Butterfield won't run against Ballance in 1st District (NC Democratic Party Dien Bien Phu)

Former state Supreme Court Justice G.K. Butterfield of Wilson has decided he won't challenge U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance in the 1st District Democratic primary.

Butterfield, who is now a Superior Court judge, had formed an exploratory campaign committee, citing in part a scandal involving a charitable foundation formed by Ballance.

Butterfield said he commissioned a poll that found 58 percent of those surveyed were aware of the investigation into the John A. Hyman Memorial Youth Foundation.

Still, he said Ballance should not be obstructed in his work and would abide by a promise he made to Ballance not to challenge him.

"I continue to feel that the 1st District has been damaged by the Hyman investigation," he said. "Many of my friends across the district feel embarrassed about the federal investigation and feel that we need a fresh start in the 1st District."

Congress currently is in recess; a phone call to Ballance's home in Warren County went unanswered Wednesday evening.

The FBI is investigating the foundation, designed to provide drug and alcohol counseling programs in northeastern North Carolina. A state audit determined the foundation was riddled with conflicts of interest and made $325,000 in questionable payments.

Greg Dority of Washington, N.C., and Jerry Williford of Granville County are among the Republicans seeking to challenge Ballance in November.

Justice Butterfield's decision not to challenge Ballance in the Democratic primary speaks volumes of how the Democrats see the end game playing out in the Ballance scandal. With a federal Grand Jury due to indict Ballance in September -- and increasing pressure from the Black Caucus to back off -- Butterfield seeks to replace Ballance on the ballot in the fall, via the Democratic First Congressional Committee, in a complicated deal brokered last weekend.

Ballance will be required to resign his seat as part of his plea bargain with the Federal Government. He has quietly been raising money among friends and business associates to pay the estimated one million dollars in fines and restitution he will face.

Governor Easley has received a legal opinion that a resignation by Ballance after Labor Day will not require him to set a special election before the General Election in November. The Democrat Party is pulling out all the stops to ensure that no Democrat files against Ballance in the primary. Any Democrat filing that finishes as runner-up to Ballance will have first claim on the nomination and set up an internal fight within the party versus Butterfield.

Butterfield gambles that no Democrat has the courage to file. He wants the seat without having to work for it.

This issue is absolutely shattering Democrat cohesiveness and hegemony in the First District. Ballance fueled his personal political slush fund to the tune of more than two million dollars when he ran the State Senate with Marc Basnight. Every Democrat state senator (especially Basnight) now under the examination of the Federal Grand Jury for their roles in voting this money to the foundation through the Department of Corrections.

The big loser in all of this will be Erskine Bowles and Mike Easley as well as a couple of the Democrat Council of State candidates. The entire state in an uproar about the Ballance scandal and -- combined with the Meg Scott Phipps conviction -- will result in the destruction of the Democratic Party as it is now known in North Carolina following this November's election meltdown.

Several models show the GOP with a strong chance for a complete sweep of the ticket in 2004. Ultimately Frank Ballance will be remembered as the man whose greed knew no limits. When he is finally indicted look for him -- like a gambler down to his last dollar -- trying to draw the race card from up his sleeve one last time...

What an embarrassment for the Democrats that will be -- that card is burnt in 2004. With American fighting men and women dying in Afghanistan and Iraq every day the Federal Government will show no mercy to a common thief that has betrayed the people. Congressman Ballance about to shame and embarrass "his people" beyond belief...

Exocet missile BUMP!

Like HMS Sheffield Frank Ballance caught unprepared for the sudden fury of the over-the-horizon sea-skimming strike. Unlike the brave men of HMS Sheffield the Democrat Party "warriors" in North Carolina are abandoning ship in the opening moments of the fight...

Look for Richard Burr and the GOP Governor nominee to lead a statewide sweep behind the coattails of president Bush and the fallout from this scandal. The perfect political storm about to hit down east...

Let the timid remember -- the Super Etendard does no good sitting on the runway...

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.