• Where’s the CO2 • Senate Avoids Eminent Climate Analysis? P. 4 Domain Action, P. 16 Lateral Entry, P. 12 C A R O L I N A UNC Budget, P. 13 Statewide Edition A Monthly Journal of News, Analysis, and Opinion from September 2007 • Vol. 16, No. 9 the John Locke Foundation www.CarolinaJournal.com JOURNAL www.JohnLocke.org Job Procedure for Decker Skirted State Law of the budget, but in practice he delegates Speaker did not have some of the responsibility. The Department of Cultural authority to create Resources set up a new community development specialist position and executive branch job put Decker on the payroll for $48,000 per year Feb. 16, 2005. The department By DON CARRINGTON submitted the request for the new po- Executive Editor sition to Easley’s budget office Feb. 25, RALEIGH but it was not approved until March 10. ov. Mike Easley, Cultural Re- The approval came one week after The sources Secretary Libba Evans, Former Rep. Michael Gov. Mike Easley Former Speaker Jim News & Observer of Raleigh first drew or their designees apparently Decker Black attention to the hiring of Decker. Gviolated state law in 2005 when they hon- “The day the co-speaker arrangement passed in 2003, Decker’s new job was to promote ored former House Speaker Jim Black’s tourism at cultural and historic sites. request to provide a job for former Rep. Black used his cell phone to call Gov. Easley. I only Evans told the N&O that she was not Michael Decker. involved in creating the job or the Black had no authority as a legisla- heard Black’s end of the conversation. Black said process of filling it, but that she did approve it because a former legislator tor to create a job in the executive branch. something like he may need a job when this is over.” He needed Easley to do it. was involved. Decker told Carolina Journal in Black started a five-year federal Former State Rep. Michael Decker prison term in August after he pleaded an exclusive interview that on the day guilty to federal corruption charges. Black was elected House co-speaker Decker starts a four-year federal prison officials delivered the job to Decker. proposed action to the director of the in January 2003, Black told Easley that term this month after he pleaded guilty According to state law, before a budget for approval. The director must Decker, who played a pivotal role in to accepting a bribe from Black. Court department establishes a new position review the proposed action to ensure that documents show that Black and Decker’s or changes the funding of an existing it is within the amount appropriated to bribery scheme took place before Easley position, the agency must submit the the agency. The governor is the director Continued as “Job,” Page 2 Decker Says He Brought Shame on God and Family By DON CARRINGTON what I did was wrong, but I was away Executive Editor “I want people to know that I knew what I did was from the Lord, and it got easy to lie. I RALEIGH want people to know the shame I have ep. Michael Decker knew he wrong, but I was away from the Lord, and it got easy brought on God, man, and my family,” was doing wrong, but he did it Decker said. He said he couldn’t con- anyway because “it got easy to to lie.” tinue lying and wanted people to learn Rlie,” he said in an exclusive interview from his mistakes and the mistakes of with Carolina Journal. Former State Rep. Michael Decker others. Decker, who must report to federal Decker’s travails began after the prison this month to serve a four-year efforts to elect Jim Black to another commit extortion, honest services mail term, pleaded guilty in August 2006 in term as speaker of the House in 2003. fraud, and money laundering. federal court to crimes associated with Decker’s plea involved conspiracy to “I want people to know that I knew Continued as “Decker,” Page 3 What do you think of the five-year 80sentence given to former House The John Locke Foundation NONPROFIT ORG. Speaker Jim Black? Contents 200 W. Morgan St., #200 U.S. POSTAGE Raleigh, NC 27601 PAID RALEIGH, NC North Carolina 3 PERMIT NO. 1766 Interview 7 Education 8 Higher Education 12 About right 52% Local Government 16 Too lenient 34% Too tough 5% Books & the Arts 20 Opinion 24 Parting Shot 28 John% William Respondents Pope Civitas in June Institute Civitas Poll, Institute July 2007Poll CAROLINA C A R O L I N A North Carolina JOURNAL JOURNAL Job Procedure For Decker Questionable Richard Wagner Continued from Page 1 Editor Don Carrington helping Black, might eventually need a Executive Editor government job. Decker’s switch from Republican Party to the Democratic Party in 2002 Paul Chesser, Mitch Kokai, upset the balance of power that led to a