Dec. 14, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Susan Myrick (919) 834-2099
Susan.Myrick@NCCivitas.org
RALEIGH – A new Civitas Institute investigation reveals how a liberal lobbyist worked behind the scenes to manipulate the State Board of Elections (SBE) and further his own liberal, partisan agenda.
Civitas has been using the public records law to request information uncovering how the SBE staff makes decisions and what it does. In the latest Civitas probe, we reveal how registered lobbyist Bob Hall, head of the liberal activist group Democracy North Carolina, master-minded an attack on Republican legislators in a bid to secure an extra $660,000 for the SBE. In this scheme, Hall collaborated with the State Board of Elections staff on tactics and information. At least two key staff members were directly involved in the resulting scheme, which included flagrantly partisan actions. State law forbids partisan activity by state employees. The Civitas report can be found here.
“We are constantly reassured that everything is fine with the election process in North Carolina, but this revelation is just the latest one showing how deeply flawed the system is,” Susan Myrick, Elections Analyst for Civitas, said. “Our investigation shows once again why new faces are needed, both on the elections board and in the bureaucracy, to make sure voting is fair and honest.”
Civitas President Francis De Luca in a statement on this investigation said, “Having state employees engage in partisan activity on state time and using state resources is unacceptable. The people responsible know better and should either resign or be investigated and removed if these charges are substantiated.”
More information on the Civitas Institute is available at www.nccivitas.org, or contact Communications Director Jim Tynen at (919) 834-2099 or james.tynen@nccivitas.org.
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