousand registered Republicans by far 231 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,960 the most in the state. But to your point, I 232 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:41,759 think I would be much more willing to say a 233 00:12:41,799 --> 00:12:44,399 blue wave could happen in twenty twenty six if it 234 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:47,519 wasn't for the current state of the Democratic Party nationally. 235 00:12:47,799 --> 00:12:50,639 I mean, the Democratic Party brand has never been more 236 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:54,639 toxic it is. You know, the approval ratings for Democrats 237 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,200 are the lowest they've ever been, you know, not that 238 00:12:57,279 --> 00:13:00,399 they're that much higher for Republicans. I mean, the Publican 239 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,879 Party in general is somewhat unpopular, but nowhere near as 240 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,080 dismal in polls as the Democratic Party. 241 00:13:07,279 --> 00:13:10,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, Andrew Dunn, appreciate your time as always, sir, have. 242 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: A great week. 243 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:12,399 Speaker 3: Thank you too. 244 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: H Right, buddy, that's. 245 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:18,159 Speaker 2: Andrew Dunn, a publisher of long Leaf Politics longleafpol dot com. 246 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,879 You know, stories are powerful. They help us make sense 247 00:13:20,879 --> 00:13:24,320 of things, to understand experiences. Stories connect us to the 248 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,480 people of our past while transcending generations. They help us 249 00:13:27,519 --> 00:13:30,519 process the meaning of life, and our stories are told 250 00:13:30,639 --> 00:13:34,759 through images and videos. Preserve your stories with Creative Video. 251 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,039 Started in nineteen ninety seven and Minhill, North Carolina. It 252 00:13:38,159 --> 00:13:41,559 was the first company to provide this valuable service, converting images, 253 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:45,879 photos and videos into high quality produced slide shows, videos 254 00:13:45,879 --> 00:13:49,559 and albums. The trusted, talented and dedicated team at Creative 255 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,720 Video will go over all of the details with you 256 00:13:51,799 --> 00:13:55,639 to create a perfect project. Satisfaction guaranteed. Drop them off 257 00:13:55,639 --> 00:13:57,399 in person or mail them, they'll be ready in a 258 00:13:57,399 --> 00:14:00,399 week or two. Memorial videos for your loved ones, videos 259 00:14:00,399 --> 00:14:05,200 for rehearsal, dinners, weddings, graduations, Christmas, family vacations, birthdays, or 260 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,080 just your family stories, all told through images. That's what 261 00:14:09,159 --> 00:14:12,639 your photos and videos are. They are your life told 262 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:15,200 through the eyes of everyone around you and all who 263 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,440 came before you, and they will tell others to come 264 00:14:17,639 --> 00:14:22,320 who you are. Visit creative video dot com. So from 265 00:14:22,799 --> 00:14:27,200 Andrew Dunn's piece over at long Leaf Politics, unaffiliated voters 266 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:30,559 are by far the largest voting block, but there are 267 00:14:30,679 --> 00:14:34,440 very few independent voters. I always correct people when they 268 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,039 say that, oh, I'm registered independent. It's like, yeah, now 269 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:41,039 that's not a thing. You're unaffiliated. You're not independent. There's 270 00:14:41,039 --> 00:14:44,840 no such classification in North Carolina as independent. And also 271 00:14:44,879 --> 00:14:50,480 when you look at the polling data, unaffiliateds vote for 272 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,799 partisan candidates, so they lean right or they lean left, 273 00:14:55,879 --> 00:15:00,360 and they have a stronger partisan voting history than even 274 00:15:00,399 --> 00:15:06,039 people registered in parties. So it's like oftentimes it's because 275 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,879 they're the party that they would otherwise identify with. Isn't 276 00:15:11,759 --> 00:15:14,799 isn't strong enough, isn't far enough that you know, like 277 00:15:14,799 --> 00:15:17,480 they look at the Republicans and say they're not conservative enough. 