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Decker and a good shell game
sanfordherald.com ^ | 22 August 2003 | Paul O'Connor

Posted on 08/22/2003 6:11:14 AM PDT by defeat_the_dem_igods

Decker and a good shell game By Paul O'Connor

RALEIGH - Mike Decker knows a good shell game when he sees one, and he's manipulating state and federal law to assure that his political position puts the most money in his own pocket.

Rep. Decker, D-Forsyth, switched parties in January and thus created the 60-60 partisan split in the House. That split led to the election of co-speakers, one backed by all Democrats, the other by a minority of Republicans.

When Decker switched, Republicans cried foul. They charged that their former colleague - maybe the most conservative member of the House - had sold out for financial gain. There were suspicions that Decker would be elected speaker pro tem, thus earning a higher salary, or that Gov. Mike Easley would find a high-paying job for him in the bureaucracy.

Decker's son, Michael Jr., was the first beneficiary. He got a good job in the legislature. Now Decker is raking in cash for himself, courtesy of his new status as best buddy of House Democratic co-Speaker Jim Black. According to campaign finance reports, Decker raised $37,600 in the first six months of 2003, about 50 percent more than he's ever raised in a full two-year cycle. Much of that new money, $6,400, came from optometrists. Black is an optometrist and he told the Winston-Salem Journal that he encouraged his eyeglass brethren to contribute to Decker.

It should come as no surprise to us that, in politics, Decker's good deed to Black wins him a Black good deed in return. It feels sleazy, but the campaign contributions are just part of this nasty game that we, as a democratic society, refuse to order to reform itself.

Decker's sordidness, however, comes in his manipulation of the system to his own best interests. Let's look how he's spending all of this newly collected cash.

State campaign laws do not regulate how Decker spends his contributions. So, he had his campaign committee spend $8,249 to buy him a van, and $5,600 to pay Michael Jr. for being campaign manager.

But the campaign also compensated Decker for items that taxpayers were already providing for the legislator. The campaign reimbursed Decker for $1,676 worth of hotel bills in Raleigh, $385 for gas and $205 for cell phones.

As a legislator, Decker gets $104 a day, seven days a week, to pay for his meals and lodging in Raleigh. He gets mileage to pay for one round-trip to Raleigh each week and more than $500 a month for constituent expenses.

By spending his money this way, Decker gets to keep all of his daily expense money and not pay taxes, state or federal, on it. He also gets to spend down what is a fast-growing campaign fund. If he doesn't run for reelection, as is widely expected, he will have that big pot of money, plus any he's raised since July 1, to spend however he wishes.

State law doesn't restrict how the money is spent. He can even give it to himself. But if he does, he'll probably have to pay taxes on it. He's better off tax-wise if his campaign spends it on him and then he keeps the tax-free money he gets from the state.

Mike Decker is moving his money around from one shell to another and it means he doesn't have to pay taxes. That should make North Carolina taxpayers angry.

Paul T. O'Connor covers state government for the Capital Press Association.



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Politics/Elections; US: North Carolina
KEYWORDS: decker; northcarolina; oldnorthstate; traitor; turncoat

1 posted on 08/22/2003 6:11:14 AM PDT by defeat_the_dem_igods
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To: defeat_the_dem_igods
Thanks!!

I just read this on the link you posted and was getting ready to post this myself.

2 posted on 08/22/2003 6:13:34 AM PDT by Constitution Day
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To: *Old_North_State; **North_Carolina; mykdsmom; 100%FEDUP; 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; ~Vor~; ...
NC ping!
Please FRmail me if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.
3 posted on 08/22/2003 6:14:21 AM PDT by Constitution Day
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To: Constitution Day
I hate that SOB, and I don't say that often. He is weasel who deserves defeat.
4 posted on 08/22/2003 7:02:03 AM PDT by jern
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To: jern
Do you know when he's up for re-election?
I would really, really like to see him go down in flames.
5 posted on 08/22/2003 7:10:29 AM PDT by Constitution Day
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To: Constitution Day
Everyone in NC is up in 2 years. 2 year terms. If someone wants to switch parties I don't have a problem with that. Go for it, but to switch right AFTER an election is about the most cowardly tick you can pull. Imagine the people who volunteered on his campaign or gave the guy money etc. etc. so 6 weeks later he can switch to the Democrats.

I called him the day he switched, and he told me "most people don't care about parties" "I will vote the same way". I asked him what he would say to the people who volunteer at the GOP offices and he said they would still support him. Screw him.
6 posted on 08/22/2003 7:18:21 AM PDT by jern
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