Jon Ham at Right Angles and Jeff Taylor at the Meck Deck have already pointed out the soft treatment provided former speaker Jim Black by elected officials and the Raleigh paper of record.
I just want to point out this bit from Rob Christensen’s column
The downfall of the former House speaker might say as much about a political system veering out of control as it does about human frailties.
It was a system that Black, during his eight years as speaker, helped create. Power was increasingly concentrated in a few legislative hands. Lawmakers raised millions of dollars from special interest groups for political war chests. They handed out favors to powerful industries and professional associations, such as video poker vendors and optometrists.
Talk about shifting blame. I don’t remember hearing any such weeping over Jack Abramoff or Ponzi schemers (although FDR and LBJ are considered great presidents for their schemes). Eva Peron couldn’t ask for better treatment.