278 00:15:17,799 --> 00:15:21,559 Democrats or unaffiliated lefties look at the Democrat Party and 279 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:27,960 say they're not lefty enough. Right, So, he mentioned Brunswick County. 280 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:34,000 They got fifty eight thousand registered Republicans there. Union County 281 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:39,240 has seventy one thousand, but Brunswick picked up fifteen thousand 282 00:15:39,559 --> 00:15:43,720 new registrants just since twenty twenty. I think this is 283 00:15:43,759 --> 00:15:45,440 a lot of retirees. I think there's a lot of 284 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:49,240 people moving from blue states that are Republican voters that 285 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:51,320 are now moving down towards the coast. 286 00:15:51,399 --> 00:15:52,519 Speaker 1: That's what I think is happening. 287 00:15:54,759 --> 00:15:57,919 Speaker 2: But he also pointed out Wake County and Mecklenburg County, 288 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:03,960 both Republicans and Democrats are losing voters there or here. 289 00:16:04,159 --> 00:16:10,480 Okay by registration, but the declines in the Democrat registration 290 00:16:10,639 --> 00:16:14,320 numbers have been steeper, so they're now at their lowest 291 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:15,080 point ever. 292 00:16:16,679 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 1: So that's some good news, he says. 293 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:26,399 Speaker 2: In summary, looking at twenty twenty six, you got presidential approval, prices, paychecks, 294 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,440 and base turnout. Those are the keys to the twenty 295 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:33,440 sixth election, he says. He talks about it's a pretty 296 00:16:33,519 --> 00:16:35,759 lengthy piece. It's a presentation that he did at the 297 00:16:35,759 --> 00:16:40,120 Salt and Light Conference. He says Roy Cooper in the 298 00:16:40,399 --> 00:16:45,240 polling never cracks fifty percent, which is pretty remarkable because 299 00:16:45,279 --> 00:16:46,919 he's a two term governor. 300 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: And he is stuck in this. 301 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:55,759 Speaker 2: Virtual tie with Michael Wattley that most people don't even know. 302 00:16:56,559 --> 00:17:00,000 The translation is that this thing is winnable with message, discipline, 303 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,000 and a functional ground game that treats unaffiliateds as leaners 304 00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:08,240 not unicorns. He then talks about Justice Anita Earls, the 305 00:17:08,279 --> 00:17:11,200 most activist judge North Carolina has ever seen. 306 00:17:11,279 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 1: She's on the state Supreme Court. 307 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:14,640 Speaker 2: There's going to be a ton of money pouring into 308 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:18,480 this race because it's a setup to try to flip 309 00:17:18,519 --> 00:17:21,680 the court majority two years later. 310 00:17:21,559 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: In twenty twenty eight. But they need that. 311 00:17:24,599 --> 00:17:28,799 Speaker 2: Democrats need to hold Anita Earl's seat if they're going 312 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,400 to have a chance to flip the Supreme Court in 313 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:32,279 twenty twenty eight. 314 00:17:32,519 --> 00:17:33,839 Speaker 1: So we'll be watching that as well. 315 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:37,519 Speaker 2: So when I was a kid, my grandpa died with Alzheimer's, 316 00:17:37,559 --> 00:17:39,759 and before he died, my mom and my dad took 317 00:17:39,759 --> 00:17:42,039 care of him as he got worse. Forty years ago, 318 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:45,200 there were no treatments and not much support for caregivers 319 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:47,799 and family. But things are different today because of the 320 00:17:47,839 --> 00:17:51,000 work of so many people, including the Alzheimer's Association of 321 00:17:51,039 --> 00:17:54,640 Western Carolina. It's a great organization with awesome people with 322 00:17:54,799 --> 00:17:57,559 huge hearts. I've been a supporter for twenty five years. 