Press ignores McIntyre staffer's sick outburst at jobfest. We do the job they didn't.

By Verne Strickland
March 30, 2011

Seventh District Congressman Mike McIntyre hosted a “Jobs Creation Summit” this week at the northern campus of Cape Fear Community College near Castle Hayne.

But then you have probably heard about that. Not the actual meeting itself. That was a bust according to a report sent to me during the "summit":

"Half of the audience walked out during the middle and second half of the program. It was completely ineffective."

No, anything that happened with the program will surely not be remembered. It's what happened during the event that Congressman McIntyre and his people would like to forget.

A bizarre incident that went under the radar, at least as far as the audience was concerned, was captured and reported by an alert news team representing WWAY-TV3 of Wilmington. Here's an excerpt of from their story:

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)March 29, 2011 -- During Rep. Mike McIntyre's jobs summit today, one of the Congressman's staffers made some interesting comments to us.

After he saw Del Pietro, a Democrat who plans to challenge McIntyre in the primary, talking to our crew, McIntyre's economic development director Tony McEwen pulled them aside.

McEwen told us Pietro is "crazy," "shaky," "schizophrenic" and "not all there."

Pietro says McEwen is trying to destroy his reputation because he knows he is a serious contender to beat the Congressman.

"I think average folks like us should be able to run for public office without having to endure dirty politics," Pietro said.

"Quite frankly this is exactly what the folks in this Congressional district and across America are exhausted by. Our political system can be very dirty, and this is clearly an indication of that."

When asked about McEwen's comments, McIntyre's Chief of Staff said in an e-mail to WWAY, "(A)ny comments Tony McEwen made with regard to the subject manner you referenced were not authorized by, nor reflective of, this office."

When asked if he, the Congressman or McEwen would like a chance to talk on camera or by phone about what was said and Pietro's reaction, Mitchell e-mailed back, "We have no further comment. Thanks."

VS: But Pietro did have some further comments, which he offered in an exclusive interview for USA DOT COM:


Pietro: “The slanderous attack that Tony McEwen used against me with a WWAY reporter is just very unfortunate. I fully plan to pursue all legal avenues to put a stop to this. It’s just completely inappropriate.”

VS: How did this happen to erupt like this?

Pietro:“All I did was say hello to the WWAY reporter who was there. And after that the WWAY news director told me the reporter was pulled aside and told of all these slanderous remarks. WWAY called me immediately to get my comments on it, and it was such a serious situation that I was asked to go down to the station and get a face-to-face interview.”

VS: What are you considering in the wake of this incident?

Pietro: “I’m going to be pursuing all avenues in terms of civil litigation against Tony McEwen and the congressman. Tony is a representative of the congressman, and is doing the congressman’s dirty work, and basically the congressman is accountable for Tony’s remarks. They are baseless and it’s saddening that the congressman and his staff would stoop to this level.”

VS: You said that Mr. McEwan has run afoul of federal law?

Pietro: “Yes, he’s a federal employee covered by the Hatch Act, as I understand it, and he is not supposed to be campaigning while he is working in any way, shape or form. That’s the way I understand the law, and he clearly violated that law. When he made those remarks, he is technically campaigning against me. That’s an issue that’s to be reported to the Federal Government."

VS: What does the Democratic Party have to say about all this?

Pietro: “Tony is the State’s third vice chair of the party, and I was just told by a local Democrat that the party is going to put forth a resolution at our convention asking him to resign his office. This will be at either the county or the district level.

“This is just very dirty politics, and it’s uncalled for. They should be able to campaign on substance, but apparently if they don’t feel they can beat me on substance, they will just resort to these types of attacks.

“A call was made to the congressman’s office by the chair of the Democratic Party for the Seventh District, Melvin Williams, making him aware of what transpired, and explaining that I’m looking for a sincere apology from the congressman and Tony McEwan, and also asking for disciplinary action against Tony for slanderous comments.

