1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on. Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,640 go to thepeakclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,679 smartphone or tablet, and again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:35,320 your support. Alrighty, so full disclosure. I did not watch 10 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:41,920 the public comments or the forum for the various people 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,439 who were looking to get the appointment to the Charlotte 12 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:51,799 City Council. It occurred yesterday. It occurred during the show, 13 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:53,799 and at one point I thought, oh, it's starting at 14 00:00:53,799 --> 00:00:56,840 two o'clock, which is super convenient to you know, lots 15 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,920 of people to go down and address the city count 16 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,600 for two minutes right there in the middle of a 17 00:01:02,679 --> 00:01:04,640 work day. But I said, you know what, maybe I 18 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,239 should take it live. And then I said, you know what, 19 00:01:06,359 --> 00:01:09,239 I'm not going to take it live. I'll go back 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,159 and watch it maybe later. And then I just decided, 21 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:15,959 you know what, I don't want to because it's not 22 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,920 going to be up to me. You got I think 23 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:26,120 there are ten people that are interested in the seat 24 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:31,599 that is open, and the city council gets to pick. 25 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:38,480 So there have been recommendations, endorsements that have come from 26 00:01:38,719 --> 00:01:42,120 like the Mecklenburg GOP for example, a couple of state 27 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,439 lawmakers they've said they want ironically all the same person. 28 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,640 They've all endorsed the same person. But it's up to 29 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,799 the city council. And you've only got about six months 30 00:01:52,879 --> 00:01:56,159 left because you've got the election for this seat coming 31 00:01:56,239 --> 00:02:01,040 up in November. And this is the seat that now 32 00:02:01,159 --> 00:02:07,519 former Councilman Tark Bokari occupied and barely one re election 33 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:14,000 two years ago and barely wanted two years prior, or 34 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:15,639 maybe it was a year prior, I forget because the 35 00:02:15,759 --> 00:02:19,599 COVID screwed up their election cycles and stuff. But this 36 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:26,120 district drawn by Democrats on city council. They Democrats have 37 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,479 tried to make this another seat that they can flip 38 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:36,960 so there will be only one Republican on council, which 39 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,360 is what Democrats call fair districts. That's fair districts. See 40 00:02:42,879 --> 00:02:45,840 when they do the gerrymandering when they draw the districts, 41 00:02:46,719 --> 00:02:51,439 and they can shut out as many Republicans as possible. 42 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,039 That's a fair map. Okay, those are fair maps people. Now, 43 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,000 if Republicans do it, that is gerrymandering and a threat 44 00:02:59,039 --> 00:03:03,000 to the democracy. Okay. So just so we're clear, So 45 00:03:03,039 --> 00:03:06,400 they're going to try to in the next election cycle, 46 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:08,680 they're going to try to win it again. This is 47 00:03:08,719 --> 00:03:13,199 the district sixth seat Southeast Charlotte area, and it has 48 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:18,639 been growing more Democrat and as has the entire city. 49 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,479 But if you actually broke down the and I did 50 00:03:22,479 --> 00:03:25,039 this math back when they were doing the redistricting, and 51 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:28,479 I actually joined the virtual news conference and I asked 52 00:03:28,599 --> 00:03:32,879 city Councilman Malcolm Graham and former city attorney Mac McCarley 53 00:03:33,039 --> 00:03:35,159 who now works for a law firm, and he was 54 00:03:35,439 --> 00:03:39,120 doing the assistance they were helping to draw the maps. 55 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:44,439 And I asked Malcolm Graham, like at the state level, 56 00:03:44,479 --> 00:03:48,960 the Democrats are always talking about the district lines being 57 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:55,840 drawn to effectuate an outcome of essentially proportional representation, which 58 00:03:55,879 --> 00:04:00,120 would be you take all of the registered Democrats in 59 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:03,199 the state and all of the registered Republicans in the state, 60 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:08,639 and then you draw districts that ensure that the proportion 61 00:04:08,879 --> 00:04:13,360 of the registered voters by party equates to a number 62 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,920 of legislative seats, whether it's at the General Assembly or 63 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:21,560 at the national level with Congress. And of course they 64 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,879 argue this because it is the only way that they 65 00:04:24,879 --> 00:04:29,360 are going to have a chance of winning power. I mean, well, 66 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:35,399 unless of course they change their message. So oh, sorry, 67 00:04:35,399 --> 00:04:39,680 their messaging. It's never the message. It's never the policies, right, 68 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,680 it's never their ideas and what they do. It's just 69 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:43,360 they haven't done a good enough job of conveying it 70 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,120 to everybody else. So I asked Malcolm Graham at the time, well, 71 00:04:46,199 --> 00:04:49,639 is that is that an ethos or you know, a 72 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,360 philosophy that you should follow at the state, at the 73 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,439 local level when you're drawing the maps, right, Because if 74 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:59,079 it's a principled stand by Democrats that this proportional representation 75 00:04:59,639 --> 00:05:04,120 model is the only way to ensure the democracy, then 76 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:06,519 shouldn't you be looking to do that at the local level? 