323 00:17:57,599 --> 00:18:00,920 This cause means a lot to me. I participate in 324 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,799 the annual Walk to end Alzheimer's and I'm leading a 325 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,000 Charlotte team again this year, and it's called once again 326 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:09,480 Pete's Pack. You can sign up and you can join 327 00:18:09,519 --> 00:18:12,359 the team and walk with us. It's on October eighteenth, 328 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:16,400 that truest field. Sign up at alz dot org slash 329 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:18,880 Walk and then you can search for my team name 330 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:22,400 Pete's Pack. There's also a link at thepetepod dot com. 331 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,160 There's also a link in the description of this podcast. Also, 332 00:18:25,519 --> 00:18:28,839 I'll be am seeing the Gastonia Walk on October eleventh, 333 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:30,680 and so you can make a team and join that 334 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,039 one too, or make a donation and help me hit 335 00:18:33,079 --> 00:18:35,319 my goal of five thousand dollars. If you do, I 336 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:37,799 really appreciate it. There are a bunch of other walks 337 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,519 all over the Carolinas. You can go to alz dot 338 00:18:40,599 --> 00:18:43,599 org slash Walk for all the dates and locations. We're 339 00:18:43,599 --> 00:18:46,480 closer than ever to stopping Alzheimer's. Can you help us 340 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,839 get there? Will you walk with me? For a different future, 341 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,680 for families, for more time for treatments. This is why 342 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:57,640 we walk. This from the Blue Ridge Times by Tim Wigginton. 343 00:18:58,599 --> 00:19:03,799 Last weekend, Senate candidate former Governor Roy Cooper, a good friend, 344 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:08,400 Ray was spotted by Politico Playbook, which is a gossip 345 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:13,559 publication for the DC Insider set. He was at a 346 00:19:13,599 --> 00:19:19,920 wedding of Katie Hendrickson and Drew Cockram. 347 00:19:20,559 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 1: That's that's his name. 348 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:28,319 Speaker 2: Katie Hendrickson is a principal at the Vogel Group. The 349 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:33,039 Vogel Group is an international government affairs and consulting firm 350 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:38,000 headquartered in Washington, d C. Serving companies, associations, and asset 351 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:43,160 managers around the world. The Vogel Group lobbies On behalf 352 00:19:43,319 --> 00:19:49,279 of a company called Goshen, like Motion, but with a 353 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:57,880 G Goshen. Goshen is a Chinese electrification company, and she 354 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,319 recently registered to lobby for in Vida, which was recently 355 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:06,720 exposed for powering the Chai Coom's Deep Seek Ai that 356 00:20:06,839 --> 00:20:09,559 is designed to spy on Americans steal our technology and 357 00:20:09,599 --> 00:20:15,359 subvert us law. So this is who Roy Cooper was 358 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,960 hanging with last weekend. Katie Hendrickson, you see, is the 359 00:20:20,079 --> 00:20:25,319 daughter of Thomas Hendrickson. Thomas Hendrickson is a former state 360 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:29,400 Democratic Party chair and leader of Cooper's dark money that 361 00:20:29,559 --> 00:20:33,839 promised access to Cooper while he was governor. While her 362 00:20:33,839 --> 00:20:37,720 father was running Cooper's dark money operation, Catherine worked as 363 00:20:37,759 --> 00:20:42,440 the deputy director of Boards and Commission. What did she 364 00:20:42,559 --> 00:20:47,039 do there, Well, she could help find appointments for the 365 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:50,680 donors that were writing the mass of checks to Cooper's 366 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:55,559 re election efforts. Now you see why he got invited 367 00:20:55,559 --> 00:20:59,799 to the wedding. Wiggington goes on to point out this 368 00:20:59,839 --> 00:21:05,559 is just another example of Cooper's suspicious or as the 369 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:10,839 kids would say, sus relations with the chi Cooms. In 370 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:15,319 twenty seventeen, Cooper recruited a Chinese tire manufacturer to come 371 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,279 to North Carolina with one hundred and fifty two million 372 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:21,319 dollars in incentives with a promise of thousands of jobs. 373 00:21:21,759 --> 00:21:26,480 In twenty sixteen, before the North Carolina announcement Triangle Tire, 374 00:21:26,599 --> 00:21:31,200 the Chinese manufacturer was found guilty of violating American patents, 375 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:38,880 which is shocking a Chinese Communist Party business because they're 376 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:44,799 all chicom businesses over there stealing American patents. Really, I 377 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:49,240 never In twenty twenty two, the company announced that it 378 00:21:49,279 --> 00:21:53,480 planned to cancel the project. Would you ever notice whenever 379 00:21:53,519 --> 00:21:56,440 they do the big announcements, Governor Cooper gets out there, 380 00:21:56,519 --> 00:21:59,839 you know, cuts a ribbon with the ridiculously oversized scissors, 381 00:22:00,839 --> 00:22:05,119 and when the deals, these incentive deals fall through, these 382 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:11,240 tax breaks for billionaires and millionaires and corporate handouts, right, 383 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:16,160 these incentive grants that Democrats are always against, all of 384 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,759 the tax breaks for all of the corporations, except if 385 00:22:19,839 --> 00:22:24,000 I get to hand you the ridiculously large check, right, 386 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,480 like the physically large check. It's like six feet long, 387 00:22:27,559 --> 00:22:30,559 three feet high, Like if I can give you the check, 388 00:22:30,839 --> 00:22:32,920 I think they stop doing that because the pr that 389 00:22:33,079 --> 00:22:37,039 is so terrible. So they do like those corporate handouts, 390 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:40,279 especially if you can give it to some business entity 391 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,599 that's connected to the Chinese Communist Party. But they announced 392 00:22:44,839 --> 00:22:48,480 three years after the big fanfare announcement that actually, yeah, 393 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,720 we're not going to We're not going to do the project. 394 00:22:52,279 --> 00:22:54,759 The company was started by the Chinese government in nineteen 395 00:22:54,839 --> 00:22:57,880 seventy six and still likely maintains close links with the 396 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,400 Chinese Communist Party and complies with Chinese's law that require 397 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,240 cooperation with the party. Yeah, it's a little known fact 398 00:23:04,279 --> 00:23:06,759 over there too. It's like, if you are a business, 399 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:09,799 like anything you're doing, if there's any kind of a 400 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:14,079 nexus to the Communist Party, something that they can utilize, 401 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,720 something they need, you're doing tech stuff, they can co 402 00:23:17,799 --> 00:23:20,319 opt your stuff, they like, you got to comply with it. 403 00:23:20,599 --> 00:23:26,440 So also while Cooper was governor, the amount of farmland 404 00:23:26,599 --> 00:23:31,519 owned by Chinese interests grew In twenty ten, No North 405 00:23:31,559 --> 00:23:34,839 Carolina farmland was owned by a Chinese interest By the 406 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,799 end of twenty four Just four years later, they had 407 00:23:37,799 --> 00:23:42,359 amassed fifty thousand acres of North Carolina farmland. That's according 408 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:46,799 to the us DA. So nothing to see there, I'm sure. 409 00:23:48,519 --> 00:23:53,359 The Charlotte Ledger reporting on the Mecklimber County Democrat Party 410 00:23:54,359 --> 00:24:01,519 endorsing candidates in the November nonpartisan school board race. This 411 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,920 is the Mecklenburg County local party, and one of the 412 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:11,000 endorsements is not for the Democrat incumbent in the North 413 00:24:11,079 --> 00:24:13,880 mech District one race for a seat on the Charlotte 414 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:18,720 Mecklenburg Board of Education. The Democrats are endorsing Charlotta Hatch 415 00:24:19,759 --> 00:24:25,440 or Charlotta Charlita. Well, how would you pronounce itha r 416 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:29,160 Litta Charlata. 417 00:24:30,519 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 1: Charlotta Hatch. 