That's just one of the takeaways from NC92 Rep Charles Jeter's latest campaign finance report that finally appeared on the NC BOE website on Monday.
Out of $30,000 in contributions from individuals, at least $18,950 came from individuals clearly associated with green energy. That included 2 maximum contributions of $5,100 from Charlotte billionaire Jay Faison and his wife. Another $2500 came in from the NC Clean Energy Businees Alliance PAC.
That makes for a whopping total of at least $21,450 from people associated with a single business. (It's at least that much considering there could be more squirreled away in other donations.)
Jeter's stunning total of solar cash for the second half of the year bested what Sen Jeff Tarte brought in from Big Solar in the first half of 2015. His was a relatively modest $17,000.
What's the reason that's a big deal (other than the obvious implications of so much money coming from one type of business)?
The issue of solar subsidies has been a huge source of controversy this past year within the Republican House Caucus.
The issue even spilled over locally within the MeckGOP when former (emphasis on former) MeckGOP Chairman Curtis Watkins resigned suddenly after being accused of trying to recruit a primary challenger to House Majority Leader, Mike Hager. Watkins works in the green energy busines, and Hager has been one of the leading voices in the NCGA opposing subsidizing that business.
Working in concordance with the NCGOP platform, conservatives like Hagar in the NCGA have been successfull in scaling back some of the mandates and subsidies imposed by Raleigh forcing higher usage of energy from sources such as solar. To do that, they've often had to fight members of their own party.
Jeter currently serves as the Conference Chair for the House Republicans which means he is in charge of raising and managing the Caucus's campaign funds.
Fr conservative voters, it is easy to see how having someone in that position who is raising so much money for his personal campaign account from a lobby the party platform opposes, would/should be considered a problem.
Bonus Observation: In what has to be a rare thing for a state legislator, Jeter sported more than one billionaire donor. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson gave him $500.
Gee, how many billionaires does Charlotte have? I heard one time Charlotte had more millionaires per capita that any other city. I have nothing against being wealthy, I was hoping much of my life to be wealthy myself. But when so many rich people control a government that fosters a system that is ranked dead last in upward mobility it is cause for concern. I hope not to be compared to Bernie Sanders; but highly subsidized light rail, highly subsidized solar energy, highly subsidized sports arenas, highly subsidized......only seems to be benefiting those that don't really need the taxpayers help. I think they call that crony capitalism. We need to put consumers in charge of determining winners and losers in the market place, not government.
ReplyDeleteJay Privette submitted the above post. Thanks Jay!
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