Couple weeks ago the political class in North Carolina got a good chuckle out of state Rep. Larry Womble. Turns out the Winston-Salem Democrat went and spent somewhere around $160,000 for a Ferrari.
That’s the sleek silver machine parked on a Raleigh street.
As Greensboro reporter Mark Binker noted:
Womble lists his occupation as “retired educator.” He was a teacher and administrator in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system from 1963 through 1993. He’s been a member of the House since 1995 and was a Winston-Salem alderman from 1981-1993.
Right away folks started wondering. WBT’s Keith Larson even tried to get Womble to explain via phone more about how he came to afford the Ferrari, but Womble was not exactly cooperative.
Now comes a report out of Raleigh that Womble’s son received some unknown amount of cash from the Legislative Black Caucus non-profit foundation. That would be the same tax-exempt foundation that lawmakers solicit funds for from corporate and PAC deep pockets.
Mark Johnson and Ryan Teague Beckwith report:
Womble was the foundation’s second vice chair in 2005. The following year, his son, Jamaal, received two scholarship checks to attend Winston-Salem State University. It was unclear how much money he received.
And in 2007 Larry Womble buys a Ferrari. Life is good.
Incidentally, Rep. Beverly Earle, a Charlotte Democrat, chaired the Legislative Black Caucus until this year. Someone should ask her if she approved of Womble’s son getting the money.
And what is she driving these days?
Bonus Observation: This is the first story I recall an Observer reporter — Johnson — paired with a N&O scribe — Beckwith — under a McClatchy Newspapers byline.