418 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 2: Anyway, the City of Charlotte's chief data and analytics officer 419 00:24:37,599 --> 00:24:42,799 is challenging the incumbent, Melissa Easley, a former teacher you 420 00:24:42,839 --> 00:24:45,160 may recall, easily made a bit of news in the 421 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:47,880 wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination by making a whole 422 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:53,799 bunch of nasty comments and lies about Charlie Kirk. There's 423 00:24:53,839 --> 00:24:56,839 also Bill Fountain. He's a Republican running in that District 424 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:01,039 one race. Now, these are non partisan race, so you're 425 00:25:01,079 --> 00:25:04,039 not going to see the d's and the rs next 426 00:25:04,039 --> 00:25:08,799 to the candidates' names on the ballot. But when you're 427 00:25:08,799 --> 00:25:12,400 waiting in line to vote right, you get people at 428 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:16,480 the polls that walk around and hand out palm cards 429 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:18,400 they're called where it's a list of all of the 430 00:25:18,599 --> 00:25:22,359 endorsed candidates by a particular organization or the Democrat Party 431 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,079 in this case, and so they're going to be endorsing 432 00:25:25,519 --> 00:25:31,640 Charlotta Hatch over the incumbent Melissa Easley. In a notice 433 00:25:32,799 --> 00:25:36,319 on its website. Mecklenberg Democrats said that they chose to 434 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,680 endorse a single Democrat in each race, quote in order 435 00:25:39,759 --> 00:25:49,079 to combat the constant assault on our public education system. Okay, 436 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,599 it's a Democrat already holding the seat. Is she assaulting 437 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:54,759 the education system? She's a teacher or a former teacher. 438 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,759 The endorsements were based on votes by the Executive Committee 439 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:03,799 mem in the party. Now they also bypassed endorsing Democrat 440 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:10,680 Tony Mhel emehemhel mehel emil. How would you pronounce this 441 00:26:10,839 --> 00:26:18,839 e m e h e l mhel anyway? In favor 442 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:23,000 of Anna London. There's no incumbent in that race. And 443 00:26:23,039 --> 00:26:25,920 I will tell you why. It's a seat for representing 444 00:26:26,039 --> 00:26:30,000 South Charlotte and the Steel Creek area, so southwest Justin Sheeley, 445 00:26:30,079 --> 00:26:33,640 a Republican, is also running. Emmahel told The Ledger that 446 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,720 she believed quote, the process was skewed from the start. 447 00:26:37,279 --> 00:26:39,599 I was told at the beginning of this process that 448 00:26:39,759 --> 00:26:41,200 I would not be endorsed. 449 00:26:41,799 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: You ready for this? Why? Because I'm an African American? 450 00:26:48,799 --> 00:26:49,400 The wait? 451 00:26:49,599 --> 00:26:53,119 Speaker 2: The Democrats told you that they're not endorsing you because 452 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:58,359 you're black and the district is predominantly white. She would 453 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:02,000 not say who told her that, other than it was 454 00:27:02,039 --> 00:27:06,680 a quote well connected member of the Democrat Party. Mecklenburg 455 00:27:06,759 --> 00:27:10,599 Democrats endorsed all this is the anti racism party, obviously right. 456 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:14,720 Mecklenberg Democrats endorsed all other Democrats school board incumbents. They 457 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:18,240 also endorsed Democrats Cynthia Stone in her race against incumbent 458 00:27:18,319 --> 00:27:22,160 Lisa Kline, who is the board's loan Republican. Six of 459 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:25,240 the nine school board seats are on the ballot in November, 460 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:30,920 along with the municipal races and the referendum. Now, the 461 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:33,480 Charlotte Ledger a couple of months ago, and I've had 462 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,240 this in the stack of stuff for a while, they 463 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:40,759 had a very interesting write up on some of the 464 00:27:40,839 --> 00:27:47,920 behind the scenes personalities and work and connections and such 465 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:52,240 at Charlotte Mecklenberg Schools and how this is playing a 466 00:27:52,319 --> 00:27:57,400 role now in the election. The headline is superintendent's key 467 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:02,839 advisor is backing school board candidates. Game on Week one 468 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,440 starts now and every touchdown brings you closer to a 469 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:08,480 payout with Draft Kings sports book and official sports betting 470 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,920 partner of the NFL. This isn't just football, It's first touchdown, 471 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,960 fireworks anytime. 