This story stinks to high heaven, as does the Senator.
Posted on 07/30/2009 8:53:34 PM PDT by MitchellC
Edited on 07/30/2009 9:59:14 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Well, technically, it’s the Tabor City home of Allen Strickland, a 17-year-old who was formerly a client of the longtime state senator, an attorney. But Soles paid for the house. Now, it’s been gutted by a fire that police suspect may have been arson:
Strickland says he woke up around 4 o’clock Wednesday morning to a room full of smoke, and tried to escape through his bedroom window, but it exploded, burning his arm. He finally made it out through a back window upstairs.“It was either stay in there or jump out, so I jumped out,” Strickland said. “When I got down I laid on the ground and thanked the Lord that I made it out of there”
About 45 minutes before the fire, Strickland says he heard someone knocking at his front door. But before he could see who it was, they were gone, and Allen went back to bed. He says there’s a lot of people who could have set his house on fire.
“This whole town is jealous of how I got that house, how I got my car, how I get money and all, and everybody just can’t stand it,” Strickland said.
When asked if thinks someone was trying to kill him, he replied, “Yeah, somebody is trying to hurt me. Whoever did it, they did it with the intention of me getting killed”
Allen says Senator RC Soles paid for his house, his car, and gives him a regular allowance as part of an arrangement they have if Allen agrees to finish school.
WWAY-TV says it’s been trying for weeks to get the senator to comment on the arrangements with Strickland. The transcript of the most recent attempt is, to put it mildly, embarrassing:
On Tuesday, morning anchor Kevin Wuzzardo asked the Senator about the alleged gifts during an unrelated interview. This is what happened:UPDATE: Video of Soles interview with WWAYKevin: “On another matter, a young man named Allen Strickland told us that you’ve given him tens of thousands of dollars to pay for his house and his car, as part of an arrangement that if he finishes school, you’ll buy him these things. Have you given him that money?:
Soles: “I cannot hear you.”
Kevin: (Louder) “A young man named Allen Strickland told us that you’ve given him tens of thousands of dollars to pay for his house and his car.”
Soles: “I cannot hear you, speak up.”
Kevin: (Louder) “A young man named Allen Strickland – ”
Soles: “Speak up.”
Kevin: “Do you hear me, Senator?”
The phone then went dead.
Tabor City teen arson victim says he's afraid for his lifeSeventeen year old Allen Strickland says Senator Soles bought the house for him that went up in flames early Wednesday morning.
The State Bureau of Investigation has been called in to look at a suspected case of arson at the house on March Avenue in Tabor City. Allen Strickland, called "Frog" by his family and friends, was inside sleeping early Wednesday morning, and woke up to a bedroom full of smoke. He says he had to jump out of an upstairs window to escape with his life.
It appears the brand new house is a total loss. For now, Allen is staying with his grandmother who lives next door.
"My grandma, she's worried to death that whoever done it might go to her house and do it again because of me being there," he said.
There haven't been any arrests for the suspected arson, but fire investigators think this is an isolated incident. Still, people who live near the crime scene aren't exactly resting easy.
"I just hope they catch the person that done it," neighbor Sherry Nealey said. "That's my main concern is they catch the person because if it's someone trying to hurt him, they need to be caught."
Another big element in this story - the benefactor of the house. Allen Strickland is 17 years old and doesn't have a job or parents active in his life. He says Senator RC Soles paid for his house, his corvette, and a pair of 4 wheelers, on top of giving him a generous allowance if Allen agreed to finish school.
WWAY has been been trying to reach Senator Soles to confirm that for weeks. Morning anchor Kevin Wuzzardo finally talked to the Senator on Tuesday, and this is what happened:
Kevin: "On another matter, a young man named Allen Strickland told us that you've given him tens of thousands of dollars to pay for his house and his car, as part of an arrangement that if he finishes school, you'll buy him these things. Have you given him that money?:
Soles: "I cannot hear you."
Kevin: (Louder) "A young man named Allen Strickland told us that you've given him tens of thousands of dollars to pay for his house and his car."
Soles: "I cannot hear you, speak up."
Kevin: (Louder) "A young man named Allen Strickland - "
Soles: "Speak up."
Kevin: "Do you hear me, Senator?"
The phone then went dead.
Senator Soles had no problems hearing during the first 9 minutes of the interview about the state budget, and he wasn't available when we called back after the line went dead.
Allen Strickland hasn't talked to Senator Soles either.
"I've had no contact with him since Saturday when we had a falling out."
The entire Strickland family has been affected by the incident. His sister says she fears for his life.
"Who could have done this? Who would have that spite on a 17 year old child?," asked Cheyanne Strickland.
Cheyenne Strickland says her brother and the Senator have had a rocky relationship for some time.
"He's threatened his life many times, and told him if you do not get off my driveway, and leave me alone, you're dead," Cheyanne told WWAY.
We will continue to reach out to Senator Soles for comment.
If you're wondering, Allen Strickland's home was covered by insurance.
If they both happen to be ''African-American'', would it be ''racist'' to point that out?
Further, if so, would it also be ''racist'' to ask why the assorted dildoes in the media did NOT point this out?
Just asking.
Neither one are A-A.
This story stinks to high heaven, as does the Senator.
Well, that IS refreshing. Good to know, and thank you!
It's all about him! The whole town, get real. Maybe it made some waves among his bros at school, though. Especially if he got really big headed about it. I'd expect it was a black perp.
One has to ask why he would give thousands of dollars to a 17 year old boy.
Even when one knows the answer.
Another scandal brewing.
“Fakes deafness?”
Sounds like his phone was cutting out.
What I’m trying to grok is how the boy was a “client” of Soles.
Soles is white. I have no idea what the boy looks like.
he’s probably soft, cuddley, and cute
That’s the million dollar question. Apparently other young males have had similar ‘relationships’ with Soles, who is unmarried. It all looks weird in a ‘Michael Jackson having slumber parties with little boys’ kind of way.
However, if the rumors are true, then why would the boy’s family, who is quoted in some of the stories, seem to be okay with Soles having given the boy all the stuff?
Ex Congressman Jim Wright, bathroom pole smoker. _____ R.C. Soles
White trash?
Weirder than Jackson, because at least Jackson made no secret about what was “supposed” to be happening.
I mean, I thought I would see that the boy used Soles as an attorney in some big bucks lawsuit (auto accident?). But nobody is spelling out what “client” means.
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