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 --> 00:00:18,719 my daily show prep with all of the links, become 6 00:00:18,719 --> 00:00:22,359 a patron, go to dpetclendershow dot com. Make sure you 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,920 hit the subscribe button. Get every episode for free right 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,320 to your smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so 9 00:00:27,399 --> 00:00:30,719 much for your support. I made this announcement last week. 10 00:00:30,879 --> 00:00:34,560 I believe I was the one that exclusively broke the 11 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:36,960 news when I read it off of the press release 12 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:39,640 that TJ Richie was going to be joining the lineup 13 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,159 here at WBT. And so I said, I'm going to 14 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,039 make him wait for like a week and then I 15 00:00:44,079 --> 00:00:47,280 will bring him on just to you know, assert dominance. 16 00:00:47,759 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 2: But no, no need for that. I already knew. 17 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: Now. TJ is a longtime Charlotte radio guy as and 18 00:00:55,679 --> 00:00:59,840 Tjshow you may know him from. And you are doing 19 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,920 so this is so you're going to start the BT 20 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,640 slot seven to nine May twenty seventh, right, yes, and 21 00:01:06,719 --> 00:01:09,719 so you're doing something You're still doing your own deal, right? 22 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:10,239 What is that? 23 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,519 Speaker 2: My partner's name is Riggins. Now it's the TJ and 24 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:18,280 Riggins Show, and we're a syndicated morning show on several, 25 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,799 probably eight or nine stations, so we still do that, 26 00:01:22,079 --> 00:01:25,120 and you know, podcasts and different things. My wife and 27 00:01:25,159 --> 00:01:28,359 I even have a podcast, which may go away when 28 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,480 I start staying up here late every night. It just depends, right, 29 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,599 So I'm gonna be doing all of that at the 30 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:36,680 spry young age of fifty five. There you go with 31 00:01:36,719 --> 00:01:40,040 a sleeping disorder. And I need your weight loss place 32 00:01:40,079 --> 00:01:41,519 that I heard you talking about the other day. 33 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: Nope, I Conde PhD Weight loss and nutrition. See, this 34 00:01:44,879 --> 00:01:46,920 is why I had to start dominance because he's he's 35 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,719 got way more irons in his fire here. So all right, So, 36 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:52,879 by the way, I'm lucky that I made it back 37 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:56,040 in town for this. I was sweating it from being 38 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:59,079 at the met Gala last night. Oh really, yeah, I 39 00:01:59,079 --> 00:02:01,640 thought I saw you on the carpet. Yeah up, my 40 00:02:01,719 --> 00:02:04,920 alley man. I saw a good proposal that from now 41 00:02:04,959 --> 00:02:08,639 on the Met Gala should just ban all dudes and 42 00:02:08,719 --> 00:02:12,639 disinvite all women except for Sidney Sweeney. Sure, and I 43 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:16,879 think that would be yeah right. I saw Walter Goggins. 44 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:18,960 You know who this is, Walton Goggins. 45 00:02:19,039 --> 00:02:19,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, huh. 46 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: Did you ever see his ads for the goggles? 47 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:21,879 Speaker 2: Yeah? 48 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,479 Speaker 1: Yeah, they're in every single freaking YouTube video that I see, 49 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,879 but the but he was there wearing some sort of 50 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,159 like a full length duster, yeah, jacket coat or something 51 00:02:34,199 --> 00:02:35,159 that was like puffy. 52 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. He's considered right now one of the best character 53 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,759 actors out and I like, yeah, I do too, but 54 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,240 he's weird. Yeah, and it's it's a shame because he's 55 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,879 really southern. Yeah, you know, I think he's from Georgia 56 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,759 or Justified. Oh that's my favorite. Yeah, and uh, you know, 57 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,240 do you know who Nick Sercy is? Yeah? Yea from Kulae. 58 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,879 Speaker 1: Yes, and I chatted with him. Have you ever had 59 00:02:55,879 --> 00:02:58,039 a chance to interview No, I may be able to 60 00:02:58,080 --> 00:02:59,960 hook you up with him. Oh yeah, you're interested because 61 00:03:00,199 --> 00:03:04,960 he I talked with him years ago when Justified was 62 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,159 on and I asked him about the fight between like 63 00:03:08,199 --> 00:03:14,719 a fistfight between Timothy Oliphant yeah and Walton Goggins, because 64 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:18,080 I said they're not very big dudes, and he's and 65 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,560 he just riffed on. He was like it's he's like 66 00:03:20,599 --> 00:03:22,680 I was worried that there would be broken bones because 67 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,159 they're just two very small guys. You know, they're forrail 68 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,520 They seemed kind of you know, TV makes you look bigger, 69 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:31,599 But have you ever done any TV work? 70 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,719 Speaker 2: No, not like that. I was a theater major though 71 00:03:33,719 --> 00:03:37,520 in college I turned down a football scholarship to do 72 00:03:37,639 --> 00:03:41,639 my dad's alma mater to take a theater scholarship at 73 00:03:41,639 --> 00:03:45,280 the same school. And I still think that that's why 74 00:03:45,319 --> 00:03:48,000 he and my mom got divorced, because he blamed her 75 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:49,759 for putting it in my head that I could be 76 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:50,520 an entertainer. 77 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, yeah, she was right. 78 00:03:53,039 --> 00:03:55,199 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah she was. They were right about that 79 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,599 and putting braces on my teeth. Other than that, it 80 00:03:57,639 --> 00:03:59,000 was a disaster in my childhood. 81 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: Oh okay, well that's good though it has made you 82 00:04:01,719 --> 00:04:04,759 into the entertaining person that you are. You got to 83 00:04:04,759 --> 00:04:06,840 go through. It's like you can't sing the Blues if 84 00:04:06,879 --> 00:04:08,000 you had an easy life. 85 00:04:08,039 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, like a preacher's no good if he 86 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,400 doesn't have a personal testimony sermon. There you go, you know, 87 00:04:12,759 --> 00:04:14,840 so I'll tell him you're no good preacher. 