77 00:05:06,519 --> 00:05:08,639 And by my math and I ran the numbers, and 78 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,839 I gave him the numbers, said city council should there 79 00:05:11,879 --> 00:05:15,920 should be on the Charlotte City Council. I believe, if 80 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:20,079 I remember correctly, it was about three seats, three to 81 00:05:20,079 --> 00:05:26,360 four seats I believe based on voter registration in Charlotte, 82 00:05:26,519 --> 00:05:29,959 but Republicans only control two and they don't win any 83 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,680 of the at large seats, which is also, by the way, 84 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,720 why Democrats don't want to get rid of the at 85 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,839 large seats. The at large seats were actually a way 86 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,720 when initially created. It was a way that well also 87 00:05:42,759 --> 00:05:48,040 Democrats could prevent black people from getting on city council. 88 00:05:48,959 --> 00:05:53,519 When you have at large, it dilutes minority representation because 89 00:05:53,519 --> 00:05:56,120 it's at large, everybody in the city votes, and then 90 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:03,240 the top four votainers, right Painters, they top four, they 91 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,839 win the seats. And so it's very difficult for minority 92 00:06:06,879 --> 00:06:10,279 populations in any jurisdiction to win a seat on the 93 00:06:10,319 --> 00:06:14,199 at large body. And that's why Democrats prefer that model. 94 00:06:14,439 --> 00:06:17,920 When they have the majority in a jurisdiction like they 95 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:20,759 do in Charlotte, they get to control all four of 96 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:22,680 the at large seats, they don't want to move away 97 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,319 from that model. And then you've got seven district seats, 98 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,439 but those should be split up if you're looking at 99 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,680 the total body, those should be split up in a 100 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:37,959 way that make it possible not you know, not likely 101 00:06:38,079 --> 00:06:42,600 or anybody make it possible for Republicans to win three seats, 102 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:47,279 maybe four, but they don't want to do that. So 103 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,319 I suspect they're going to pick somebody for this seat 104 00:06:51,399 --> 00:06:55,800 that is just going to be a placeholder, and city 105 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,319 council has in the past preferred this option. They don't 106 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,560 want to put somebody in a seat for you know, 107 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,079 an unexpired term and basically give them an inside track 108 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,720 to running as an incumbent. So they because once you 109 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:12,360 get on the body, then you'll be able to start, 110 00:07:12,399 --> 00:07:17,879 you know, making networking connections with donors that you know, 111 00:07:17,959 --> 00:07:21,839 like developers and stuff. So they usually just like to 112 00:07:21,839 --> 00:07:24,319 go for somebody who's a placeholder. And my bet is 113 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,680 that that's probably what they're going to do. However, there's 114 00:07:27,759 --> 00:07:29,920 a bit of a there. They're going to be in 115 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,040 a bit of a bind, a little bit of a 116 00:07:32,079 --> 00:07:38,759 bind because one person who has thrown their name in 117 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,920 the hat and then the hat into the ring. They've 118 00:07:42,959 --> 00:07:47,160 got endorsements from the Mecklimer County GOP as well as 119 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:52,480 two state lawmakers, and the City of Charlotte really needs 120 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:57,759 good relations with the state legislature for its transit plan, 121 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,959 and the two people at the state legislature who have 122 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:08,759 endorsed one of these applicants have a lot of sway 123 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:14,439 at the state level on transit. What is a city 124 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,199 council and mayor to do. Here's a great idea. How 125 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,319 about making an escape to a really special and secluded 126 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,160 getaway in western North Carolina. Just a quick drive up 127 00:08:24,199 --> 00:08:27,360 the mountain and Cabins of Asheville is your connection. 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Former council member Tark 147 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:36,080 Bakari vacated the seat last month representing South Charlotte's District 148 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,799 six when he stepped down for a position in the 149 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:43,080 Trump administration. Charlotte Observer story by Mary Ramsey says he 150 00:09:43,159 --> 00:09:46,559 was one of just two Republicans on the eleven person council, 151 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,039 So now you've got one left, and that's at Driggs. 152 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,320 A pair of former elected officials pitched themselves yesterday at 153 00:09:55,320 --> 00:10:00,000 a candidate forum as stopgap solutions who could be value 154 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,759 able to the city on a sales tax referendum for 155 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,159 transportation needs that could be on the November ballot. Right, 156 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:08,960 So in order to get this on the ballot, they 157 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:14,559 need legislative approval. The city wants this on the ballot. 