“I am in consultation with an attorney right now to discuss what my legal options are in terms of filing a civil suit against both Tony and the congressman. This wasn’t typical political rhetoric, this was a direct slanderous attack, and I’m not going to tolerate it.”



VS: News media in the area treated the McIntyre job summit tempest like a hot potato. Although Pietro said he talked with StarNews reporter Patrick Gannon about the incident, the embarrassing political dust-up was ignored in Wednesday's print edition.

In an earlier time, this would probably be the end of awkward moments like this. In this hidebound Cape Fear region, which has been a Democrat stronghold for a century, no self-respecting news organization would have ventured the faintest suggestion of such a gaffe involving a powerful Democrat's staff.

But this is 2011, friends, and thank God for the Internet. No longer do Republicans and their supporters have to resort to sky writing or leaflet drops to report the news.

And no longer do we have to plead with pompous "news" writers to drop a favorable line or two about our agenda somewhere on the obituary page. Today, we don't have to run our information through a Democrat filter which sanitizes the copy into total obscurity.

Why? The American public has the Internet.

Free at last, free at last . . . as the late MLK famously intoned.

So I did my bit on my USA DOT COM blog, and some readers generously commented.



Blogger Darvin Dowdy said...

HEY DEL: I get your indignity "but" what you're experiencing is the norm from the main-stream DNC. We Tea Party conservatives have had to to endure slanderous attacks, such as this and worse, continuously by Democrats. We've just learned to try to ignore them. Sometimes its difficult.

Just know that the "folks" out in NC7 don't think you are crazy. They're cheering you on. Keep applying pressure and bring some civility back to the Democrat Party. (great interview, Verne!) DD
March 30, 2011 4:39 AM


Andy Yates commented on your link.
Andy wrote: "Tony McEwen is paid by our tax dollars and was on the clock when these statements were made. He shouldn't be commenting on political candidates or engaging political activities. What else is McEwen doing to attempt to advance McIntyre's political future while he is on the clock?"

VS: Then there was an assortment of comments posted on the WWAY message board:


Disgusting
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Wed, 03/30/2011 - 8:27am.

This story is disgusting and for McEwen to espouse such dirty rhetoric is indicative of McIntyre and his office. Is this what happens when an entrenched incumbent has a legitimate challenger? I hope this is the straw that broke the camels back for McIntyre. McEwen should be fired.
»

Snakes, etc...
Submitted by Loyal Democrat (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 11:56pm.

I know both of the gentlemen you have written about in your story. If either of them is "not all there" or "schizophrenic" it isn't Del Pietro. I think Tony McEwen's actions demonstrated that he is the type of ambitious politician who would sell his grandmother to meet his needs. It isn't the first time I have seen him behave in this manner.

On the other hand, Del Pietro is a True Democrat, loyal to the party and to the President who says what he believes and follows through on those beliefs. He would make a fine, honest Congressman representing our district.
»


Smear tactics???
Submitted by Scar1 (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 9:25pm.

Del is kind enough not to slap Mike in the face for that one. How very low to smear someone's character. And Del has kids and family that will read such accusations. How would Mr. McIntyre like it if someone said this to his children. Del's children are young but can hear others repeat such "trash". How cruel can one be? Apologize!!!!!

Perhaps he is afraid Del will win. And with this type action he has my vote. How nasty!!!
»

Has a lot of Potential
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 8:49pm.

If you look at Pietro's calm and cool demeanor he certainly looks like someone that is going to be a serious contender. So far when I've seen him in news clips he has been very knowledgeable and articulate. He very well could be our next Congressman.
»

A true Democrat
Submitted by True Independent (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 7:50pm.

Actual, from what I've read, Pietro sounds like a real Democrat.
McIntyre is a Democrat in name only. There must be something about Pietro that makes McIntyre worry because I don't think he would waste his time commenting on someone he considers truly "crazy".
It would be nice to have a real Democrat in the congressional race for a change.
»

McIntyre is Dirty
Submitted by Mike Miller (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 7:05pm.