88 00:04:15,199 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 1: I did tell me your testimony. So okay, So where 89 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,560 where are you originally from you. You're not from Charlotte. 90 00:04:22,639 --> 00:04:27,519 Speaker 2: No, Central Louisiana. A little town called Winfield. It's about 91 00:04:27,639 --> 00:04:31,279 two hours south of Shreveport, about one hour north of Alexandria. 92 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,199 Those are the biggest cities that it's close to. 93 00:04:33,399 --> 00:04:34,759 Speaker 1: I've heard of Shreveport. 94 00:04:34,879 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's I don't know, the way up north in Louisiana. Okay. 95 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: And so you played football and you were in the theater, yeah, 96 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,920 and base and the same so the same what what 97 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:45,639 college you go to? 98 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:46,639 Speaker 2: Louisiana Tech? 99 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: And so they had a what like an intra departmental 100 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:55,680 fight over where you would go. Why couldn't you do both? 101 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:58,439 By the way, why couldn't you play football and do theater? 102 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,399 Speaker 2: Because at the time I didn't. I didn't want to 103 00:05:02,399 --> 00:05:04,800 do football anymore. And I thought, by the time I 104 00:05:04,879 --> 00:05:07,240 was nineteen, I was going to be a cast member 105 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,600 on Saturday Night live call some like The Guiding Light 106 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,240 or As the World Turns or somebody. The range. Yeah, 107 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:16,160 it's quite a range. So I had my mindset on it, 108 00:05:16,199 --> 00:05:18,759 and that's what I And I was tiny, you know, 109 00:05:19,519 --> 00:05:21,680 I was five eight and I weighed about one hundred 110 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,000 and forty pounds. But all they wanted me to do 111 00:05:24,079 --> 00:05:25,600 was be the punter anyway. 112 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: So I could a long career. 113 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 2: You could have a really long career as a punter, 114 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:31,839 I know. And I wouldn't have to be doing two 115 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:33,879 jobs right to make ends meet? 116 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,079 Speaker 1: Right, you would have been retired already. 117 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 2: Uh huh. 118 00:05:36,759 --> 00:05:39,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, means you probably still would be doing a podcast. 119 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:41,439 Speaker 2: Sure, yea, that'd be all over the place. 120 00:05:41,519 --> 00:05:44,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, so you're in You're in Louisianas you 121 00:05:44,879 --> 00:05:48,720 go to college, then what how did you go? How'd 122 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:49,959 you get into radio? Okay? 123 00:05:49,959 --> 00:05:54,519 Speaker 2: Well, I I was terrible in college, and so I 124 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,959 quit and I went to LA to try my hand 125 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,279 at stand up comedy because somebody from my hometown lived 126 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,000 out there and he worked at a construction site for 127 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,360 an oil refinery. And I got out there and would 128 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,879 do amateur nights and things like that. And then I 129 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,560 was a bellman and a hotel during the day. And 130 00:06:16,639 --> 00:06:19,720 so one day I was off from work and he said, hey, 131 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:22,639 you want to go to my company softball practice with me? 132 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:24,120 And I said sure, I don't have anything else to do. 133 00:06:24,319 --> 00:06:26,319 So I got out there. The project manager was there. 134 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,360 He wanted me to play on their company team. So 135 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,680 they said well, he's got to work. He's at the 136 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:34,600 you know, for the company, to be on the team. 137 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,480 And he gave me a job like a like a 138 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,720 Michelle Obama no show job, and all I had to 139 00:06:40,759 --> 00:06:42,839 do is just go in there and collect a paycheck 140 00:06:42,879 --> 00:06:46,040 and then be on the softball team. And probably your 141 00:06:46,079 --> 00:06:51,040 theater skills that really sold that and so so that 142 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:52,959 that's what got me into that, and I thought that 143 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,920 was the line of work I wanted to do. And 144 00:06:54,959 --> 00:06:57,319 then my mom came to me one day and she said, 145 00:06:57,319 --> 00:06:59,240 why are you not happy, son? And I said, I 146 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,519 don't know. I was working at a at a mill 147 00:07:01,879 --> 00:07:04,079 in my hometown. So I'm working my hometown. I have 148 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,839 an office job and I should be happy, but I'm not. 149 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,360 And she said, well, you're not happy because you're not 150 00:07:10,439 --> 00:07:14,480 using your talent. She said, anybody could learn to do 151 00:07:14,519 --> 00:07:16,600 the job that you're doing, but you have talent and 152 00:07:16,639 --> 00:07:19,920 you're not using it. It's going to waste. So that's 153 00:07:19,959 --> 00:07:23,800 when I went and applied at my local radio station. 154 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:30,079 Why there, because I had always thought that that would 155 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,839 be something that would that would allow me to have 156 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:37,600 my personality and be funny and things like that without 157 00:07:37,639 --> 00:07:40,480 having to deal with all of the show business, you know, 158 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:42,720 living on the streets and things like that to make it. 159 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,199 Speaker 1: Yeah, So did you listen to the station? 160 00:07:45,879 --> 00:07:49,959 Speaker 2: No, So, you know, it was like a small station. 