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Digital games and commercial use excluded. 495 00:29:31,279 --> 00:29:35,000 Restrictions apply additional NFL Sunday Ticket terms or at YouTube 496 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,480 dot com slash Go Slash NFL Sunday Ticket Slash terms 497 00:29:38,599 --> 00:29:41,799 Limited time offer. In a piece by Tony Mescia, He 498 00:29:41,839 --> 00:29:43,720 also was the author of the last piece I just 499 00:29:43,839 --> 00:29:47,920 read to you. This was from back in July. At 500 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:51,519 a school board meeting in March, first term Charlotte Mecklaburg 501 00:29:51,599 --> 00:29:54,960 school board member Melissa Easley told her colleagues that she 502 00:29:55,039 --> 00:29:59,119 planned to vote against a proposal to increase a contract 503 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:04,160 by one hundred twenty five thousand dollars for executive coaching 504 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:09,519 services in CMS middle schools. She said the money could 505 00:30:09,559 --> 00:30:13,319 be better used, that other programs already did the same thing, 506 00:30:13,799 --> 00:30:16,359 and that as a former teacher, she had never heard 507 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:20,440 of the company that CMS was hiring. That company's name 508 00:30:21,279 --> 00:30:31,680 is sy d kim Yl Educational Consulting, which is an awful, 509 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:32,880 awful name. 510 00:30:33,119 --> 00:30:35,119 Speaker 1: That is such a stupid name. 511 00:30:36,039 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 2: It's like this massive acronym syd kim y l sidkim 512 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:44,759 mill sid kim ile. 513 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:51,519 Speaker 1: Why why you education consulting and that's the name you 514 00:30:51,559 --> 00:30:52,480 come up with? Okay? 515 00:30:52,559 --> 00:30:55,279 Speaker 2: Anyway, she says, I have never encountered this firm. We're 516 00:30:55,319 --> 00:30:57,400 seeing its results in our classroom, and I have been 517 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,519 there since twenty eleven. Where is the evidence that this 518 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:05,079 directly impacts our student outcomes? Let's prioritize the spending that 519 00:31:05,119 --> 00:31:07,799 directly affects our students and supports our staff that are 520 00:31:07,839 --> 00:31:11,839 already tirelessly working in schools easily and two other board 521 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:16,440 members oppose the contract increase, okay, but they were outvoted 522 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:21,039 by a five person board majority that sided with the superintendent, 523 00:31:21,119 --> 00:31:26,519 Crystal Hill. Now, two of those three board members who 524 00:31:26,559 --> 00:31:30,319 did not vote to approve the contract have candidates running 525 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:35,559 against them, and those opponents are backed by one of 526 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:42,759 Crystal Hill's top advisors, Racky McGregor, who happens to be 527 00:31:42,839 --> 00:31:54,279 the husband of Sydkimyl Educational consulting's owner. This stinks. This 528 00:31:54,720 --> 00:32:02,079 stinks so bad. Crystal Hill's top advisor, Racky McGregor is 529 00:32:02,279 --> 00:32:10,359 married to the owner of this firm that just got 530 00:32:10,599 --> 00:32:16,519 a bump in their contract amount, and now Racky McGregor 531 00:32:16,759 --> 00:32:20,960 is out there working for campaigns to oust two of 532 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:25,000 the three that voted against the contract increase. Oh and 533 00:32:25,039 --> 00:32:30,160 by the way, McGregor had his own thirteen thousand dollars 534 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:35,119 a month CMS consulting contract for working with the superintendent 535 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:39,519 Crystal Hill. He is also a consultant for the Charlotte 536 00:32:39,559 --> 00:32:43,720 Executive Leadership Council, a group of influential CEOs and other 537 00:32:43,839 --> 00:32:47,160 leaders of more than forty of the Charlotte region's biggest companies, 538 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:52,559 including Atrium Health, Bank of America, Red Ventures, Lows, Duke Energy. 