The real story here that we need to capitalize on is that McIntyre and his staff are dirty. This is a golden opportunity for us to expose McIntyre for what he is.
»

Remarks
Submitted by Tea Party (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 6:29pm.

What the real story here is how dirty the Congressman and his staffer are. Who cares what this guy's political philosophy is. This is a golden opportunity for us to capitalize on the fact that McIntyre is a dirty politician. Desperate is probably a better term.
»

Remarks (FOOLISH remarks)
Submitted by hugh (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 9:58pm.

Mike is honorable and is not remotely "dirty". This is irrelevant to you and your other desparate supporters who can only try to gain ground by lying and distorting the truth and record of a senior Congressman who has been a great asset to his district. "A golden opportunity to capitalize" is all you seek without regard for the truth--you are indeed desparate.Save your slander.

*****************

VS: Well, it takes all kinds. We could go on and on but you get the idea. Interesting how the lack of civility and respect which the Democrats preach but don't practice at the national level also infects party hacks down the line.

Del Pietro is as quiet now as the press which has failed to give a fair report of this -- or any report at all. Pietro has said his piece, and likely has now fallen silent because he has hired that attorney he mentioned to go after Mike McIntyre Incorporated.

See you in court, boys.

Danny McComas sells out on illegal immigration, but HB 33 passes anyway. What the hell?

Verne Strickland Blogmaster


ALIPAC Release
March 30, 2011

The North Carolina House of Representatives just set a national precedent on behalf of American workers, students, taxpayers, and voters who suffer from the ill effects of illegal immigration by passing HB 33 which is now headed to the NC Senate.

House Bill 33 prevents all state and local governments from accepting the worthless Matricula Consular cards sold by the Mexican government to illegal aliens on US soil or to anyone looking to create false identification.

Every Democrat in the NC House stood with illegal alien invaders on the bill except for one. The Democrats of North Carolina were unified in their support of continued illegal immigration.

Two traitor Republicans voted with the Democrats in support of aiding and abetting illegal immigrants with bogus Matricula IDs.

Thank goodness this historic bill passed 64-53. There were 64 representatives voting with Americans and 53 voting with the Mexican Consul and the illegal immigrants they support.

Daniel "Danny" McComas, a Republican from Wilmington and New Hanover County, voted against HB 33. He voted to protect illegal aliens using Matricula ID to steal jobs, classroom seats, and other taxpayer resources from Americans.

He joined illegal alien supporting Republican Representative Jeff Barnhart who hails from Concord, NC in Cabarrus County.

Barnhart's support for illegal aliens comes as no surprise since he was one of the two Republican sponsors of the infamous HB 1183 bill back in 2005. That bill sought to provide in-state tuition benefits for illegal immigrants who would have replaced innocent NC Students in our limited college seats at taxpayer expense!

How in the world a sellout Republican like Barnhart is still in office after supporting a highly visible bill like HB 1183, which 81% of likely NC voters oppose according to poling by the JWP Civitas organization in Raleigh, is a mystery.

Perhaps Danny McComas should look at what happened to Barnhart's last Republican accomplice aiding illegal immigrant invaders in NC. Republican Representative John Sauls of Lee County encountered such a strong backlash over his anti-American behavior and support for taxpayer benefits for illegal aliens that he resigned at the end of the same year that HB 1183 was soundly defeated.

I guess many of us who consider ourselves to be true conservatives assumed that the Republicans in Jeff Barnhart's district would take care of business in the primaries by removing such a vulnerable candidate. This is usually the case around the country, but yet Barnhart remains to continue with his pro illegal alien voting record in Raleigh.

Jeff Barnhart and Danny McComas voting with Democrats to support illegal aliens is bad enough, but for them to break ranks with the Republican Caucus at a time when Republicans have gained control of the NC Legislature for the first time in 130 years adds further insult to conservatives.

