The News & Record of Greensboro published this yesterday, so it was written before all the revelations about chiropractors and rest room cash deliveries:
State newspapers, the News & Record first among them, began in late
2005 to call for Black’s resignation. But if fellow Democrats noticed
anything wrong, they said nothing. With only a handful of exceptions,
they remained loyal to Black all through 2006. Even now, they praise
his achievements during his eight years as speaker.They’re much
too generous. Black’s legislative accomplishments are overshadowed by
scandal and abuse of power. He contributed to a culture of corruption
that infected many willing accomplices. The fellow legislators who
happily swam in his swamp, the lobbyists who provided the money that
kept it all afloat, even the governor who never spoke out about obvious
malfeasance, all smoothed Black’s path to the courthouse today. It’s
tragic, because they could have stopped it years ago by simply saying
no. Now they should be ashamed for Black and for themselves.