161 00:07:50,279 --> 00:07:53,519 And the bigger station that I listened to, the fund 162 00:07:53,519 --> 00:07:56,199 station was in Alexandria and it was the Top forty 163 00:07:56,519 --> 00:07:59,079 and it was the Ram and jam and slam and 164 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,399 you know whatever. And I worked at the small town 165 00:08:02,439 --> 00:08:05,720 station for a few months and then I got a 166 00:08:05,839 --> 00:08:08,160 job on the weekends at the big station and then 167 00:08:08,199 --> 00:08:10,439 work my way up through there and that's where I'm 168 00:08:10,439 --> 00:08:10,879 at Ace. 169 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,079 Speaker 1: Okay. And so they and that little station allowed you, 170 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,480 obviously to go up and work part Yeah, because I 171 00:08:16,519 --> 00:08:18,199 worked at a small station, they would not allow that. 172 00:08:18,519 --> 00:08:20,319 Speaker 2: This is back in the days where you had to 173 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,759 turn the transmitter off at night on certain certain small stations. 174 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:27,319 Speaker 1: Here, I worked at a tiny station I shall not name, 175 00:08:27,759 --> 00:08:30,680 and I would have to go out on the hot 176 00:08:30,759 --> 00:08:36,200 days because the transmitter tower, the building at the base 177 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,679 of it as a door and a window mounted AC 178 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:44,559 unit inside that thing to keep the brains of it cool, 179 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:47,399 and it would get too hot and I would have 180 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,639 to drive through this pasture sometimes that hadn't been cut 181 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,279 in weeks and you'd have to drive through, get to 182 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,240 the base, open the door and literally like just open 183 00:08:56,279 --> 00:08:58,399 and close the door to fan the thing out for 184 00:08:58,440 --> 00:08:59,159 about an hour. 185 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 2: It was awful. 186 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, all the things you do with the small stations. 187 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, I lived at the transmitter house. They have a 188 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,559 they had a where all the transmitter buttons and anything were. 189 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,919 They had a little apartment attached to it, and they 190 00:09:11,919 --> 00:09:14,200 gave me that instead of like they couldn't afford to 191 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,559 pay me rights much, so they said, you can live 192 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:19,840 in this apartment. And I'd look up some mornings and 193 00:09:20,039 --> 00:09:22,720 the engineer would be walking through my closet into my 194 00:09:22,759 --> 00:09:25,399 apartment to go get It's like, what's going on? It's 195 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,360 the transmitters off pape Yeah. 196 00:09:27,759 --> 00:09:28,679 Speaker 1: Character building. 197 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:29,039 Speaker 2: Yeah. 198 00:09:29,039 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: All right. So you meet Ace and was he always 199 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,679 called Ace? I always went by Yes, okay, yeah, And 200 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:35,919 he was already at the station when you went up there. 201 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 2: He had just graduated from LSU and uh, he was 202 00:09:39,519 --> 00:09:43,039 doing overnights, just getting into radio when I started. So 203 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:47,080 we were the only young single guys on staff, and 204 00:09:47,279 --> 00:09:49,840 we just you know, hit it off and figured that 205 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:51,639 if we would have gone to school together, we'd have 206 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:56,120 been best friends. So and that's where you immediately put 207 00:09:56,159 --> 00:09:56,600 on the air. 208 00:09:57,039 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 3: Yeah. 209 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 2: Together, Well, no, no, no, no, no no. The first thing 210 00:09:59,759 --> 00:10:05,360 we did I ran Casey Cason programs on Sunday mornings 211 00:10:05,399 --> 00:10:07,320 and that sort of thing. And then they put me 212 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,279 on the air. And then they put moved us into 213 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,879 an apartment together. Same situation. We're gonna get you out 214 00:10:12,879 --> 00:10:15,399 of the transmitter house. You can share an apartment with Ace. 215 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:17,759 We're like okay. So then we determined we wanted to 216 00:10:17,799 --> 00:10:19,960 be a morning show, and they wouldn't let us at all. 217 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,879 They said, don't you know. We would stay I'd come 218 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,399 on an hour before my shift, he would stay an 219 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:27,759 hour later, and we'd do it two hours together. And 220 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:29,840 took a tape in there and plopped it down and said, 221 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:31,679 this is what we sound like as a morning show. 222 00:10:31,919 --> 00:10:34,000 And they said, don't ever do that again. It's terrible. 223 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,919 So the station went into bankruptcy and everybody on the 224 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:39,799 staff quit except for the two of us, and then 225 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,879 they had no choice. So night we did mornings, and 226 00:10:42,919 --> 00:10:46,240 then we'd come back and do afternoons and then do 227 00:10:46,519 --> 00:10:49,480 remote broadcasts on location every day. 228 00:10:49,639 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: Did you ever have to dress up as a mascot? 229 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 2: No, he did. 230 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 1: He would do. 231 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 2: He was the one hundred thousand watt gorilla in Louisiana 232 00:10:57,399 --> 00:10:58,360 in the middle of the summers. 233 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: And I'm sure he wasn't the first person. And to 234 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:04,399 where that no that mascot out, I refused to. They 235 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,600 tried to put me in a dog mascot and I 236 00:11:07,639 --> 00:11:09,960 was like, I took one smell of that thing. I said, 237 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,200 no way, not in South Carolina heat, not going to 238 00:11:12,279 --> 00:11:15,120 do it. TJ Richie is with me. He is soon 239 00:11:15,159 --> 00:11:17,480 to be a host in here on WBT the seven 240 00:11:17,519 --> 00:11:20,399 to nine slot. He's formerly of the ACE and TJ Show, 241 00:11:20,399 --> 00:11:22,799 But TJ and Riggins is the current operation and that 242 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,360 is on eight or nine syndicated stations. 243 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then on our app and digital stuff every day. 244 00:11:29,279 --> 00:11:30,840 So no, that's good. 245 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,759 Speaker 1: You should, yeah, not give people the platforms to find 246 00:11:34,799 --> 00:11:35,399 your content. 