Michael Lowrey unique power-sharing agreement, with Associate Editors Black and Republican Rep. Richard Mor- Chad Adams, David N. Bass, gan sharing the House Speaker position Shannon Blosser, Andrew Cline, for the 2003-2004 legislative session. Roy Cordato, Paige Holland Hamp, Decker said he was in Black’s office David Hartgen, Sam A. Hieb, when Black asked Easley about a future Lindalyn Kakadelis, George Leef, job. “The day the co-speaker arrange- Karen McMahan, Karen Palasek, ment passed in 2003, Black used his cell Susan Robinson, Marc Rotterman, phone to call Gov. Easley. I only heard Mike Rouse, Jim Stegall, Black’s end of the conversation. Black George Stephens, Jeff Taylor, said something like he may need a job Michael Walden, Karen Welsh, when this is over,” Decker said. Hal Young Then after Black handed him the Contributing Editors phone, Decker spoke directly to Easley. Decker said Easley did not discuss a job Former Speaker Jim Black declines to talk with reporters as he entered a hearing at the with him, but basically said, “Thank you Wake County Courthouse earlier this year. (CJ file photo by Don Carrington) Abby Alger, Clint Atkins, Justin Coates, Geoff Lawrence, for supporting Jim Black.” only one qualified,” Decker said. The asking for confirmation on the details of Michael Moore Decker said he told Black he had job fell under the Archives and History the Decker job. “Any assumptions you Editorial Interns not planned to run for another legislative Division in Asheville. Decker said he might conjure about the inaccuracy of term, but later he changed his mind. In worked hard at the job, which lasted your tales based upon any response or 2004, Decker switched his party registra- about one year. lack thereof from this office would be tion back to Republican, ran again, but Published by Documents obtained from the misguided and unjustified,” Effron’s he lost the primary. The John Locke Foundation Cultural Resources department show email said. 200 W. Morgan St., # 200 Decker was out of work when his that Assistant State Budget Officer Da- Raleigh, N.C. 27601 legislative term ended in January 2005, vid. C. Brown approved the community (919) 828-3876 • Fax: 821-5117 so he went to Black and asked him for a Paying for the job www.JohnLocke.org recommendation for a state job that had development specialist position. When asked who directed him to In 2004, Senate President Pro Tem already been posted. He said the job was Marc Basnight, Black, and Morgan se- Jon Ham approve the new position — his boss not part of the bribery agreement he had cretly entered into an agreement to set Vice President & Publisher State Budget Officer David McCoy with Black. “It was just Black trying to aside discretionary funds to spend as or someone in the governor’s office be a nice guy. I wasn’t going in asking they wished. Basnight would control John Hood — Brown told CJ, “It could have been him to create this job,” he said. $10 million, while Morgan and Black Chairman & President either one.” Brown said he would check Decker said at the time that he had each would control $5 million. Most of his notes, discuss it with McCoy, and Bruce Babcock, Herb Berkowitz applied for a Cultural Resources job the money was parked in three execu- ask McCoy to call CJ to discuss the situ- Charlie Carter, James Culbertson opening in Goldsboro. Decker said he tive branch agencies and doled out on Jim Fulghum, Chuck Fuller learned that someone else would likely ation. McCoy did not call and did not request. Bill Graham, Robert Luddy fill that position, so Black’s deputy chief respond to multiple requests to answer Black designated $45,000 of his Assad Meymandi, Baker A. Mitchell Jr., of staff, Allen Rogers, took Decker’s questions. share to pay for Decker’s job. Since those Carl Mumpower, J. Arthur Pope resume, altered it, and wrote a job de- Easley’s communications office funds were nonrecurring, or one-time Tula Robbins, Thomas A. Roberg scription for a new job involving historic director, Sherri Johnson, did not respond money, Easley officials should have David Stover, Robert Stowe III sites and economic development. to questions about the hiring of Decker. been concerned about the viability of Andy Wells “He took my resume and created Her subordinate, Deputy Press Secretary the Decker job. Board of Directors the job description so I would be the Seth Effron, responded to a CJ e-mail The discretionary fund system worked only because department Carolina Journal is a monthly journal of news, analysis, and commentary on state heads who reported directly to Easley and local government and public policy issues participated in the scheme.