The North Carolina Republican Party does not need illegal immigration supporting lawmakers like Jeff Barnhart and Danny McComas when they show a pattern of working and voting alongside liberal extremists like Representative Paul Luebke and Deborah Ross on legislation.

Let us call upon Republican lawmakers in North Carolina, along with the NC GOP, Republican Auxiliary organizations, Tea Party groups, and conservative activists to unify to assure that both Representatives Barnhart and McComas face tier 1 GOP primary challengers in 2012!

Qualified and dedicated Republican candidates should be able to easily dispatch both of these gentlemen from the elected official list by contacting GOP voters with their voting records showing alignment with illegal immigrants and urban liberals like Luebke and Ross.

According to the polling data, both McComas and Barnhart and their Democratic allies are out of alignment with approximately 80% of all likely NC voters and those numbers are probably higher in a GOP primary scenario.

HB 33 is now headed to the NC Senate where the Mexican Consulate and other illegal immigration supporters are counting on RINO (Republican In Name Only) Republicans to join with liberal Democrats as McComas and Barnhart did to stop any significant state level protections against illegal immigration.

It would only take about three Republicans to jump ship in the NC Senate to stop these bills.

We can also count on the open borders invasion lobby to try to persuade President Pro Tempore Phil Berger to resume the old tactics of the Democrats and suppress these bills in committee.

The North Carolina public, including members of both parties and every race, must send a very clear message to the Democrats and the Republican traitors who would join them in their support for the invasion of our state that we will remember next November.

In fact, it is long past due that we set up a special committee in North Carolina that will work to establish more direct contact with voters in the districts of lawmakers who vote against immigration enforcement bills in our state.

We have enough friends and allies in the General Assembly right now that we can detect and illuminate any person or group that tries to stop these bills behind the scenes. We are going to light them up for all to see if they try to stop our bills.

The NC House is obviously in good hands under the leadership of Speaker Tillis and the fine leaders he has arrayed around him in key positions.

The NC Senate Republicans are yet to be tested on this issue.

We do know that illegal immigration issues were one of the top motivating factors behind NC voters throwing the Democrats out of power after 130 years! Republicans promised real change and while the top GOP leadership tried to dodge the issue on the statewide level, many Republican candidates who won promised voters action to stop illegal immigrants from running amok in NC.

Let's go ahead and line up candidates and campaigns to replace RINOs like Barnhart and McComas in the NC House immediately. Let's send a clear message to all Democrats and sellout Republicans that we will fight and remove anyone that stands in the way of our efforts to protect NC workers who are losing their jobs and wages to illegals, NC students who are losing their college seats to illegals, NC taxpayers who are losing over 1 Billion dollars in stolen resources, and NC voters who are losing their voting power due to elections fraud and corruption involving illegals.

There are other RINOs on the NC Senate side negotiating with power groups like the Mexican Consulate and we need to send a clear message that we are ready to take them on if they dare to try to stop legislation supported by 80% of NC voters.

Over 90% of the NC Republican lawmakers are doing their job to represent the people of our state. Now, let us do our job by setting the task of removing those who would deny the public defense against this invasion from office in the next election cycle.

For any who we fail to remove in 2012, let us push again year after year until we elect Americans who support Americans instead of illegal alien invaders and their power groups.

Copies of this letter will be sent to Republican leaders in each county that Barnhart and McComas represent and let our efforts here in NC be an example for all states trying to defend against invasion. Let's hold these invasion supporting state lawmakers accountable by removing them from office in primaries and general elections.

William Gheen
President, Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC)
www.alipac.us

Mike McIntyre staff member calls Democrat candidate Del Pietro "crazy", "not all there".

Verne Strickland Blogmaster
March 29, 2011

WILMINGTON JOBS CREATION EVENT SCENE OF STRANGE ROW INVOLVING CONGRESSMAN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TONY McEWEN, WHO INSULTS McINTYRE'S CHALLENGER.