247 00:11:35,639 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 2: Well, it's tjiggins dot Com. You get it all there, 248 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:40,559 all right. 249 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: If you're listening to this show, you know I try 250 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,200 to keep up with all sorts of current events, and 251 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,320 I know you do too. And you've probably heard me 252 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:50,559 say get your news from multiple sources. Why, Well, because 253 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,279 it's how you detect media bias, which is why I've 254 00:11:53,279 --> 00:11:56,639 been so impressed with ground News. It's an app, and 255 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,679 it's a website, and it combines news from around the 256 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,480 world in one place so you can compare coverage and 257 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,399 verify information. You can check it out at check dot ground, 258 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,720 dot news slash Pete. I put the link in the 259 00:12:09,759 --> 00:12:13,000 podcast description too. I started using ground News a few 260 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,720 months ago and more recently chose to work with them 261 00:12:15,759 --> 00:12:18,519 as an affiliate because it lets me see clearly how 262 00:12:18,639 --> 00:12:22,039 stories get covered and by whom. The blind spot feature 263 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,759 shows you which stories get ignored by the left and 264 00:12:24,879 --> 00:12:28,879 the right. See for yourself. Check dot ground, dot news 265 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:32,360 slash pete. Subscribe through that link and you'll get fifteen 266 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:35,480 percent off any subscription. I use the Vantage plan to 267 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,919 get unlimited access to every feature. Your subscription then not 268 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,960 only helps my podcast, but it also supports ground News 269 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:46,360 as they make the media landscape more transparent. All right, TJ. Ritchie, 270 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:52,279 He's I see that you got this into the Charlotte Observer. TJ. Ritchie, 271 00:12:52,919 --> 00:12:59,919 who described himself as America's coolest conservative. Yeah, is that true? Absolutely? Okay, 272 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:01,919 you and heard that in the conservative circles. 273 00:13:01,919 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 2: Pete, Come on. 274 00:13:02,879 --> 00:13:05,759 Speaker 1: Well, no, it says you described yourself after everybody else 275 00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:06,679 described me that way. 276 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 2: I just QUI as well. 277 00:13:09,399 --> 00:13:11,919 Speaker 1: Because I feel like I missed some election. I mean 278 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:13,200 I didn't even campaign for this. 279 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 2: Yeah you know, I figured was going to have a 280 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,399 problem with this is winterable Mmm, but it's not. No, 281 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:20,519 it's you. 282 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,039 Speaker 1: Now, No, it's I don't have a problem. I just 283 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,279 feel like I missed an opportunity to put a put 284 00:13:25,279 --> 00:13:25,919 a tape together. 285 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:26,639 Speaker 3: Right. 286 00:13:26,639 --> 00:13:28,159 Speaker 2: I thought he was to vote for me. 287 00:13:28,399 --> 00:13:30,799 Speaker 1: And or vote for you. That's what I was going 288 00:13:30,879 --> 00:13:34,879 to say, yes, or vote for you? Right? So yeah, 289 00:13:34,879 --> 00:13:39,000 so that's what What is it then that makes you so? 290 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:40,960 First off, I have to say, you don't give yourself 291 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:41,679 the nicknames. 292 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:47,399 Speaker 2: Yeah right, it's it's a it's a trolling thing. Ah 293 00:13:47,639 --> 00:13:50,080 for people who are going to it's it's all sarcasm. 294 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:55,519 And any anything braggadocious that I say or do is 295 00:13:55,519 --> 00:13:57,360 is mainly to aggravate liberals. 296 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: Yes, I know, so you filled in a couple of 297 00:13:59,759 --> 00:14:03,120 weeks ago, and like I because I admit, like I 298 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,720 was never I've never worked anything other than like nights, 299 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,559 second shifts and stuff like that, so I never got 300 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,120 to hear as and tjah. I never got to hear 301 00:14:13,159 --> 00:14:15,679 your show. So I'm at a loss as to what 302 00:14:15,759 --> 00:14:17,840 kind of content you guys were doing. And I asked 303 00:14:17,879 --> 00:14:19,639 you when you came in, did you guys talk at 304 00:14:19,639 --> 00:14:21,960 all about politics? But generally it seemed like. 305 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 2: No, yeah, if it were, if something big, then we would. 306 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,279 And the thing is that even though we were a 307 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:33,480 top forty, you know, fun, silly morning show, our audience 308 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,919 knew that we were real people and if something was 309 00:14:37,159 --> 00:14:39,240 going on that was serious, we would talk about it 310 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:43,159 and we had opinions. I never got in any flack, 311 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:47,320 got any flack about that from radio station management. It 312 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:51,799 was only when I would make jokes about liberals doing 313 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,000 something or saying something, or some kind of an entertainment 314 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,360 story or whatever. That's when they would come to me 315 00:14:57,399 --> 00:15:00,200 and say, we're not talking about politics, because that when 316 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:01,960 it would hit home with people because they hate to 317 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,840 be made fun of. They hate to be mocked. 318 00:15:04,679 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: Progressives really have no sense of humor. 319 00:15:06,799 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 2: No, no, no, they'll say they do, but only if 320 00:15:09,519 --> 00:15:11,960 somebody else is right and what they say as actors 321 00:15:12,039 --> 00:15:15,240 or something like that. But yeah, and that's the complaint 322 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:17,519 would hit. And then the management of the radio stations 323 00:15:17,559 --> 00:15:19,200 would be like, oh, we're not that kind of station 324 00:15:19,399 --> 00:15:22,200 and you know whatever. So that's how we would deal 325 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,120 with politics. But there's never been a time when I 326 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,879 would hide my conservatism, you know. 327 00:15:27,279 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: So people like you feel like your audience probably had 328 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:31,720 a sense of where your politics. 