158 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:17,440 They want to ask us to raise our sales tax 159 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:24,879 again for transportation needs. And the legislature what two years 160 00:10:24,919 --> 00:10:29,840 ago told them no when they last attempted this, because 161 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,360 the plan did not have any road funding, and the 162 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:39,960 legislature said, you can't do a transportation plan and not 163 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:42,720 have more road funding. So they went back and they 164 00:10:42,799 --> 00:10:46,480 changed the formulas around and stuff, and I think it went. 165 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:48,679 I think it's like a I think fifty percent goes 166 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,279 to rail and forty percent or so goes to roads 167 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,279 or something like that. It's a pretty even split. And 168 00:10:53,279 --> 00:10:57,639 then some you know, bike lanes thrown in greenways, maybe 169 00:10:57,879 --> 00:11:01,840 others announced plans. Oh and so these so two of 170 00:11:00,799 --> 00:11:06,039 the candidates for this slot say they will help sell 171 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,039 this basically to Republicans. So pick me, we can help 172 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:13,279 you with your transit campaign. I assume that would be 173 00:11:13,799 --> 00:11:21,600 Andy Doolin and Edwin Peacock, both of whom formerly served 174 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:25,159 on the Charlotte City Council, both Republicans. They have to 175 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,360 appoint a Republican, Okay, that's one of the criteria. Got 176 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,399 to be twenty one, got to be a registered voter, 177 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,120 got to live in the district, and you have to 178 00:11:32,159 --> 00:11:36,720 be a Republican. The appointee only will finish out the term, 179 00:11:37,159 --> 00:11:39,840 which ends in like the first week of December after 180 00:11:39,879 --> 00:11:42,080 the election, when all the new council gets sworn in. 181 00:11:42,799 --> 00:11:46,240 The very first person to publicly announce their intention to 182 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:50,960 apply for the seat, though was not present yesterday, and 183 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:56,399 that is former Councilman Tark Bacari's wife, Krista Bakari. She 184 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,159 made her first official foray into politics last year. She 185 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:04,200 ran as a Republican for the General Assembly House District 186 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:09,879 one oh four. She lost to Brandon Lofton by about 187 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:17,000 what eleven points. Next up, Christap Bacari was quickly endorsed 188 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,919 by her husband, which I mean, I should hope so right. 189 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,519 I mean, gosh, you know, I would not want to 190 00:12:24,519 --> 00:12:27,320 be Tark in that situation if you don't endorse your 191 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,799 wife for the post. So she had that one sewn up. 192 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:37,519 The next endorsement, though, came from the Mecklenburg County Republican Party. 193 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:46,840 I have their endorsement here as well, they say. Christa 194 00:12:46,879 --> 00:12:49,879 Bacari is a respected community advocate with a deep commitment 195 00:12:49,919 --> 00:12:53,399 to the people and neighborhoods of District six. Her honesty, 196 00:12:53,759 --> 00:12:58,320 civic involvement and unwavering dedication to her values make her 197 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:04,480 uniquely qualified to repris the district with distinction and consistency. Quote. 198 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,519 This is from Kyle Kirby, the chairman of the mech GOP. 199 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:12,799 Krista Bakari's direct approach to addressing the recent controversy involving 200 00:13:12,799 --> 00:13:17,600 the city Council and the CMPD chief demonstrated her dedication 201 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:23,320 to public service, fiscal responsibility, and common sense leadership. We 202 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,440 believe she will continue the work of Councilman Tark Bakari 203 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:29,960 with the same energy, insight and commitment to the constituents 204 00:13:30,039 --> 00:13:37,120 of District six. So the Mecklenberg Republican Party has like 205 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,519 right out of the gate, very first sentence here points 206 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:45,720 to what the police chief payoff scandal that the Charlotte 207 00:13:45,759 --> 00:13:49,240 City Council would very much like you to ignore. Christa 208 00:13:49,279 --> 00:13:52,360 Bakari went onto Facebook. We had her on the program 209 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,360 last week. We read through a lot of the Facebook post. 210 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:58,679 It was a very lengthy post, so I couldn't do 211 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:04,480 the whole thing. But they have cited her willingness to 212 00:14:04,639 --> 00:14:09,919 step forward and call this out as the reason why 213 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:16,799 she should get the appointment, and that stands in contrast 214 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,600 to the others who are going down and asking counsel 215 00:14:19,639 --> 00:14:23,320 for the appointment and are not trying to litigate this matter. 