It appears high-powered lobbyists have feelings too--mostly anger, resentment, and indignation that anyone would suspect them of peddling influence in the Legislature for big paychecks from corporate Titans (imagine that!). This week reporter Cullen Browder of WRAL-TV in Raleigh put the screws to Titan lobbyist John Merritt and Deputy Secretary of Commerce Dale Carroll about their association with Titan Cement, former Governor Mike Easley (who now works for the same lobby shop as Merritt), and the $300,000 grant Commerce gave to Titan while Easley was in office. Easley is currently under investigation for taking free plane trips and other goodies from his corporate buddies. Cape Fear Riverkeeper Doug Springer laid out the case for our team elegantly, while Merritt fumed and threatened, and Carroll squirmed. It was definitey TV worth watching! We give it four out of five smokestacks.

 Check it out right here.

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Ian Oeschger  - Fuming   |2009-06-12 08:28:04 I agree, Joel! In the video, Merritt definitely seems to be "protesting too much" at what isn't at all a dangerous or wild supposition -- i.e., that his work on the commerce committee earlier has influenced his position or his efforts. His belligerence here is telling. And Doug's information, his reasonable-ness, and his just-the-facts tone give the lie to the cartoon of the Titan opposition as being somehow extreme. Reply | Quote 0 0

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