Shelby City Attorney Approves “License to Steal” Says it was legal since No Contract Existed!! because of Mayor’s self-advertisement Shelby’s Attorney Apparently forgets that “Soliciting” is also a violation!!! Report, evaluation and arguendo provided by Robert A. Williams
Editor’s Note: Say a “Rock Star” (a female hooked on “Rock” cocaine offering her sexual services in exchange for enough $$ to buy a rock of cocaine–often called a street whore) walks down the sidewalk of Shelby in front of City Hall soliciting prominent businessmen for prostitution is arrested for soliciting prostitution. The Rock Star’s Attorney tells Superior Court Judge Forrest Donald Bridges that the prominent businessman never had a written contract with the Rock Star for her services, therefore the Judge has to acquit. Which he does. Does that mean that the attorney has created a “License to Steal” for the street whore? Or for the prominent Shelby business man?
Read this real-life situation described below and decide whether or not the Shelby City Attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite is right or wrong?
Mr. Willie Green, when viewing an official City of Shelby Website advertisement for business to come to Shelby (that was also posted on the City of Shelby’s Facebook page) noticed that Shelby Mayor Stan Anthony was wearing his Personal Business (Boomerang Design), instead of a City of Shelby logo.
Note that additional evaluations were provided previously in my articled titled Shelby Mayor Stan Anthony Accused of Criminal Acts!! Requested to Resign immediately!! That was published October 28, 2020. The original complaints are provided below. Along with the “License to Steal” phony argument by Shelby City Attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite and another comment by Rev. Dante Murphy. As well as my latest research and evaluation.
Mr. Wille Green writes on October 27, 2020:
City Attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite,
The purpose of this email is to demand the resignation of Mayor Stan Anthony for his blatant disregard and violation of the North Carolina Criminal Self-Dealing Statute (G.S. 14-234).
In the attached picture and on the City of Shelby’s Facebook webpage, Mayor Anthony – while doing the people’s business – is receiving valuable free advertising for his business Boomerang Design by wearing his company’s (Boomerang Design) logo instead of wearing attire provided by the City of Shelby.If you recall, my wife (Dena Green) who serves on the School Board was told by the school’s attorney that she or her spouse could not receive a direct financial benefit as a school board member and her options were to immediately step down (not simply recuse herself) before the school board could even consider my proposal to purchase the old N. Shelby School or I would have to pulled my offer if she decided not to step-down.
When the issue of a conflict came up with City Councilwoman Violet Dukes, the excuse the City Attorney gave was, that Councilwoman Dukes did not receive a direct financial benefit from funding given to the Arts Council by the City of Shelby, where she is employed and therefore there was no conflict of interest. Mayor Anthony owns Boomerang Design, Mayor Anthony is advertising his company on the City’s website and Mayor Anthony is receiving a direct financial benefit. Thus – as in the options my wife was presented – Mayor Anthony chose to receive a direct financial benefit when he decided to advertise his company in the City’s promotion to open back up the city for business. This is not the first time that Mayor Anthony has been involved in criminal self-dealing, it is like he knows he can do it and get away with it.
We cannot continue to allow our public officials to continue to get away with their corrupt and discriminatory ways, they must start playing by the rules and obeying the law as we as citizens are required to do. All of this corrupt behavior and discriminatory practices that are taken place by our public officials will become a national spotlight if proactive measures of self-policing are not implemented.
Again, Mayor Anthony should resign NOW.
Willie A. Green, Sr.
Rev. Dante Murphy, in regard to Mr. Willie Green’s demand that Mayor Stan Anthony Resign, Made the following comment:
Mayor Anthony,
Please clarify if your company did any of the architectural work that you are referring to in the video. I assume you did since you are advertising your business. As I remember it was when Mr. Green refused to use your business that the partnership between the city and Mr. Green failed. Is it illegal to be doing this?
City of Shelby Attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite responds October 28, 2020 to Mr. Green’s Attorney of Record. Except Mr. Green does not have an Attorney of Record for this Demand for Mayor Stan Anthony Resign as it was made by Mr. Green as a personal matter of a private citizen. But, who knows, other citizens and taxpayers may end up filing lawsuits against the City of Shelby.