329 00:15:32,159 --> 00:15:35,159 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, absolutely, yeah, and they still do, you know. Yeah, 330 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,519 But I'm but I don't go on and start, you know, 331 00:15:37,559 --> 00:15:40,000 I'll laugh at something Trump does, you know, if he's 332 00:15:40,279 --> 00:15:44,200 you know, like the whole dressing dressing in the pope 333 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,000 and the AI thing and and all of that. 334 00:15:46,159 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: I still didn't understand why people are mad about that. 335 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,679 These are people that invited these satanic nuns sure to 336 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,120 the La Dodgers games, like really, like, oh, you're you 337 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:56,159 don't want to offend. 338 00:15:55,879 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 2: Catholics, which killed me because the Dodgers have the best 339 00:16:00,159 --> 00:16:02,440 looking uniforms they do, and even though I'm not a 340 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,440 huge Dodgers fan, I would consider wearing one of their 341 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:10,679 hats or something like that. I'm a Braves fan and 342 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:16,639 especially this year. But yeah, I just don't get it. 343 00:16:16,639 --> 00:16:19,440 It's always it's okay to do for them to do this, 344 00:16:19,679 --> 00:16:21,840 not okay for us to do it, because it's kind 345 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:24,679 of like people who who have never been to the 346 00:16:24,759 --> 00:16:28,039 South and they and they've always grown up making fun 347 00:16:28,039 --> 00:16:32,399 of Southerners being ignorance and red neck and all of 348 00:16:32,399 --> 00:16:34,840 this stuff. And then when they come to the South 349 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:37,840 because they're all broken down, northern cities aren't good enough 350 00:16:37,879 --> 00:16:39,480 to support them and let them make a living, so 351 00:16:39,519 --> 00:16:42,919 they come down here or live yeah, and which I love, 352 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:45,600 I love them to come to just just don't vote 353 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:46,480 the way you did up there. 354 00:16:46,559 --> 00:16:48,559 Speaker 1: Well, look, I'm originally from New York, and I said, 355 00:16:48,559 --> 00:16:49,919 I came down here. I'm not trying to make it 356 00:16:49,919 --> 00:16:52,039 into New York. I came down here and stayed because 357 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:53,919 I like it better than I like it up there. 358 00:16:54,039 --> 00:16:56,799 Speaker 2: Well, And so the surprise that people have a lot 359 00:16:56,799 --> 00:16:59,039 of times when they find out that Southerners make jokes 360 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:02,159 about people from other parts of the country, Like we 361 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,079 thought y'all were just the ones that got made fun of. 362 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,400 So that's the way it is. With liberals. They're like, 363 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,839 oh my god, he's making a joke at our expense, right, 364 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,720 Like if I could be the conservative John Stewart, John 365 00:17:12,759 --> 00:17:16,400 liebowitz Ka, John Stewart, that would be pretty cool. Yeah, 366 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:19,880 you know, but and how many people would allow that? 367 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:22,680 Now they might yeah, you know, well now that they 368 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,319 know I'm America's cool as conservative. 369 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 1: Now everybody knows it. Ye now I'm out of the running. Okay, 370 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,960 So all right, TJ. Richie, welcome aboard. I'm super happy 371 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,240 that you're here, honored that you'd come on to the show. 372 00:17:35,759 --> 00:17:38,160 And uh, this is going to be seven o'clock till 373 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,039 nine o'clock starting on May twenty seventh, so he's got 374 00:17:41,079 --> 00:17:43,519 to get all this affairs in order here before they launch. 375 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,079 And uh and then seven to nine right here on 376 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:46,720 w et. 377 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 2: And I've been a fan of yours for a long time. Yeah, 378 00:17:49,279 --> 00:17:52,160 unlike you if I just got here when you were 379 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,039 a news guy. Oh as a newsy you were, you 380 00:17:54,079 --> 00:17:56,880 were listening to the newscasts. Yep, wow, sure was. 381 00:17:57,599 --> 00:17:59,519 Speaker 1: See now see now he's trying to make me feel 382 00:17:59,519 --> 00:18:02,599 okay for being the coolest conservative. Actually I'm more of 383 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,799 a lowercase libertarian. So I'll tell you what. Yeah, I 384 00:18:05,839 --> 00:18:09,640 don't want the title. Okay, good, okay, good DJ Ritchie, 385 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:10,519 thanks buddy, thank you. 386 00:18:10,559 --> 00:18:11,279 Speaker 2: Seeing its great. 387 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,039 Speaker 1: Here's a great idea. How about making an escape to 388 00:18:14,079 --> 00:18:17,559 a really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina. 389 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,839 Just a quick drive up the mountain and cabins of 390 00:18:19,839 --> 00:18:24,240 Asheville is your connection. Whether you're celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon, 391 00:18:24,279 --> 00:18:26,519 Maybe you want to plan a memorable proposal, or get 392 00:18:26,519 --> 00:18:29,440 family and friends together for a big old reunion. Cabins 393 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,200 of Asheville has the ideal spot for you where you 394 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,799 can reconnect with your loved ones and the things that 395 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,680 truly matter. Nestled within the breath taking fourteen thousand acres 396 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:42,039 of the Pisga National Forest, their cabins offer a serene 397 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:44,799 escape in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Centrally 398 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,359 located between Asheville and the entrance of the Great Smoky 399 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:51,279 Mountain National Park. It's the perfect balance of seclusion and 400 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:55,640 proximity to all the local attractions with hot tubs, fireplaces, 401 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,839 air conditioning, smart TVs, Wi Fi, grills, outdoor tables and 402 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:04,240 your own private covered porch. 