539 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,920 The public involvement in school board races by a CMS 540 00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:00,480 contractor and advisor so close to the superintendent would be 541 00:33:00,599 --> 00:33:05,359 unusual by itself. Top professional staff of local governments typically 542 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,920 stay out of local politics, but throw in the matter 543 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,200 of the contract for his wife and his ties to 544 00:33:11,319 --> 00:33:15,920 Charlotte's most prominent business leaders, and McGregor's involvement appears to 545 00:33:16,119 --> 00:33:20,880 some board members and CMS watchers as heavy handed political 546 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,079 payback against those who were doing their jobs by questioning 547 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:25,440 CMS expenditures. 548 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 1: Now, look, there is. 549 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 2: A perfectly reasonable logical explanation for why it looks like this. Okay, 550 00:33:35,039 --> 00:33:41,000 there's just hear me out, because it is. That's why 551 00:33:41,039 --> 00:33:43,799 it looks like that is because it is. It absolutely is. 552 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:49,079 Of course it is. McGregor appeared in a Facebook video 553 00:33:49,079 --> 00:33:52,839 posted by Charlita Hatch when she filed at the Board 554 00:33:52,839 --> 00:33:55,039 of Elections to take on Easily. 555 00:33:56,799 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 1: Let's see. 556 00:33:57,279 --> 00:34:01,920 Speaker 2: In addition to the CMS contracts, as y D kim 557 00:34:02,279 --> 00:34:07,440 y L Educational Consultants also received six hundred thousand dollars 558 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,400 from Necklenberg County in fiscal year twenty twenty five for 559 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:15,800 social and emotional learning instruction in grades K through eight. 560 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:21,519 According to WFAE, this is a racket. This is essentially 561 00:34:21,599 --> 00:34:26,039 money laundering, taking money from taxpayers and funneling it to 562 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:33,159 democrat aligned nonprofits and consultants. Right, six of the nine 563 00:34:33,159 --> 00:34:35,679 school board seats are on the ballot in November. You'll 564 00:34:35,679 --> 00:34:40,480 recall that Crystal Hill was appointed superintendent in May of 565 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,840 twenty twenty three. It was a six to three vote. 566 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:48,440 The three that voted against Hill Easiley, Lisa Klein, who 567 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:53,199 also has a Democrat challenger and Summer None. That's her name, 568 00:34:53,280 --> 00:35:01,000 Summer None, not some or none, it's Summer None. McGregor 569 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:05,599 also has ties to the school board race in the 570 00:35:05,639 --> 00:35:10,000 Steel Creek area that Summer Nuns district. She was one 571 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,760 of two sitting board members to vote against Hill's appointment 572 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:16,679 to superintendent two years ago, and she sided with Easily 573 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:23,360 against the McGregor's wife's contract increase. McGregor is the chairman 574 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,920 of the board of workforce development nonprofit Charlotte Works, and 575 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:34,079 the organization's CEO, Anna London, filed to run against Summer 576 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:40,000 Nune on the first day of filing in July. See 577 00:35:40,039 --> 00:35:42,559 there's a reason why it looks like they are picking 578 00:35:42,679 --> 00:35:47,159 off political opponents of the superintendent is because they are. 579 00:35:47,360 --> 00:35:50,280 That is obviously what's going on. You got these three, 580 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,639 even the Democrat party sees it. That's what they made 581 00:35:53,639 --> 00:35:57,039 their endorsements. Not of Easily and some are none. What 582 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:00,239 happened with her, she decided not to even try to 583 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:05,880 run again. Four days after Anna London entered the race, 584 00:36:06,639 --> 00:36:09,320 None announced she would not run for a second term, 585 00:36:10,679 --> 00:36:15,000 and she explained why in part by decrying politics. She said, 586 