216 00:14:23,519 --> 00:14:26,480 They don't want they don't want the Council to be 217 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,840 worried about them. That's what it seems like. So, you know, 218 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:34,480 you're trying to get on the board, you don't want 219 00:14:34,559 --> 00:14:37,799 to agitate the board members. And I said to Christa 220 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:40,080 when I was talking to her last week, I said, 221 00:14:40,159 --> 00:14:42,320 you know, you posting this big thing like that might 222 00:14:42,399 --> 00:14:45,720 actually jeopardize your chances of getting the appointment now. And 223 00:14:45,759 --> 00:14:48,519 she said, well, if that happens, then so be it, right, 224 00:14:48,559 --> 00:14:53,600 And it's really politically the strategy is smart because it's 225 00:14:53,639 --> 00:14:55,600 not a big deal. If she doesn't get the appointment 226 00:14:55,600 --> 00:14:58,600 and she still wants to run for the seat, then 227 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,080 she still can do. So it's just a five or 228 00:15:01,159 --> 00:15:04,240 six month delay right in getting onto the council. If 229 00:15:04,279 --> 00:15:08,159 she wins the election, of course, and she has you know, 230 00:15:09,159 --> 00:15:11,080 drawn her you know line in the stand, she planted 231 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,639 her flag there and said, this is what I am 232 00:15:13,679 --> 00:15:17,639 going to run on accountability, transparency, physical prudence. Why are 233 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,960 you know and calling into question this kind of activity, 234 00:15:21,200 --> 00:15:24,120 which again the Charlotte city Council, the city attorney, and 235 00:15:24,159 --> 00:15:26,840 the city manager would very much appreciate everybody just looking 236 00:15:26,879 --> 00:15:32,480 away from So she picks up amazingly the endorsement of 237 00:15:32,519 --> 00:15:35,919 her husband. She also, I'm just kidding. She also picks 238 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,080 up the endorsement from the County Party that cites this 239 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:45,480 scandal and her willingness to uh, you know, to speak 240 00:15:45,519 --> 00:15:49,240 about it and confront it as the main reason why 241 00:15:49,279 --> 00:15:54,720 they are endorsing her over these other candidates. She has 242 00:15:54,879 --> 00:15:59,919 also picked up endorsements though from state Representative Tricia Cuff, 243 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,679 who you'll recall has introduced and we covered this a 244 00:16:03,679 --> 00:16:07,000 couple of weeks ago with Andrew Dunn. As a matter 245 00:16:07,039 --> 00:16:10,080 of fact, Andrew Dunn, publisher of long Leaf Politics newsletter, 246 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:14,000 who has also thrown his name in the well in 247 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:15,720 the hat and then the hat in the ring, he 248 00:16:15,759 --> 00:16:18,200 has also applied for this open position. We talked to 249 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:23,840 Andrew about this on Tuesday, and you know, Andrew said that, 250 00:16:24,559 --> 00:16:28,399 excuse me, his primary focus was not going to be 251 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,559 the scandal, which that's obviously an attractive thing for the council, 252 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,480 and they're going to have to weigh this now. They're 253 00:16:35,519 --> 00:16:39,440 going to have to weigh whether or not they want 254 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,320 somebody in there who's not going to confront them over 255 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:52,399 their actions regarding the chief's payout, or do they jeopardize 256 00:16:52,679 --> 00:16:57,840 relations with state lawmakers. Trisha Cotham has introduced a transit 257 00:16:57,879 --> 00:17:00,159 plan that Andrew Dunn was on board with. He liked it. 258 00:17:00,799 --> 00:17:04,640 She has introduced a legislation in Raleigh that seems like 259 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,799 the best way forward, as Andrew Dunn described it, the 260 00:17:07,839 --> 00:17:10,920 best way for Charlotte to get its transit plan going. 261 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,039 So maybe he is actually a bridge builder, if not 262 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:19,480 Krista Bakari, maybe he actually gets the assignment because he 263 00:17:19,559 --> 00:17:22,839 is a fan of Coffam's plan. But then there's another 264 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,240 endorsement that came down, and that is State Senator Vicky Sawyer. 265 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:34,359 And Vicky Sawyer is a very powerful lawmaker, particularly on transportation. 266 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,599 She is the chair of the Transportation Senate Committee. And 267 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:45,599 if you want your transportation plan to win, well, I 268 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,039 won't say approval, but if you want the ability to 269 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:51,000 go to voters to ask for a tax increase for 270 00:17:51,079 --> 00:17:53,640 a plan, the legislature has to sign off on that. 271 00:17:55,039 --> 00:18:00,400 And both of these, you know, powerful transit oriented state 272 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:09,799 lawmakers have endorsed Krista Bakari and How bad do Democrats 273 00:18:09,799 --> 00:18:13,519 want their transit plan? How badly do they want it? 274 00:18:15,839 --> 00:18:19,920 That's the choice they're now confronted with, because Krista Baccari 275 00:18:20,319 --> 00:18:25,559 probably gives you the best chance given these endorsements. But 276 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:27,799 on the other hand, she's going to be a bur 277 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:31,480 under the saddle for your What I would submit is 278 00:18:31,839 --> 00:18:37,039 unethical at best behavior in paying off the police chief 279 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:41,759 over his hurt feelings. What do you do, city council? 280 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:44,400 What do you do? All right? If you're listening to 281 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:45,920 this show, you know I try to keep up with 282 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,079 all sorts of current events, and I know you do too, 283 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,759 And you've probably heard me say get your news from 284 00:18:50,839 --> 00:18:55,440 multiple sources. Why well, because it's how you detect media bias, 285 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:58,039 which is why I've been so impressed with ground News. 286 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,799 It's an app and it's a website and it combines 287 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:03,920 news from around the world in one place so you 288 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,319 can compare coverage and verify information. You can check it 289 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:11,920 out at check dot ground, dot news slash pete. I 290 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:14,839 put the link in the podcast description too. I started 291 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,599 using ground News a few months ago, and more recently 292 00:19:17,799 --> 00:19:19,759 chose to work with them as an affiliate because it 293 00:19:19,839 --> 00:19:23,680 lets me see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. 