UPDATE: The Cabarrus County Republican Party has demanded the Coy Privette resign as County Commissioner and as VP of Programs for the Cabarrus County Republican Men’s Club [CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE]
Being a Cabarrus County Republican Executive Board member, I felt it inappropriate to say too much about the Coy Privette arrest issue until the Party made a statement. That statement was released to the press yesterday and is included in the previous article [CLICK HERE]
Since a statement has been made, I’m going to briefly comment - by being clear that I’m not really going to make any substantial comment on this situation on this blog any time soon.
Here’s why you’re not going to hear too much from me: anything I say could be misconstrued as being a statement from the Party. In addition to that, I can’t really add anything all that productive as the local press is on this like white trash on Velvetta.
Cabarrus Neighbors
If you want any evidence of the press twisting the words of others on the Executive Board, take a look at yesterday’s article in the Cabarrus Neighbors [CLICK HERE]. I can’t help but believe what’s driving the Cabarrus Neighbors’ article is rumor and speculation; and not the Party statement itself. They pick one fragment of a sentence from the whole statement and spend most of the article talking about replacing Commissioner Privette. Also, they use the term “party leaders” and then shoehorn Cabarrus County Republican Party Chairman Chris McCartan with everyone else.
In short, the Cabarrus Neighbors gave a distorted view of reality just short of fiction. If you really want to know what happened at the meeting and its outcome - read Chairman McCartan’s statement.
Independent Tribune
Eric Deines must have ran out of names on his Rolodex as I got a call from him asking about the Cabarrus Republican Men’s Club (I’m the Treasurer). I gave him a quote telling him what I know [CLICK HERE TO READ STORY]
Kannapolis Citizen
If you’ve read the Kannapolis Citizen, you’ve probably noticed the large Cabarrus Taxpayers’ Association (CTA) ad crtical of me and comments that I made on the TIF. Given the situation with Coy - I feel it would be inappropriate for me to respond to the mendacious statements in the ad. I will say this though, by placing a large ad at this time the gang at the CTA were completely callous to what Coy is going through or they were victims of coincidence.
That being said, I strongly suggest that you go and pickup a copy of the Kannapolis Citizen and read the CTA ad on Page 4.
That’s it. I’ve collected a few thoughts and observations while watching this situation. When the time is right, I’ll talk about it. Until then, there’s plenty of interesting stuff with the upcoming elections and the other usual stuff.
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Subscribe via E-mail
7 responses so far ↓
1 Mark D (The Scribe) // Jul 26, 2007 at 10:57 am
Justin,
I can relate how it feels to be in the cross-hairs.
2 LiberalNC // Jul 26, 2007 at 3:57 pm
I understand your statement is that you’re not making a statement.
I don’t see why you are getting all excited about that Observer article.
They’re saying that McCartan had a meeting with the other “leaders’ of the party..what’s wrong with that?
The party statement clearly reads that “The members of the Cabarrus County Republican Party have met and discussed Mr. Privette’s situation at length.”. I presume your chairman is a member of the party? So wasn’t he there? What’s the whole “shoehorn” thing then you’re talking about?
Of course the Observer’s main focus is on the question if Coy will be replaced, because that is the whole issue in this case.
The Observer is wondering whether if Coy gets convicted, he will be replaced on the commissioners board. Isn’t that the one major question everyone in the county is asking themselves? I’m willing to make a bet on the fact that Coy will resign as soon as he gets convicted. In this case though the betting might be kind of ironic, so I won’t.
We all seem to agree on the sadness of this case and we’re thinking about Coy’s family etc… so there’s no issue there. The issue is if Mr. privette can be a County Commissioner any longer.
So kudos to the Observer for asking the question everyone of their readers is wondering about. I don’t see why you would have a problem with that.
So please enlighten me.