Seventh District Congressman Mike McIntyre hosted a “Jobs Creation Summit” today at the northern campus of Cape Fear Community College near Castle Hayne.

Reports from the event said it was not well-received, and a number of people left early.

Wilmington resident Del Pietro, Democratic candidate in the 2012 NC Seventh District primary, was in attendance. He said earlier that he was going to be looking for a job – McIntyre’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The most exciting activity took place backstage at the meeting, as reported by WWAY-TV3 News of Wilmington:

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) -- During Rep. Mike McIntyre's jobs summit today, one of the Congressman's staffers made some interesting comments to us.

After he saw Del Pietro, a Democrat who plans to challenge McIntyre in the primary, talking to our crew, McIntyre's economic development director Tony McEwen pulled them aside.

McEwen told us Pietro is "crazy," "shaky," "schizophrenic" and "not all there."

Pietro says McEwen is trying to destroy his reputation because he knows he is a serious contender to beat the Congressman.

"I think average folks like us should be able to run for public office without having to endure dirty politics," Pietro said.

"Quite frankly this is exactly what the folks in this Congressional district and across America are exhausted by. Our political system can be very dirty, and this is clearly an indication of that."

When asked about McEwen's comments, McIntyre's Chief of Staff said in an e-mail to WWAY, "(A)ny comments Tony McEwen made with regard to the subject manner you referenced were not authorized by, nor reflective of, this office."

When asked if he, the Congressman or McEwen would like a chance to talk on camera or by phone about what was said and Pietro's reaction, Mitchell e-mailed back, "We have no further comment. Thanks."

END OF WWAY-TV3 NEWS CONTINUITY

Verne Strickland, USA DOT COM:

After the incident, we contacted candidate Del Pietro for an exclusive interview. Here is part of what he said.

Pietro: “The slanderous attack that Tony McEwen used against me with a WWAY reporter is just very unfortunate. I fully plan to pursue all legal avenues to put a stop to this. It’s just completely inappropriate.”

VS: How did this happen to erupt like this?

Pietro:“All I did was say hello to the WWAY reporter who was there. And after that the WWAY news director told me the reporter was pulled aside and told of all these slanderous remarks. WWAY called me immediately to get my comments on it, and it was such a serious situation that I was asked to go down to the station and get a face-to-face interview.”

VS: What are you considering in the wake of this incident?

Pietro: “I’m going to be pursuing all avenues in terms of civil litigation against Tony McEwen and the congressman. Tony is a representative of the congressman, and is doing the congressman’s dirty work, and basically the congressman is accountable for Tony’s remarks. They are baseless and it’s saddening that the congressman and his staff would stoop to this level.”

VS: You said that Mr. McEwan has run afoul of federal law?

Pietro: “Yes, he’s a federal employee covered by the Hatch Act, as I understand it, and he is not supposed to be campaigning while he is working in any way, shape or form. That’s the way I understand the law, and he clearly violated that law. When he made those remarks, he is technically campaigning against me. That’s an issue that’s to be reported to the Federal Government."

VS: What does the Democratic Party have to say about all this?

Pietro: “Tony is the State’s third vice chair of the party, and I was just told by a local Democrat that the party is going to put forth a resolution at our convention asking him to resign his office. This will be at either the county or the district level.

“This is just very dirty politics, and it’s uncalled for. They should be able to campaign on substance, but apparently if they don’t feel they can beat me on substance, they will just resort to these types of attacks.

“A call was made to the congressman’s office by the chair of the Democratic Party for the Seventh District, Melvin Williams, making him aware of what transpired, and explaining that I’m looking for a sincere apology from the congressman and Tony McEwan, and also asking for disciplinary action against Tony for slanderous comments.

“I am in consultation with an attorney right now to discuss what my legal options are in terms of filing a civil suit against both Tony and the congressman. This wasn’t typical political rhetoric, this was a direct slanderous attack, and I’m not going to tolerate it.”

