Speaker of the House Tim Moore Accused of Ethics Violation by “Progressive” Democrat Leaning Group!!! True or More Democrat False News-Phony Baloney?? Report and evaluation by Robert A. Williams

A so called government watchdog group called “Campaign for Accountability” (CfA) has filed an official complaint against NC District 111 Representative Tim Moore with the State Ethics Commission alleging Tim used his official capacity as Speaker of the House for personal gain.

According to a recent article in the “Daily Haymaker” (no friend of Tim Moore) reports the CfA is a “progressive organization” that only files complaints against conservatives and Republicans. Liberal Newspapers like the Charlotte Observer, the News and Observer and the Shelby Star headline their article to say Tim has “allegedly” used his official position in State Government for personal profit. Another article published by internet fact checkers in 2015 (two years before this complaint against Tim Moore refers to CfA stuff as “Zombie Journalism” and asked news media who reported about CfA claims “did any of these reporters watchdog the watchdogs?”

Most liberals, including Democrats, the LGBTs, Phillip “Bully” Glover, soundly defeated CCS School Board member Kathy Falls and such groups as the “Me Too-ers” automatically believe fake news without question of whether it is actually true or just flat out false news. Something I call “Phony-Baloney.” We don’t do that! We look at the facts, ask questions, do our research and find the truth as best we can. And then form our opinions based on fact, not fiction. Not fake news. Not Phony Baloney.

In this case we have looked over all the allegations put out by the Campaign for Accountability and reprinted in the Charlotte Observer, the News and Observer and the Shelby Star and see many similarities to fake news-Phony Baloney tactics to damage conservative-Republican political reputations right before an election and right after the filing for office closes so another conservative cannot sign up to run for the office. Knowing a cloud of doubt is over Tim Moore’s head that can’t be cleared up until after the election. This is an old and dirty trick that often works with low information voters. And fills the news rooms today more than ever with a fixation against President Donald Trump that certain folks want to copy-cat onto Tim Moore.

Also, politicians that do use their political offices for personal gain are so common that it is hard not to believe that Tim Moore may be one of them.

In this particular situation we find the allegations against Tim Moore as a co-owner of a company that made a very large profit in a land flip in a far away county relatively compelling. But just as compelling is why the other owners are not identified. We will identify them. Rebecca Standridge, formerly from Cleveland County, is the President and registering agent for Southeast Land Holdings, LLC. Tim Moore of Kings Mountain is a member as are David and Michelle Welsh of Lake Wylie, SC. This group started out as Southeast Recycling related to a divorce settlement between Rebecca Standridge and the late Billy Standridge and later morphed into Southeast Land Holdings. I have found no records indicating the particular business arrangements that brought Tim Moore into this group although it is possible that somewhere along the line Tim was involved in legal work for Rebecca Standridge. There are no indications of anything improper with Tim Moore’s business arrangement with Southeast Land Holdings that I can find.

Also, unlike other political offices that are full time and you have to divest your personal business interests, the North Carolina General Assembly is made up of so called “part-time representatives” who only take time away from their individual livelihoods to represent the people. Tim’s role in making an honest profit for his company is neither illegal or unethical all by itself. However, after saying that, it would be illegal and unethical to sell political favors for cash or “launder” the cash for political favors through land flips that produce large profits for the office holder.

Tim Moore is also accused of allegedly using his political position to limit environmental remediation costs associated with two allegedly leaking underground fuel storage tanks that were on the property in question when the property was purchased. Many in Cleveland County are familiar with the uproar over the many leaking underground storage tanks that contaminated soil and the so-called “land farming” method of remediating the contaminated soil. Perhaps that is why the property was sold so cheap to Southeast Land Holdings. Who knows? It is also unknown why the NC Department of Environmental Quality did not go after the original owner of the property as fuel tanks develop leaks over time. Not just when a property is sold. It is very likely Southeast Land Holdings did not know about the problems with the fuel tanks when they bought the property. I have heard of a time in Cleveland County when a certain oil company got out of their responsibility to clean up leaking underground fuel storage tanks by selling the tanks in exchange for a banana. Many will remember that happening.

There were also allegations about Tim Moore using his position to indirectly make the profitable land flip by helping the new owners get grants and favorable county property tax concessions for the new owners. Tax concessions of $1,7 million. Well, many new jobs came with the deal and the Chatham County Commissioners were proud of giving the tax concessions. Cleveland County just gave Clearwater Paper twenty times that much to facilitate their expansion. If anything needs investigation, we should start with this awesome giveaway of taxpayer money right here at home.

Anyway, I have looked over the CfA complaint and their documentation and cannot find a “smoking gun” that shows beyond a doubt that Tim Moore did anything illegal or unethical. I only found allegations without sufficient proof to substantiate wrongdoing.

My conclusion is this. These allegations are serious and deserve investigation. Let the State Ethics Commission or even the SBI do their thing. Tim may be completely correct in his statement that all of this is just a “political plow.” In the meantime, we have to consider that David Brinkley, a Democrat and a Kings Mountain Elite Club member with only a “Fair” reputation (according to those who rate such things) has filed to run against Tim Moore for the NC 111 District Representative. We also have to consider that Tim Moore is Speaker of the House and if Tim is run off by “smoke and mirrors” his influence and power and Cleveland County’s influence and power in state politics will be lost. Totally lost.

My recommendation in all of this is as follows:
It is the middle of March and Election Day is November 6, 2018. Plenty of time to let this situation play out and to make an informed decisions on who to vote for. And, we will be doing our own investigations on both Tim Moore and David Brinkley between now and then. Don’t be fooled by all the fake news about Russian Meddling in the last election or the more than possible fake news of the CfA meddling in the election between Tim Moore and David Brinkley this year. Knowledge is power. Get yourself informed (and we will help with that) and make an informed and knowledgeable choice on election day. Most of all, just stay tuned, and get out to vote on election day