From: Andrea Fite
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2020 3:06 PM
Cc: Martha ThompsonSubject: Correspondence from Mr. Willie Green
Dear Mr. Andrade:
My name is Andrea Leslie-Fite, and I am the City Attorney for Shelby, North Carolina. It is my understanding that you represent Mr. Willie A. Green on several matters concerning the City of Shelby and/or its public officials. In an abundance of caution, and until I hear otherwise, I will assume Mr. Green is represented by counsel in accordance with Rule 4.2 of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct. On October 28, 2020, I received a copy of Mr. Green’s demand for Mayor Stan Anthony’s resignation (Attachment A).
G.S. 14-234 refers to public officers or employees benefitting from public contracts. Mr. Green asserted Mayor Anthony’s attire in a social media posting amounted to a violation of G.S. 14-234. I disagree. Specifically, 14¬234 prohibits a public official or employee from:
Deriving direct benefit from any public contract in which he is making or administering
Soliciting or receiving any gift, favor, reward, service, or promise of reward in exchange for the award of a public contract for the local government
Here, Mr. Green does not allege Mayor Anthony has a contract with the City nor does he allege Mayor Anthony is soliciting a contract with the City of Shelby. Without a public contract in question, this section is inapplicable. If you have more information which might be helpful in this analysis, I welcome it and a discussion with you about the same.
Sincerely,
Andrea Leslie-Fite
City Attorney
Now, for my Citizens analysis, evaluation and conclusion regarding the City of Shelby Attorney Andrea Leslie-Fite basing giving Shelby City Officials a “license to Steal in matters such as this.
1. Myself and others believe it is a longstanding tradition in Shelby as well as Cleveland County for public officials to use the influence of their official capacities to make money for themselves, their political friends and allies as well as family members. This tradition is often called corruption. If a black person is involved, it is called racism. In such cases I believe it is more corruption than racism.
2. The Shelby City Attorney reports to City Manager Rick Howell instead of the City Council itself. Rick Howell has already shown himself to operate with illegal or malicious intent as shown by Superior Court Judge W. Todd Pomeroy’s ruling against Rick Howells claim of immunity.
3. Mr. Willie Green is NOT an attorney himself, but can read the laws of North Carolina as well as me, you, any citizen or lawyer. Perhaps Mr. Green’s particular “read” of that particular law might have been in error, but his statement of Mayor Stan Anthony’s actions was totally correct and verified by the advertisement on Shelby City’s website and Facebook page.
4. The fact show Mayor Stan Anthony did indeed advertised his very own business by wearing a Boomerang Design logo on his person while participating in the Commercial as a Shelby City Official soliciting business for Shelby.
5. Rev. Murphy’s Comment was also correct. Mr. Green did originally contract with Boomerang Design for preliminary work on his proposed Sports Complex, however, Mr. Green chose a more competitive architect for the remainder of the work. That was when the City of Shelby “soured” on doing business with Mr. Willie Green. On the Sports Complex and everything else. Clearly showing everybody has to “pay to play” to do business in Shelby. And you don’t play when you don’t pay.
6. Attorney Fite mentioned “soliciting” twice in her response to Mr. Green. But only in the case of Mayor Anthony seeking contracts with the City of Shelby. It is likely possible that Mayor Anthony already gets all the business he wants from1 the City of Shelby. Or possibly gets kickbacks from others who somehow pay for the use of his influence with the City of Shelby. Could that be why Attorney Fite limited her investigation of the facts so narrowly in this matter.
7. The “Race Card.” Did the City of Shelby use “Plantation Politics” in the process of fighting Mr. Willie Green’s complaints by bringing in a “Black and Female” City Attorney??? I certainly don’t know the answer to that. I will let you Shelby residents’ figure that out.
The bottom line is this. If there are no laws or city policies keeping Mayor Stan Anthony from doing what he did, there certainly should be one drafted up immediately. And, a word for all you Shelby Officials. The World is watching. And you know what I mean.
PS: I will give the honor to Rev. Dante Murphy for the last word here:
Rev Murphy says:
Blessings to All,
To keep you apprised of the demand for Stan Anthony’s resignation I want to forward the attached legal opinion of Rick Howell’s attorney, Andrea Fite–as it is my understanding, he supervises Attorney Fite in his capacity as City Manager. I also want to make a formal complaint to District Attorney Mike Miller, Sheriff Alan Norman, and the SBI for investigation of this matter.
Rev. Dante’ Murphy