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Thanks for having me. 412 00:19:34,079 --> 00:19:37,559 Speaker 1: Yes, sir, so all right, tell me the entire story 413 00:19:37,599 --> 00:19:40,400 of the CMPD chief in three minutes. No, I'm kidding, 414 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:43,079 although you probably could because you're her TV guy, so 415 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:45,519 you could probably cram it down into a two minute 416 00:19:45,519 --> 00:19:49,920 package for me. But did you? Was there were there 417 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:55,079 rumors swirling between I guess the original idea that former 418 00:19:55,079 --> 00:19:59,200 city councilman Tarc Pacary had to get these police you know, 419 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:04,599 bulletproof ves for the officers, from when that first was 420 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,920 being debated, and then now like, were there rumors swirling 421 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:13,200 around that there was potential litigation coming from the chief 422 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:13,920 on all of this? 423 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:19,759 Speaker 3: No, this has the city did a great job until 424 00:20:19,839 --> 00:20:23,480 last week of keeping this hush hush in secret. Then 425 00:20:23,519 --> 00:20:26,200 a source told me about the closed session meeting that 426 00:20:26,319 --> 00:20:30,039 was held last week in which the city nearly voted 427 00:20:30,079 --> 00:20:35,480 to settle with sanpity Chief Johnny Jennings. And then from 428 00:20:35,559 --> 00:20:42,319 there we've just been piecing together all of this drama 429 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:47,599 and mess that has been unfolding between the city considering 430 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,319 or the Chief considering suing the city. You have Sandy 431 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:56,319 Vastola suing the FOP that lossuits being appealed. And then 432 00:20:56,599 --> 00:21:00,519 you also have this ethics complaint that we have uncovered 433 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:05,000 against Tark Pacari that failed, but we have since learned 434 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:09,799 the two top aids to the Chief helped advise the 435 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,240 NAACP president on how to file it. So we have 436 00:21:13,519 --> 00:21:17,759 all of this stuff that has been simmering behind the 437 00:21:17,799 --> 00:21:20,559 scenes all of a sudden is coming to light. And 438 00:21:20,599 --> 00:21:24,480 you have these three major controversies involving sampity in the 439 00:21:24,519 --> 00:21:27,480 city that have really taken the spotlight. 440 00:21:27,519 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 2: Now. 441 00:21:27,960 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 1: Yes, because I follow your work and you read all 442 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:35,319 the local TV websites and the Charlotte Observer and all 443 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,160 this stuff, I did not catch any whiff of any 444 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,000 of this kind of stuff until it all just kind 445 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,519 of erupted. So I was like, man, either I'm not 446 00:21:42,559 --> 00:21:45,640 paying attention close enough, or this came out of nowhere. 447 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:47,440 So okay, so that's good to confirm that it did 448 00:21:47,519 --> 00:21:49,759 just kind of come out of nowhere. So you've got 449 00:21:49,839 --> 00:21:52,160 Tark Pacari no longer on city council because he took 450 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,880 the job up in DC for the Trump administration, but 451 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:59,480 he wanted new vests for law enforcement officers. And this 452 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:04,279 was this idea of his was prompted by the standoff 453 00:22:04,279 --> 00:22:07,480 that led to four law enforcement agents losing their lives 454 00:22:07,519 --> 00:22:10,359 serving a warrant, and he said, we need to get 455 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:13,880 them better vests. And the police chief, Johnny Jennings said no, 456 00:22:14,039 --> 00:22:18,400 he didn't want these vests because and I thought maybe 457 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:21,200 this wasn't like the real reason or something, but because 458 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:23,839 it never seemed to be like a real legitimate kind 459 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,039 of excuse for why you don't want the vests is 460 00:22:27,039 --> 00:22:31,160 that they looked too military like. But that is in 461 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:32,000 fact the reason. 462 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,079 Speaker 3: That is the reason that we have been told is 463 00:22:36,079 --> 00:22:40,319 that Chief Jennings did not like the look to militarize 464 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:45,000 the look. You worried that it could impact the police 465 00:22:45,039 --> 00:22:49,119 relationship with the community. Really it was the aesthetic there. 466 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:54,160 And then Councilman McCary was advocating for the rank and 467 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:58,160 file officers who even before the Galway Drive shooting had 468 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,200 been wanting to wear these vests because as a helpless 469 00:23:01,559 --> 00:23:06,519 load management and they're easier access and so of course 470 00:23:06,559 --> 00:23:09,759 counselor of McCary launched his petition drive, and he launched 471 00:23:09,799 --> 00:23:16,559 a very public awareness and campaign aimed at getting these 472 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:22,119 vests for all officers, and ultimately that campaign was successful. However, 473 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:25,599 what the Chief is saying is in that process he 474 00:23:25,759 --> 00:23:30,799 was unfairly targeted and his reputation was hurt by some 475 00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:35,039 of the things that mister McCary was saying and some 476 00:23:35,079 --> 00:23:38,119 of the messages that he was receiving from him, right, and. 477 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,400 Speaker 1: Some of the text messages now we have seen I 478 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:46,000 think WFAE published some of them as well, that Bakari said, 479 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:50,240 you know, you made a terrible error in judgment, my friend, 480 00:23:50,279 --> 00:23:53,079 I hate what comes next, and he said he will 481 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:56,119 not stop and it will cripple your legacy you've worked 482 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,559 so hard for. So that would speak to some sort 483 00:23:59,559 --> 00:24:02,119 of intent and that Bakari might have had to try 484 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:07,000 to reputationally damage the police chief, and so that it 485 00:24:07,079 --> 00:24:09,759 seems like if he's going to cite that, that would 486 00:24:09,759 --> 00:24:11,319 be some pretty solid evidence. 