294 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,920 The blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored 295 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:29,880 by the left and the right. See for yourself. Check 296 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:34,440 dot Ground dot news slash Pete. Subscribe through that link 297 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,359 and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use 298 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,559 the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. 299 00:19:40,759 --> 00:19:43,519 Your subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it 300 00:19:43,559 --> 00:19:46,720 also supports Ground News as they make the media landscape 301 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:52,240 more transparent. Here's a message on Twitter from good Wahoo. 302 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:56,319 It's a Pete tweet. Pete with another request for higher 303 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,200 taxes from Charlotte Mecklenberg. I think it is time the 304 00:19:59,279 --> 00:20:04,200 taxpayers of Charlotte Mecklenburg demand an outside Doge type audit 305 00:20:04,599 --> 00:20:07,960 of Charlotte Mecklenburg and all its agencies. And we should 306 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,799 require this type of audit at least every five years. 307 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,559 Who would object and if so, why bureaucrats would object? 308 00:20:14,599 --> 00:20:19,920 And so then Democrats would object. There is actually legislation 309 00:20:20,079 --> 00:20:24,880 moving through the state legislature called the Dave Act, which 310 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:32,200 would empower a Doge like kind of examination, but it 311 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,359 would be done by the state auditor whose name is Dave. 312 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:42,359 So yeah, it lines up pretty well there. Yeah, because 313 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,160 the audits. The audits are kind of a joke. Like 314 00:20:47,279 --> 00:20:49,599 I remember when I first started covering city council and 315 00:20:49,599 --> 00:20:54,759 county commission way back in like two thousand, and they 316 00:20:54,759 --> 00:20:56,880 would come out, you know, once a year, and you know, 317 00:20:57,079 --> 00:20:59,440 the finance department would be there or an assistant city 318 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,920 manager and be like, oh, we passed our audit, and 319 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,240 the auditor would come down, we looked at all your systems. There, 320 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,079 ay a plus a plus and eh. Yeah. You know, 321 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,519 it's like that scene from a Christmas Story when Ralphie 322 00:21:11,519 --> 00:21:14,079 gets the A plus plus plus plus and everybody is celebrating. 323 00:21:16,599 --> 00:21:19,799 And then I would see the same sort of performance 324 00:21:20,279 --> 00:21:24,240 unfold when I went to Ashville and Bunkham County and 325 00:21:24,279 --> 00:21:27,200 they got all of their audits passed with flying colors 326 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:29,640 to yay yes and all this, and then of course 327 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:35,200 it turned out that the county manager was siphoning money 328 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:39,880 out of the county till for years, paying for trips 329 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:44,160 and doing all sorts of purchases and such a couple 330 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,720 of our assistant county managers also went down with the bust, 331 00:21:47,839 --> 00:21:51,160 and a former county commissioner and a current county commissioner 332 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,640 and all of this, and it's like, how did we 333 00:21:54,720 --> 00:22:00,000 pass all of those audits then? Right, because they don't 334 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:06,559 go that deep. These aren't forensic audits. So yes, I'm 335 00:22:06,599 --> 00:22:11,720 all for actual auditing of expenses, going in there and 336 00:22:11,759 --> 00:22:15,920 looking for now feasins, going in there, looking for systems 337 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:18,400 that are obsolete, identifying things like well why are you 338 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,480 doing it this way? You know? And I mean I 339 00:22:20,519 --> 00:22:24,039 don't think the local and state governments are nearly as 340 00:22:24,079 --> 00:22:27,880 bad as the federal government because the federal government doesn't 341 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,640 have to comply with like any kind of accounting laws 342 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:34,720 apparently so and also the states and the local jurisdictions 343 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,960 they're actually required to balance their budgets. But as far 344 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:43,880 as like rooting out the waste, fraud and abuse, yeah, 345 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:47,880 there would. I think there would absolutely be a role 346 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,440 for the state auditor to play, and they do actually, 347 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,119 Like if you know of something in local government that's 348 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:59,279 that's corrupt, you can file complaints up to the state 349 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:03,240 auditor and at the office will then you know, look 350 00:23:03,319 --> 00:23:07,839 into these tips. That's how they you know, that's how 351 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,079 they get their their audits and some of their probes initiated, 352 00:23:12,319 --> 00:23:14,160 and then depending on what they find, they can refer 353 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,720 it for you know, criminal prosecution or something like that. 354 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,400 A tweet from the Hellion who says counsel wanting to 355 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,759 do the Chuck Schumer move on, Let's move on, which 356 00:23:24,799 --> 00:23:29,920 is really the that's really the Bill Clinton move on strategy, right, 357 00:23:31,039 --> 00:23:34,759 I mean, yes, yes, yes, I know everyone's talking about 