3 Aaron // Jul 26, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Saying that the political ramifications of a conviction are the main focus is like saying that the interest in the Michael Vick case has to do with the animals
If this had happened a lesser “moral authority” the politics might be the focus. We all know that non-religious folk start to salivate whenever someone who preaches the Bible gets “outed.”
As for the Observer looking for a spin that damages republicans: No?? Really??? You Don’t Say???
4 LiberalNC // Jul 26, 2007 at 4:47 pm
once again..where’s the spin???
5 Justin Thibault // Jul 29, 2007 at 2:13 am
LiberalNC - Let me provide you with an example. Recently, I took a trip to South Korea. I connected at SFO. Now, let’s say that someone reported that I took a round-trip to San Fransisco. That would be technically accurate based on the facts. I flew to San Fransisco and I returned.
It would be both factual and technically accurate- but it wouldn’t be true. I was at the meeting and it was nothing like what Mr. Adams of the Observer described. First, it wasn’t an “emergency meeting”. An emergency is something you respond to with action because if you don’t a situation would get worse. The executive board met to get briefed on the facts, draft a statement and agree on direction. That happened. Therefore, reading Chairman Cartman’s statement is more true than what made it to the Cabarrus Neighbors.
This isn’t the first time I’ve had a beef with the Observer’s reporting.
6 LiberalNC // Jul 29, 2007 at 3:31 am
Would there have been an executive board meeting that evening if there wouldn’t have been the Coy situation? If not, i can see why someone would call it an emergency meeting. In any case, it was “special”.
Other than that the Observer article seems to be direct quotes from the issued statement and one answer from the chairman to, I’m guessing, the question “are you planning on replacing Mr. Privette?”. If I was a journalist that would be my first question too, i’m sure that’s what everyone wants to know.
I really don’t see why this seems to be biased to you, there certainly wasn’t any misinformation… maybe I’m less sensitive to that kind of stuff or something. By the way, if you think that Observer article was biased, what do you think about this weeks Concord Standard editorial and article on the whole Privette case?
7 Justin Thibault // Jul 29, 2007 at 8:43 am
No, there wouldn’t have been a meeting without the Coy Privette situation.
Also, I think it’s quite a stretch to say that most of the article was from the statement. There were two fragments…the rest was specuation. The point I was making was that the Observer, in comparison to other papers, tends to stir the pot with specuation and anonymous sources while other papers do things like getting facts and reporting.
As for replacing Coy Privette, the only person who can start that process is Coy himself.
I believe many people in our county have the same sentiment found the Concord Standard. I also think that they would feel the same way if it were any other commissioner.
The more I think about this, the more I believe that it’s the prudent thing to do to let the process work itself out. If you take a look at the Duke Lacrosse case where Democrat DA Nifong persued the case entirely out of political motives, it’s not much of a stretch to imagine a world where officials throw around accusations at others of the opposite party. Take a look at Democrat Frank Ballance and his son, who was a sitting judge, conspiring to commit tax evasion. Look at Democrat Megan Scott Phipps who used her office to extort money from carnival operators. And let’s not forget Democrat Jim Black, who sold the state house in a Men’s Room. And during that time, appointed Democrat Kevin Geddings a lobbyist for the gaming industry as the Lottery Director. Of course, Geddings doctored documents to conceal that fact. He’s recently reported for his prision sentence.
All of those took place within the past five years, and all of them right here in North Carolina.
These folks got the opportunity to let the process work out for them. Jim Black even won reelection. Democrat voters certainly don’t have higher expectations for their officials.
Now compare those to Republican David Almond. He was accused of doing anything illegal; but he was asked to leave.
It’s important for our government that everyone get their day in court. Otherwise, anyone could lose their position to opposition at the slightest rumor.
In this case, there’s a hearing on August 22 and I suspect that more facts will come out that day. Also, given the fact that these are misdemeanors - I doubt the situation will be dragged out for months. Between now and then, there are two scheduled commissioner’s meetings: the agenda meeting and the regular meeting. I think the remainder of the BOC can get along without Coy Privette.