487 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:18,799 Speaker 3: The Chief, from my understanding, views that message as inappropriate. 488 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,640 Now it is important that now we don't know what 489 00:24:23,799 --> 00:24:29,359 exactly is in his legal claim that he was considering filing, 490 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:34,079 because remember nothing has been filed. But my understanding is 491 00:24:34,279 --> 00:24:38,400 that message may play a role in all of this 492 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:43,640 and Counsel's lack of response to Councilman Bakari's pursuit of 493 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,240 these outer carrier vests. And now you know, the city 494 00:24:47,599 --> 00:24:52,359 ultimately chose or choosing to settle with the chief. Doing 495 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,240 so will prevent that lawsuit from being filed. It will 496 00:24:55,319 --> 00:25:00,400 present prevent a really prolonged legal battle that could get defensive, 497 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:05,519 could be embarrassing, and ultimately that is what Capsel is 498 00:25:05,559 --> 00:25:08,720 deciding to do. But because nothing has been filed, we 499 00:25:08,759 --> 00:25:12,359 really don't have a better idea of what Chief Jennings 500 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:17,079 claims are and how he feels he was unfairly marveled, right, 501 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:19,440 And it's also important to note that he isn't commenting 502 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:21,119 on this situation. 503 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 1: Right and honestly, like I think you would have to 504 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,160 prove some sort of actual reputational damage, which I'm not 505 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:31,599 sure he really suffered in any of this. This now, this, 506 00:25:31,599 --> 00:25:34,519 this potential lawsuit I think actually does more damage to 507 00:25:34,559 --> 00:25:38,200 his reputation than the fight over the vests. I you know, 508 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,319 I think everybody had moved past that, but I don't know. 509 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:44,680 But then you mentioned this NAACP complaint. This is the 510 00:25:46,279 --> 00:25:49,079 local chapter. Yeah, is it the local chapter of the 511 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:54,519 Okay so Corent Mac the local chapter president. And she 512 00:25:54,799 --> 00:25:57,319 is then saying, I want to file a complaint against 513 00:25:57,319 --> 00:26:03,720 Bakari and she reaches out to to CMPD and she 514 00:26:03,799 --> 00:26:09,279 speaks with you mentioned Veastola. This is uh what you 515 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,400 deal with her? I'm sure what's her first name? Sandy? 516 00:26:13,079 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 3: Yes, top communications aid to the chief. 517 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:20,240 Speaker 1: And there's another fellow, Major Brad Coke or Koch Coke, 518 00:26:20,319 --> 00:26:20,680 I don't know. 519 00:26:20,799 --> 00:26:24,640 Speaker 3: Major. Yes, he is essentially the Chief's right hand man, 520 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:29,000 executive officer, deputy assistant. He's a major h with CMPD. 521 00:26:29,559 --> 00:26:32,079 Speaker 1: So yes, so, yeah, that happened. 522 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:36,160 Speaker 3: There is you know, after the chief reversus his stance 523 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,319 allows all officers the abilit to apply to wear for 524 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:45,200 outer carrier vests. Krine Mac starts her own probe about 525 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:47,839 the situation and comments of the car he made and 526 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,519 reaches out to CMPD. And what we have learned is 527 00:26:51,559 --> 00:26:56,759 that Sandy Vastola uh sent an email on her personal 528 00:26:56,799 --> 00:27:03,000 account to Brad Koch advising Reverend Mac what she could 529 00:27:03,079 --> 00:27:07,519 include in an ethics complaint against PARI. Major Coch then 530 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:12,319 fords that email to the NAACP president. This was all 531 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:16,759 in August. The ethics complaint was filed in January. In 532 00:27:16,839 --> 00:27:20,440 between that time, I'm told Reverend mac was waiting for 533 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:24,319 records requests to be produced, and she also met with 534 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:29,000 Koch and Vestola at least once to discuss the complaint. 535 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:31,880 But this is the first time we're hearing a that 536 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:34,880 there was a complaint, B that the complaint was dismissed, 537 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:38,839 and C that two of the chief's top aides had 538 00:27:38,839 --> 00:27:43,440 a role in advising Reverend Mac on that complaint. 539 00:27:43,799 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 1: Like literally, the language like the language in the in 540 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:51,160 the official complaint matches some of the language in the 541 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:55,920 email from cmpd Vestola and Kotch. So it seems like 542 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:00,640 some level, whether the officers intended it to be or not, 543 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:05,240 it turned into like some sort of cooperation. It looks 544 00:28:05,319 --> 00:28:07,640 like or you know, like, hey, this is what you 545 00:28:07,680 --> 00:28:11,480 say in the complaint in order to you know, outline 546 00:28:11,559 --> 00:28:17,880 the charges that we think Bakari that he did and 547 00:28:18,079 --> 00:28:20,480 the damage that was done because of it, and it 548 00:28:20,599 --> 00:28:24,440 just it seems it seems collusive. That's the perception here 549 00:28:24,519 --> 00:28:27,200 is that it seems like there was a coordinated effort 550 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,920 and now with the police chief looking to sue, it's 551 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:34,480 it this is my word, not yours, not anybody else. 552 00:28:34,519 --> 00:28:36,960 But it almost seems kind of like a shakedown. That's 553 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,359 what it looks. That's what it seems like to me, 554 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:42,079 that there are these different parties that are aiding and 555 00:28:42,119 --> 00:28:45,720 abetting the shaking down of the city government to get 556 00:28:45,799 --> 00:28:47,960 half a million dollars for the police chief. That's what 557 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:48,599 it looks like to me. 558 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:54,279 Speaker 3: So what we what I'm hearing now is from a 559 00:28:54,279 --> 00:28:58,599 lot of people who are questioning and wondering how the 560 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:03,839 city determines that the messages sent by Vastola and Koch 561 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:10,240 were personal business, because as part of the story yesterday, 562 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:13,599 the city said human resources will not be investigating this. 563 00:29:14,079 --> 00:29:18,200 These are messages sent on personal devices from personal email 564 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:24,119 addresses which the city doesn't control. Even though these two 565 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:29,559 top aides are talking about the CMPD chief and you 566 00:29:29,599 --> 00:29:34,640 know what, you know, kind of working without the chief's 567 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:40,640 knowledge with mac on this complaint, it may seem like 568 00:29:40,680 --> 00:29:45,480 it's city business, but the city does not determine or 569 00:29:45,559 --> 00:29:49,000 does not believe it is city business. So there won't 570 00:29:49,039 --> 00:29:55,079 be a further investigation into that communication or whether it 571 00:29:55,119 --> 00:29:56,480 was permissible, right. 