James P. Taylor is running for mayor of Matthews. Taylor is a registered Republican, although the township’s offices are ostensibly non-partisan. Taylor’s latest campaign finance report shows he has raised $7600 this cycle. Far and away the largest contribution to that total was $2000 from Addison Bell. Bell is the Matthews businessman who has been a frequent contributor to Democrat candidates and headed up the legal defense fund formed to support former House Speaker Jim Black.
Over the years Bell, a registered Democrat, contributed thousands to Black, Jim Hunt, Mike Easley, Marc Basnight, Richard Moore, and other Dem pols, although last year Bell did support Republican Pat McCrory over Democrat Bev Perdue.
Among the contributions Bell accepted in his role as Black defense fund organizer was $5000 from the Teamsters PAC. Recall that the Teamsters represent CATS bus drivers and have periodically moved to organize CMS bus drivers as well.
Bell also maintained that Jim Black was a “victim” of complex campaign finance laws which virtually compelled Black to accept sacks of cash in men’s rooms across the state. At least that is what Bell implied when he wrote Black’s sentencing judge in April 2007, asking for leniency for the disgraced pol.
Another plea came from out-going Matthews Mayor Lee Myers, who declared of Black, “It is my belief that the good he has done for our State far outweighs any bad.”
Myers, a registered Democrat, has endorsed Taylor to succeed him.
