There is now officially no reason for the secret fund. A new opinion from N.C. Elections Director Gary Bartlett makes clear that Jim Black can use his campaign coffers to pay his legal bills and those of his staff. One of Black’s lawyers had asked about using the funds is this manner back in December.
Now that the BOE has said yes, there is no reason for the Jim Black Legal Defense Fund to exist. Recall that it was set up by “friends” of Jim Black last March to help pay Black’s legal bills after Gov. Mike Whathisname capped the amount of taxpayer money Black’s lawyers could get at $30,000. They wanted something like $200,000.
By October we learned that the fund had accepted $5,000 from a Teamster PAC in August. But that was about all we know because donors to the fund are kept secret. That is in contrast to the campaign fund, which must report its contributions and spending. The latest report filed for Black’s campaign committee shows some $57,000 on hand.
The legal defense fund should go ahead and transfer any existing funds into the campaign coffer and go dormant until such time as Black is once again a private citizen. Stan Campbell, Addison Bell, and other Black cronies involved in the fund should be able to understand the importance of Black trying to re-build some measure of credibility as he closes the door on his political career.