358 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,200 all of the the affairs that I've had, but I 359 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,039 think it's time we just move on. That's actually an 360 00:23:41,039 --> 00:23:43,880 older Bill Clinton. That's like a seventy year old Bill 361 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,079 Clinton impression. I used to do a better, younger one, 362 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:47,519 but I was younger and he was too, so I 363 00:23:47,519 --> 00:23:50,839 don't do it anymore. But yeah, that's just that's just 364 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,680 the standard deal with the Democrats is like, okay, okay, 365 00:23:53,799 --> 00:23:56,920 scandal erupted, we got cawed, let's just move on. Now 366 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:58,559 we have to move on. And Democrats are doing this 367 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,160 actually with the whole Joe Biden and you know, was 368 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,440 cognitively impaired, they're still trying to get past all of that. 369 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:06,640 And the media is too, so they're roll in the 370 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,799 same boat. And it's hilarious to watch that happen. Did 371 00:24:08,839 --> 00:24:10,759 you hear, by the way, regarding that, did you hear 372 00:24:10,799 --> 00:24:14,960 that Jake Tapper has hired a crisis public relations firm 373 00:24:15,599 --> 00:24:19,119 for his book rollout. So you know it's going well 374 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,640 when you have to hire a crisis PR team to 375 00:24:22,759 --> 00:24:28,440 come in and handle your book launch. Yeah. Oh, it 376 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:32,039 couldn't happen to some nicer guys. But now the Democrats 377 00:24:32,039 --> 00:24:33,519 are saying, we need to move on from all of 378 00:24:33,559 --> 00:24:38,119 this the Democrat Party. I saw Martha McCallum was interviewing 379 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:42,519 some Democrat lawmaker. I forget who it was, and you know, 380 00:24:42,599 --> 00:24:44,640 she keeps trying to point out, like, what did you know? 381 00:24:44,759 --> 00:24:46,960 When did you know it? You kept going on all 382 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,200 of these TV shows and news programs saying that Joe 383 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:52,400 Biden is fine, and you look at it now, do 384 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:54,440 you want to like apologize for any of that? And 385 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,559 he's like, the Democrat Party's got bigger problems right now. 386 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,000 We need to focus on moving forward, and we need 387 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,039 to focus on winning the next races and stuff. Yeah, 388 00:25:03,039 --> 00:25:04,880 they don't want to talk about any of the behavior 389 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,440 before right now. You know that's the nice thing. It's 390 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,599 the Democrat privilege. You know, Democrat privileges. You get to 391 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:14,759 move on very quickly from any kind of a scandal, 392 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:17,799 and a scandal that involves a single Democrat is never 393 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,640 tainting any other Democrat. That's just that one guy over there. 394 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,079 Don't ever ask me to defend or disavow him. That's 395 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:30,720 the game you play with Republicans. One Republican in you know, 396 00:25:30,799 --> 00:25:35,640 Sheboygan does something disgusting or legal, and every Republican across 397 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:38,359 the nation has to now get a mic stuffed in 398 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:42,559 their face and there is a demand that they defend 399 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:47,960 or disavow this, you know, deviant or criminal from Sheboygan. 400 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,000 So again, Democrat privilege. You don't have to do that 401 00:25:52,039 --> 00:25:56,920 as a Democrat. Now, that may seem very beneficial to 402 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,960 Democrats and at first blush it is the problem though, 403 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:07,880 is that resistance to pressure builds strength, and Democrats by 404 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:11,160 not having this kind of pressure really ever applied to them, 405 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:17,680 they've gotten weak. They've gotten weak. They're intellectually flabby. They 406 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,920 cannot debate right. You don't see them engaging in debates, 407 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,799 and if you do, it's it doesn't usually go very 408 00:26:24,799 --> 00:26:29,039 well for them. They like to protest right, they like 409 00:26:29,079 --> 00:26:32,640 to do press conferences and such with compliant media, but 410 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,759 when it comes to actually debating the policy and the 411 00:26:36,759 --> 00:26:42,279 philosophy that animates that policy, they've grown intellectually flabby because 412 00:26:42,279 --> 00:26:44,680 they are never pressed to do so, so they get 413 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:48,640 to just say things like I'm for reproductive justice, and 414 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:54,440 the media says, oh, okay, all right, I'm for reproductive justice, 415 00:26:55,039 --> 00:26:59,440 and that's enough. That's all that goes into the news story. 416 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:02,400 I read the other day wral piece and all it 417 00:27:02,599 --> 00:27:07,240 was was just quotes from Democrats without any kind of pushback, 418 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:09,960 without any kind of you know, fact checking or anything. 419 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:16,880 When they held their silly little bill funeral performance, and 420 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,119 it was just quotes and quotes and quotes from Democrats 421 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,480 lamenting that they're in the minority party basically and they 422 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,079 don't know how to work with the majority to get 423 00:27:24,079 --> 00:27:29,839 anything done. That was it. So again, Democrat privilege right now, 424 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:34,279 the Democrat privilege is to select a Republican to fill 425 00:27:34,279 --> 00:27:38,480 the unexpired term on the Charlotte City Council. Oh and 426 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:45,960 also to try to repair some processes to improve council process. 