If we are to believe various suggestions that are being reported, the SBI’s investigation of Councilman Zack Matheny was precipitated by a complaint that George Hartzman filed.
Here are two related circumstances.
First, North Carolina state law is weak from the standpoint of dealing with corruption in local elected officials. That explains in part why we have had so much corruption in our local politics.
Second, Matheny is employed by Downtown Greensboro, Inc. and therefore draws his income serving the interests of downtown property owners. That organization– and those property owners– often have business before the Greensboro City Council.
The fact that he sits on the council is an inherent conflict, but is apparently allowable under state law. It is beyond the realm of imagination that he would not attempt to influence matters regarding downtown and its property owners.
One other aspect of this SBI inquiry we can’t ignore is that Matheny, in spite of all his issues, probably represents the best we have on the City Council right now. That is not saying much, given the nature of our local politics, but it is the reality.
the FBI needs to return to the good old days when they were arresting people like James Black.
I suspect there are plenty of those around, Fred, for them to arrest…