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:17,760 I want to be very clear. I will not put 587 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:21,840 my career, my family, or my reputation at risk because 588 00:36:21,880 --> 00:36:25,280 of politics, especially when politics get in the way of 589 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:29,360 doing what's right for kids, teachers, and our community. She said, 590 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:34,639 dysfunction remains on the school board and noted, referring to London, 591 00:36:34,920 --> 00:36:38,840 her opponent, that a candidate from my own party filed 592 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:41,400 to run before I had the chance to share my decision, 593 00:36:41,519 --> 00:36:43,679 which I find kind of funny here also because it's like, 594 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:46,280 these are non partisan races, that's what they always say, 595 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:50,119 but they're not, like why would you like, why would 596 00:36:50,159 --> 00:36:51,840 it matter if it's a member of your own party 597 00:36:51,920 --> 00:36:53,480 running against you, the incumbent? 598 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:54,639 Speaker 1: Why should that matter? 599 00:36:54,679 --> 00:36:58,760 Speaker 2: They're nonpartisan races because they are not nonpartisan races. They're 600 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:03,639 just masked. They're hidden. Party identification is hidden from the 601 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:04,800 voters on the ballot. 602 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:05,679 Speaker 1: That's it. 603 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:08,159 Speaker 2: You can pull all these people's voter cards. You can 604 00:37:08,199 --> 00:37:11,559 find out who you know, who the party endorses, find 605 00:37:11,599 --> 00:37:16,000 out doing research, finding out what parties these candidates belong to. 606 00:37:16,159 --> 00:37:19,559 This idea that the school board is quote nonpartisan, is ridiculous. 607 00:37:19,599 --> 00:37:22,920 It always has been ridiculous. But it's a way that 608 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:27,800 you know, Democrats have masked who they you know, their 609 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,599 political philosophy on the stuff they just say for the children, 610 00:37:30,639 --> 00:37:34,199 for the teachers, and then they just kind of network 611 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:39,519 behind the scenes for their campaigns. Now I mentioned the 612 00:37:39,599 --> 00:37:43,440 Republican in the South Charlotte district Kleine. She is also 613 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:48,360 facing a challenge from a Democrat, Cynthia Stone. Kleine says 614 00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:52,800 she has no evidence that Racky McGregor is targeting her, 615 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:56,800 but said quote, it is very odd, Yes, it is. 616 00:37:57,440 --> 00:38:00,360 It is very odd that the three people who voted 617 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:05,199 against Racky McGregor's wife's contract are now being challenged. I 618 00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:08,719 think there's something up with that. Yes, you should think 619 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:10,840 there's something up with that, because there is something up 620 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:14,039 with that obviously. So here's a guy with all these 621 00:38:14,079 --> 00:38:18,559 connections in the business world, milking the CMS system for 622 00:38:18,639 --> 00:38:23,960 contracts for his wife and himself while advising the superintendent. 623 00:38:25,079 --> 00:38:27,920 This is like a hatchetman kind of a gig. That's 624 00:38:27,920 --> 00:38:32,159 what this seems like. Airs of Jim Husley waft past 625 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:36,440 my nose. All right, that'll do it for this episode. 626 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:37,840 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening. 627 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:40,079 Speaker 2: I could not do the show without your support and 628 00:38:40,119 --> 00:38:42,840 the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, 629 00:38:43,199 --> 00:38:45,239 so if you'd like, please support them too and tell 630 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:47,039 them you heard it here. You can also become a 631 00:38:47,079 --> 00:38:51,719 patron at my Patreon page or go to dpetekallanershow dot com. Again, 632 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:54,519 thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything 633 00:38:54,519 --> 00:39:02,320 while I'm gone.