A new poll from Elon University finds over 70 percent of those polled who know about the ethics could hanging over him have little or no confidence in Speaker Jim Black. Big surprise there.

The actual surprise is that there remain a core of die-hard Jim Black supporters in Charlotte and elsewhere — call them the 30 percenters. Just who are these folks who continue to give money to Jim Black? State election records tell an interesting tale.

A couple are fairly obvious, like Mecklenburg County Commission members Parks Helms and Dumont Clarke. Then we have the long-time boosters like Cyndee Patterson, president of the Duke Mansion, who gave Black $4,000 recently. The Duke Mansion, of course, received big state grants via Black.

Various local Harrises — Dee Dee, John, Cameron — have kept the cash flowing too — a maximum of $12,000 state records show.

Then there’s the ubiquitous Mac Everett, former Wachovia exec, Charlotte Chamber president, UNC Board member, and current Charlotte Bobcats board member and investor. Mac was good for $4000 last year. Developer Howard “Smoky” Bissell of the Bissell Companies was also good for $4000 just at the end of June.

Couple other important to remember names, Phil Dubois, chancellor of UNCC, Phillip Blumenthal of the Blumenthal Foundation, Rick Hendrick, Bob Cordle of the state elections board, and Peter Gilchrist, DA for Mecklenburg. All recently chipped to support the good works of Jim Black.

Gilchrist must’ve wanted to thank Black for Mecklenburg running 27 courtrooms a day, an overflowing jail, and so few assistant DAs that all but the most notorious crimes get a plea bargain. Thanks Mr. Speaker!

And a couple more that make you go “hmmmm.” There’s “developer” Paul Butler, of the North Carolina Southeast Partnership, good for $4000. But he is actually a state employee. Then there’s the Bell South PAC — another $4000 and new state regs giving the Bells everything they want to get into the TV biz.

And here’s one to keep in mind with the Teamsters looking to organize school bus drivers (they already represent CATS drivers) — $4000 from the Drive Political Fund.

So what’s your confidence level in Jim Black? How about your opinion of the men and women, and their respective endeavors, who help to keep Jim Black in office?