572 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:59,200 Speaker 1: Because they're allowed to engage in political activity outside of 573 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,039 the workplace and it was on their personal email. So 574 00:30:02,359 --> 00:30:04,720 that's I think the argument that the city is making. 575 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:06,640 And I get that it's a I think it's a 576 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:10,200 fair argument, but it also and you step back and 577 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:12,119 you look at all of the events, like you've just 578 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:15,960 outlined it, it doesn't look good. It just doesn't look good. 579 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,480 Doesn't feel good either, So all right, Joe Bruno from WSOC, 580 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:21,119 is there anything else you want to add you think 581 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,640 is important or interesting to note here that people should know. 582 00:30:24,599 --> 00:30:28,039 Speaker 3: I will just say that right now, shitty council members 583 00:30:28,119 --> 00:30:33,200 are not publicly talking, and I do think that this 584 00:30:33,359 --> 00:30:37,359 issue is just going to continue to surface and you know, 585 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:42,480 bubble up, because I don't believe that. I don't believe 586 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:44,519 that this is the end of this issue. I think 587 00:30:44,559 --> 00:30:46,319 more is going to come out, and I think more 588 00:30:46,759 --> 00:30:49,880 people are going to speak up in the coming weeks 589 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:50,279 as well. 590 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: Okay, well, you can learn all about it when they 591 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:57,559 do at wsoctv dot com. Joe Bruno from WSOC, Thanks 592 00:30:57,559 --> 00:30:59,000 so much, Joe, good to talk with you, sir. 593 00:30:59,039 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 3: Thanks for your work on this absolutely Thank you. Pete. 594 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:06,480 Speaker 1: All right, take care. That's Joe Bruno from WSOCTV. WSOCTV 595 00:31:06,559 --> 00:31:08,759 dot com. All right, so spring is here, a time 596 00:31:08,839 --> 00:31:13,640 of renewal and celebrations. You've got graduations, weddings, anniversaries and 597 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:16,240 the special days for mom and dad. 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I'm going to talk about this email that 615 00:32:16,279 --> 00:32:21,759 was sent by Sandy Vastola to CNPD Major Brad Koch. 616 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,079 Koch is the assistant to the Chief and you heard 617 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:30,640 Joe describe him as Chief Jennings right hand man. Sandy 618 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:35,559 Vestola is the Public Affairs Division Bureau commander. And this 619 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:43,279 August twenty seventh email from Vestola to Major Cooch telling 620 00:32:43,359 --> 00:32:47,400 her or sorry her telling him what to put in 621 00:32:47,519 --> 00:32:53,400 the email back to the NAACP because the NAACP had 622 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:59,160 reached out to Coch to ask what can I put 623 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:02,599 in this complaint. Basically, I'm not saying that the offer 624 00:33:02,599 --> 00:33:06,359 because I don't know. It could have been the president 625 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:11,119 of the local NAACP, Reverend Korean Mac. She very well 626 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:14,119 may have said, tell me exactly what to say, what 627 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,480 do I need to put in the complaint? I don't 628 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:18,559 know that, but I will assume that that did not happen. 629 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:23,559 She was simply reaching out. And maybe she knows Major Kotch. 630 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,079 Maybe they're friends, maybe they have a working relationship together, 631 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,519 do stuff together. I don't know, but for some reason 632 00:33:30,559 --> 00:33:34,839 she is she reached out to the chiefs right hand 633 00:33:34,839 --> 00:33:39,759 man to ask what to put into a complaint. She 634 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,960 was wanting to file a complaint against Bokari, and I 635 00:33:44,039 --> 00:33:46,359 feel like it's important to point out Bakari one of 636 00:33:46,359 --> 00:33:51,119 the only Republicans on the council and everybody else Democrats, 637 00:33:51,759 --> 00:33:54,599 and so she wants to file this ethics complaint against Bakari, 638 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:59,119 but she wants to do a summary of what he 639 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:03,759 did that is a violation. And so rather than I 640 00:34:03,759 --> 00:34:06,559 guess reaching out to Jennings directly, or maybe she tried 641 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,840 and he said talk to Kach. I don't know. We 642 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:13,639 need to find out though, because this this, this looks bad, 643 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,039 particularly now that you're gonna put a five hundred thousand 644 00:34:17,039 --> 00:34:22,400 dollars price tag on whatever. This is? All right, that'll 645 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:25,079 do it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. 646 00:34:25,159 --> 00:34:27,320 I could not do the show without your support and 647 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:30,079 the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, 648 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:32,480 So if you'd like, please support them too and tell 649 00:34:32,519 --> 00:34:34,239 them you heard it here. You can also become a 650 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:38,920 patron at my Patreon page or go to thepetecleanershow dot com. Again, 651 00:34:39,199 --> 00:34:41,719 thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything 652 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:46,360 while I'm gone.