If there was an award for petulance in the NC House there would be many contenders. The top place might likely be shared by Stephen LaRoque and Justin Burr, and not simply on account of their contempt for the trials of low-wealth citizens. LaRoque is on a crusade to redefine the NAACP as racist. Burr for example, has been contemptuous of the Racial Justice Act, and of opposition to various election law “reforms”. Burr reached a peak of pique when he ran roughshod over Verla Insko in a committee considering the abortion bill.
Burr’s juvenile physique has been tempered this session by the maintenance of a close haircut that is oddly suggestive of an outbreak of lice in the boys' dormitory. Burr grandiosely thinks he needs to educate Judge Howard Manning and Governor Bev Perdue on the need for low-income parents to pay 10% of that paltry income towards constitutionally required Pre-K education.
Burr’s sartorial needs don’t have to be met by his own income however. Apparently working under the supposition that “the suit makes the man” Burr’s latest campaign finance report shows an expenditure of $857.42 to Brooks Brothers in Raleigh for “Suits/ Jackets required for Session.”
Perhaps Burr should set aside 10% of his own income for suits. They are apparently more precious to him than Pre-K education. In fairness Burr might need those suits to “educate” Larry Kissell when he runs against him in the 8th Congressional District as intimated recently. Larry’s not one for spending big on clothes, and that might be his Achilles heel. Otherwise, Larry is a teacher who doesn’t need schooling.
Burr’s diligence in recording vanity expenses - $400.00 for picture frames, $390.39 for office lamp and rugs, $1,799.78 for office furniture, is not quite matched by compliance in recording contributions. In recent years Burr has improperly reported 66 contributions in the names of couples, while election laws require reporting by individual.
So, despite a last minute push by Stephen LaRoque to close the gap, the year’s NC House Petulance Award goes to Rep Justin Burr. The prize is a complaint filed last week with the State Board of Elections:
Mr Gary Bartlett, Executive Director
State Board of Electionsre:
Justin Burr For NC House, the campaign committee of Justin Burr
Donor disclosure anomaliesMr Bartlett,
I am a registered voter in Wake County. I have reviewed campaign finance reports of the Justin Burr For NC House committee. I wish to file notice that the committee appears to be in violation of G.S. 163–278.11. “Contents of treasurer’s statement of receipts and expenditures”, in particular section (a)(1) Contributions.
Since the committee was returned to active status in December 2007 there appear to be 66 contributions totaling $15,225.00 that have been reported incorrectly. These contributions, listed below, were each improperly reported in the name of two individuals while only one address, occupation and employer field has been reported for each contribution, if any.
I ask that you examine the anomalies which obscure the origins of these funds, and if left uncorrected, take steps leading to forfeiture of improperly reported contributions.
Sincerely,
Greg Flynn
As those entries are being revised and resubmitted to the State Board of Elections I hope the mind is drawn back to the insolence shown towards Rep Verla Insko, Alice Borsden and others this session.
Comments
Suits
make the man?
Some people are born to misogynist jerks, while others work for years to cultivate the disorder. This guy seems to be one of those rare creatures blessed with both.
Jerk
I really have to post the video embed of the Insko/Burr exchange for full effect.
You can always tell when Burr is about to blow. His face turns beet red and his whole head looks like it's about to pop.
Smart ALEC
One other disbursement of note, to himself:
Borsden
I was reminded that Burr dissed Rep Alice Borsden in another committee where the abortion bill was being discussed. After Borsden talked at length about how the bill was about restricting women's rights, Burr's response to her reasoned speech was to scoff:
He went on to claim, falsely, that 90% of women had abortions for convenience, followed by sighs from the audience and calls for order.
Burr can go fu@k himself
no self respecting women are gonna.
I consider myself a fairly
good judge of character, especially after having an extended back-and-forth conversation with somebody. I've had that with both Alice and Verla, and I can safely say they're two of the nicest and sharpest people I've ever met. They don't deserve that kind of treatment.
It says something about Burr that he would go after these particular women. And it ain't good.
LOL, you're right about
LOL, you're right about LaRoque's useless endeavors. Trying to prove the NCAAP is racist is like trying to prove the same of the Ku Klux Klan or LaRaza. Talk about beating a dead horse.
Racism attributes privilege
Racism attributes privilege and superiority to one race to the detriment of another. The NAACP doesn't consider whites inferior or superior. The Klan, Mr. LaRoque, and you (apparently) see things differently.
Behave like an (expletive deleted) and you will be denied the privilege of continuing this conversation.
Clearly, you haven't noted
Clearly, you haven't noted the behaviour of certain NAACP members at the Wisconsin state fair. But your uncivilized language and your intolerance for diverse opinion are noted. I'll spare you the trouble by disengaging myself permanently. End post.
Civilized language
You want civilized language? I want civilized laws.
We're jailing an entire generation of black men and you're worried about "certain" NAACP members? Were only "certain" members of the Klan eager to crush blacks into oblivion?
Your words suggest you are an apologist for racism. If that's the case, I'm happy to see you go.
Not to mention,
there are over half a million NAACP members in this country. To paint them all as racists because of what happened in Wisconsin would be like saying all Baptists are bat-shit crazy because of what those Westboro Baptist idiots do.
Ya mean they're not?
Hey, just kidding you crazy Baptists. You know I love ya.
For the record, I've been born again once, rededicated once, baptized once, and spent every first Sunday of the month during my childhood crumbling crackers and putting grape juice in those little communion glasses.
Nobody is discussing the real crime
Guys as young as Justin Burr shouldn't wear Brooks Brothers suits.
"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." -Voltaire
Rep. Justin Burr = Govt-tit sucking at its finest
And a bail bondsman to boot?
What does this guy even begin to know about living without gummint as a primary partner?
Laundry
So, another curiosity: Burr pays himself rent for a Raleigh apartment every month of session, but he doesn't own one. The only clue is an entry 1/6/10 splitting the cost of a washer-dryer with David Guice. But Guice doesn't record corresponding expenses since taking office January 2009 like Burr. Guice does record dry cleaning expenses but no rent until just one 6/28/11 entry for $915 to Wilson Property Management. This is precisely double the $457.50 that Burr now records having paid each month of session. Now, there's nothing wrong with claiming rent, but there ought to be some consistency and clarity in the transactions about who is paying whom, and what. Oh, I forgot, that would be transparency. This is the same kind of fluidity that obscured the fact that Jim Black was paying for Michael Decker's accommodations.