427 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:50,279 Because that was really what happened when they decided to 428 00:27:50,359 --> 00:27:52,960 pay off the chief of police when he said he 429 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:58,480 was considering a lawsuit. No lawsuit ever filed. An ethics 430 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:02,559 complaint violation that was filed was dismissed for lack of merit, 431 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:05,960 but for some reason, the same facts warranted a three 432 00:28:06,039 --> 00:28:10,720 hundred thousand dollars payout. Oh and also them not telling 433 00:28:10,720 --> 00:28:14,920 other council members about the ethics complaint being dismissed. It's 434 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,160 the process, you see, all right. So Spring is here 435 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:22,400 a time of renewal and celebrations. You've got graduations, weddings, 436 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:25,440 anniversaries and the special days for mom and dad. Your 437 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:27,799 family's making memories that are going to last a lifetime. 438 00:28:27,799 --> 00:28:30,559 But let me ask you, are all of those treasured 439 00:28:30,599 --> 00:28:33,279 moments from days gone by? Are they hidden away on 440 00:28:33,319 --> 00:28:38,519 old VCR tapes, eight millimeter films, photos slides? Are they preserved? 441 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:42,359 Because over time, these precious memories can fade and deteriorate, 442 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:46,160 losing the magic of yesterday. At Creative Video, they help 443 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,960 you protect what matters most. Their expert team digitizes your 444 00:28:50,079 --> 00:28:53,400 cherished family moments and transfers them onto a USB drive, 445 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:55,880 freezing them in time so they can be enjoyed for 446 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,359 generations to come. I urge you do not wait until 447 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,240 it's two life this spring, celebrate your past. Visit Creative 448 00:29:03,319 --> 00:29:06,160 Video today and let them preserve your legacy with the 449 00:29:06,279 --> 00:29:10,079 love and care that it deserves. Creative Video Preserving Family 450 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:13,559 Memories since nineteen ninety seven, located in mint Hill, just 451 00:29:13,599 --> 00:29:16,680 off four eighty five. Mail orders are accepted to get 452 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:21,079 all the details that create avideo dot Com. Charlotte Observer 453 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:23,799 reports a pair of Charlotte leaders will team up to 454 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:30,279 look at ways to improve city council performance. Mayor Viylyles 455 00:29:30,319 --> 00:29:32,720 announced at the city council meeting this week that she 456 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:38,680 will partner with councilmember Renee Johnson on efforts to change 457 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:43,480 and improve the council's processes, which is so very Charlotte, 458 00:29:44,319 --> 00:29:48,039 so Charlotte. We're gonna set up a commission, a blue 459 00:29:48,119 --> 00:29:51,039 ribbon commission, even We're gonna have some people, maybe some 460 00:29:51,079 --> 00:29:57,359 breakout groups, get some stakeholders involved. Mayor said, this council 461 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:01,880 has an opportunity to stop and think this is her 462 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:04,359 above the fray. I'm not part of any of this. 463 00:30:04,559 --> 00:30:09,279 I'm gonna help. I'm to help fix the process. Now, 464 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:12,519 this is kind of interesting because Renee Johnson, when she 465 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:15,519 was up for reelection in twenty twenty three, she was 466 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:19,319 challenged in her primary in her Democrat primary, and her 467 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,960 challenger was endorsed by the mayor, and so Johnson said 468 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:25,880 that she and the mayor do have some healing to do, 469 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,559 quote unquote, but she is eager to help the council 470 00:30:28,599 --> 00:30:31,240 find a way to do things differently. I think we've 471 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,000 done enough talking and I look forward to making some changes. 472 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:41,559 So good luck with that. Meanwhile, I find myself in 473 00:30:41,599 --> 00:30:46,079 a very unique position. Not unique, I find myself in 474 00:30:46,119 --> 00:30:51,079 a very unusual position for me. I have found myself 475 00:30:51,119 --> 00:30:55,039 agreeing with the deputy opinion editor for the Charlotte Observer, 476 00:30:55,160 --> 00:31:00,640 Page Maston. The headline on this piece, Charlott leaders made 477 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:07,000 a mess with the CMPD chief settlement. It's time for answers. Correct. 478 00:31:07,759 --> 00:31:12,200 I agree, it is time for answers, she writes. The 479 00:31:12,279 --> 00:31:18,279 decision to settle this threatened litigation that never was actually 480 00:31:18,279 --> 00:31:23,920 filed naturally raised questions, including why the city would choose 481 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:25,960 to settle a lawsuit that has yet to be filed, 482 00:31:26,079 --> 00:31:28,200 or whether it was even right to settle it at all. 483 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:32,680 The exact details of the settlement remain unclear, and council 484 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:34,880 members have said they are not able to speak about 485 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:41,000 it publicly. Not true, they can. Things really went off 486 00:31:41,039 --> 00:31:44,279 the rails when Charlotte City Council Member Victoria Watlington sent 487 00:31:44,359 --> 00:31:48,920 an email to supporters alleging corruption and illegal activities within 488 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:53,319 