RLM

Now that corporations can buy elections, do you think they'll establish a "returns" policy in case the purchased candidate doesn't perform as expected? When a rich guy spends a hundred grand on an unknown nobody who turns out to be a lecherous drunk, surely a refund would be in order.

I finally got my hands on the Petition for Judicial Review by Richard Morgan, who is challenging the decision in favor of Art Pope's electioneering organization by the North Carolina State Board of Elections earlier this year. As you may recall, Pope's money was poured into the contest between Morgan and Hairdresser Puppet Joe Boylan, tilting the playing field and handing Boylan a surprise victory.

For new readers to BlueNC, this has been covered exhaustively, and with good reason. What's at stake is the integrity of our elections. Specifically, the state board found that a rich guy with unlimited corporate cash can spend as much as he wants to influence the outcome of elections. To be clear, no one (in this case) is questioning Pope's ability to spend his personal money. That's not the issue. Rather, the money used to influence this election came directly from Pope's business - which means it's corporate money.

If Pope wins this appeal, businesses in North Carolina will be free to pour millions into elections, effectively swamping the voices of We the People who are limited by campaign contribution laws in the amounts we can give.

The petition for review is 11 pages long. I've excerpted part of the section called "Bases for Appeal," which you can see if you click on the image. It's a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo, which you may find interesting, but there's an even more startling basis for appeal, which I wrote about on the day of the hearing.

That's how the latest chapter in the Art Pope Electioneering Saga (APES) unfolded this week when Richard Morgan sent at letter out asking for help in creating the Richard Morgan Legal Expense Trust. The Pilot covered the story last night.

In the letter, Morgan accused Pope of using his money to control the General Assembly. He called the Republican Legislative Majority a "front" that Pope used to affect the last two elections.

"His clear and specific purpose has been to try to destroy my reputation," Morgan wrote, "along with the good names of other fine North Carolinians who serve with me in the North Carolina House of Representatives."