ROUZER WATCH: Lobbyist loophole in campaign finance law helps Rouzer

DAVID ROUZER'S TRACKS ARE TRACED BY NEWS REPORTS
COVERING HIS CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES -- FIRST IN A SERIES

Verne Strickland / Blogmaster / April 21, 2012

FROM NEWS & OBSERVER ARCHIVES, SEPT. 9, 2011

Submitted by cjarvis on 2011-09-01 17:12
Tags: Under the Dome | David Rouzer

It’s against the law in North Carolina for lobbyists to make campaign
contributions to members of the General Assembly – except when it’s
not: when they’re running for federal office.

That’s how two-term state Sen. David Rouzer, a Republican
representing Johnston and Wayne counties, is benefitting from a
fundraiser that several lobbyists are throwing for him.  Rouzer is
running for the newly drawncongressional seat held by Rep. Mike
McIntyre, a Democrat fromLumberton. Rouzer will remain in the
state Senate while he campaigns.

On Sept. 15, longtime lobbyist Theresa Kostrzewa will host the
fundraiser at her home in Raleigh. Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger
and senators Harry Brown, Neal Hunt and Richard Stevens will be there.
Several prominent lobbyists are also hosts, including Rufus Edmisten,
the former attorney general and secretary of state.

A flier for the event reminds attendees “federal law recognizes the
First Amendment rights of NC lobbyists and allows personal
contributions to be made to Congressional candidates!” Donors are
 invited to become one of the hosts for $2,500, or chip in lesser
amounts down to $100.

Campaign finance watchdog Bob Hall of Democracy N.C. told
Dome today, “I’m surprised these lobbyists would take advantage
of a loophole to make donations to a state legislator.

“The public will rightly wonder if the legislator pushes or blocks
a certain bill because of its merits or because of the money some
lobbyist handed over. The law tries to stop money and gifts from
being in the middle, but unfortunately it doesn’t seem to reach
state legislators running for federal office.”

Rouzer told the Wilmington Star-News, which reported on the
event in today’s paper, “every individual has as constitutional right
to participate in the political process."

Comments
September 2, 2011 - 7:59am — louisburgpatriot

First of all, Bob Hall is nothing but a progressive liberal partisan
hack that would not know the essence of objectivity or perspective
if it bit him. Governor Perdue has routinely accepted donation from
these "evil" lobbyists throughout her entire career. Oh wait...she is
a Democrat and Bob Hall is a ultra-liberal Democrats whose
"righteous" attacks only target Republicans.

Perhaps the lobbyist, Edmisten (a Democrat) and Kostrzewa might
 think that David Rouzer will serve the district and North Carolina
well in Congress.  Did anyone at the N&O know that Bob Hall is
actually a lobbyist?  Just offering a perspective!