city government. The accusations were vague, and Wattlington did not 489 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:57,160 specify what exactly she was referring to in that email, 490 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,000 but she wrote that she was quote ex extremely concerned 491 00:32:01,039 --> 00:32:06,400 with the level of unethical, immoral, and frankly illegal activities 492 00:32:06,759 --> 00:32:11,160 occurring within city government and accused her colleagues of brazen 493 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:17,039 disregard for dissenting opinions and the rule of law. The 494 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:21,599 interim city attorney after he was threatening criminal investigations for 495 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,559 anybody who leaks anything out of a closed session, which 496 00:32:24,559 --> 00:32:28,319 actually that's not actually the case. You can talk about 497 00:32:28,319 --> 00:32:33,480 stuff out of closed session, but he then said that 498 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:37,799 that could trigger an investigation into Watlington or into her complaint, like, 499 00:32:38,039 --> 00:32:40,319 if she has evidence, bring it forward. If not, then 500 00:32:40,319 --> 00:32:43,279 maybe we investigate her. Just how about we just investigate 501 00:32:43,279 --> 00:32:46,160 everybody just to be safe, you know, just to cover 502 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:52,599 all the bases. Krista Bakari claimed that the settlement was 503 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:58,640 recommended without legal grounds and agreed upon using improper procedure. 504 00:33:00,519 --> 00:33:04,400 So yeah, I don't know what legal grounds they had 505 00:33:04,599 --> 00:33:09,680 to settle this. It seems like they did not want 506 00:33:10,119 --> 00:33:13,599 the chief to file a lawsuit, now would he? I 507 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:18,440 don't know, anybody can file a lawsuit, but the pr 508 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,119 of it is the key. I think they did not 509 00:33:21,359 --> 00:33:25,799 want there to be an embarrassing pr story, public relations 510 00:33:25,799 --> 00:33:31,519 story of the chief suing the city if he would 511 00:33:31,599 --> 00:33:34,480 even do that, because I don't even know if he 512 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,559 would do it. He had his ethics complaint that was 513 00:33:36,599 --> 00:33:43,599 filed via a third party dismissed. It seems from what 514 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:45,960 the reporting is so far, and I could be wrong 515 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:47,960 on this, right, just want to lay that on the 516 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:49,960 table here, but all I'm going by is what's been 517 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:55,519 publicly reported in that it does not appear as anything 518 00:33:55,559 --> 00:34:01,839 other than the chief coordinating with two of his his subordinates, 519 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:07,160 a major and the comms director, so like a right 520 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:09,360 hand and a left hand. I called them the chief's hands. 521 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:13,159 That they coordinated with the local chapter president of the 522 00:34:13,239 --> 00:34:17,639 NAACP to file that ethics complaint. They traded emails, they 523 00:34:17,679 --> 00:34:19,719 worked on the language for the complaint, and then that 524 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,760 got tossed out. The city attorney tossed it out and 525 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,480 then told the city council pay the chief. Why would 526 00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:32,960 you like why would the standard of proof be higher 527 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:37,800 in an ethics complaint versus litigation? That's what tells me 528 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:41,400 it was just about pr Masden goes on to say 529 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:44,679 that Watlington also said leaders may have misled or withheld 530 00:34:44,679 --> 00:34:47,519 information from council members ahead of the settlement, namely about 531 00:34:47,559 --> 00:34:51,000 the complaint being dismissed. It's unclear if the accusations in 532 00:34:51,079 --> 00:34:53,599 the post were what Watlington was referring to in her email, 533 00:34:53,639 --> 00:34:57,199 but it raises serious questions that city leaders must now answer. 534 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:01,719 Watlington has since attempted to backtrack, sort of. She now 535 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:05,960 says that her reference to corruption was figurative. That was 536 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:09,599 according to a report by Steve Harrison at WFAE. Then, 537 00:35:09,679 --> 00:35:11,800 in a second email to supporter her she downplayed the 538 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:14,280 weight of her prior accusation, saying none of my concerns 539 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,559 had anything to do with financial or widespread corruption at all. 540 00:35:18,559 --> 00:35:21,079 But she did not apologize or walk back her remarks 541 00:35:21,079 --> 00:35:24,400 about immoral and illegal activity, but also did not provide 542 00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:28,400 evidence for them. Elected officials should know better than to 543 00:35:28,559 --> 00:35:34,199 traffic in baseless accusations and conspiracy theories that injure public trust. 544 00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:38,440 See except here's the difference. They're not baseless the complaint 545 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:44,119 dismissal versus the settlement, like that's the base for the accusations. 546 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:48,239 All right. That'll do it for this episode. Thank you 547 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:50,280 so much for listening. I could not do the show 548 00:35:50,320 --> 00:35:52,840 without your support and the support of the businesses that 549 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:56,000 advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, please support 550 00:35:56,039 --> 00:35:57,719 them too and tell them you heard it here. You 551 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,360 can also become a patron at my Patreon page or 552 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:04,079 go to thepeteclenarshow dot com. Again, thank you so much 553 00:36:04,079 --> 00:36:07,320 for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.