Huffington Post Attacks Marine Candidate Ilario Pantano For Service

Verne Strickland Blogmaster

March 29, 2011

Ilario Pantano, GOP candidate for U.S. Congress in the 7th District, has posted a criticism of Huffington Post, propagandist for various and sundry liberal causes. Pantano's specific complaint is HuffPo's tiresome renewal of character assassination linked to the "Fallujah Factor" -- which has become predictable cover from which to mount sniper attacks by the radical left on slow news days. Wilmington resident and family man Pantano speaks to his supporters here, and asks not only for their resistance to these specious verbal assaults, but also for contributions to help counter "the barrage of lies against me."



Dear Fellow Patriot,

It seems like the Huffington Post is heavy on the huff and light on posts these days.

In an editorial, veiled as news, they're at it again distorting the truth about my service in the Marine Corps. Why? Because I stand for the conservative values that you do. But this time, their attacks are so distorted, so distant from reality, it wouldn't have any trouble passing as a fairy tale.

Because I'm not afraid to stand up and fight for our conservative values, I have become a target for the radical left. Accusing me of "premeditated murder", they have tried to twist facts of my service to suit their own need to demonize and discredit the American troops honorably fighting in a very real, very dangerous, and on-going wars. Liberals across the internet are parroting the attacks because they know the kind of change I plan to bring to Washington, and they fear it. They fear that your voice will truly be heard.

As a Marine, I wasn't given the option of picking my wars or choosing where to serve. Any Marine who has gone off to fight knows the cost, risks, and burden it brings to the nation that supports them. We put our hand in the air and ask to "send me." Without reservation, I would have given my life for my country and I had the honor of leading a platoon of Marines that felt the same. That is why I cannot sit by and let our country be taken apart brick by brick with liberal policies designed to weaken us.

I know their attacks on me won't stop. But neither will the work of a nation I swore to defend. America's challenges are growing by the day and I'm eager to return to my country's service – this time defending her in Washington instead of in lands far away. I've put my hand in the air to run for Congress, inspired by my friend Allen West. A proud veteran, Congressman West came up short on his first run, but the American people knew the man he was and fought to get him elected.

With the liberal machine working to tarnish my service, I needed to get an early start this time. We need to get our office open and start spreading the word amongst our activists. My first reporting deadline of the 2012 cycle is just 48 hours away, so now more than ever, I need your help. I need you to stand with against these biased attacks, filled with lies and untruths. With an immediate contribution, you will give my campaign tools we need to fight back and stand up to the lies with the truth.

Just looking at the television reminds us that we live in a dangerous world that requires leaders who understand the type of strong, steady decision making necessary to ensure peace. Our armed forces are now engaged in a third conflict, asking even more from an already stressed military. Having fought two wars myself, I have lived President Reagan's mantra of "Peace Through Strength." I know his conservative ideas work and I want to champion them. Will you help me to do that by making a contribution before the deadline?

We need leaders in Congress that respect the challenges they face in war, and understand the struggle families face at home. I will work to find the solutions we need to build a strong and prosperous future that will recover our economy and keep America strong for future generations.

I'm ready to lead, but I need your help to get there.

Sincerely,

Ilario Pantano
Republican for Congress - NC-7

info@pantanoforcongress.com

Del Pietro: NC Seventh District 'going nowhere' under Mike McIntyre -- after 14 years!

By Verne Strickland
March 28, 2011

"His tenure appears to have fallen flat as far as generating any real progress for the poor, disadvantaged and sick people in his own county," said Wilmington resident Del Pietro of current U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre.

Robeson County is where McIntyre keeps his residence, and Pietro says if he's not taking care of the home folks, he is not taking care of business.

"The first thing you should do in politics and business is benchmark," advises Pietro, 38, an announced candidate to challenge McIntyre in the 2012 Democratic primary.

Redistricting, though, which will be shaped within the coming few weeks, could change a lot of things. It's not clear what the Seventh District will look like after a GOP-dominated redistricting committee finishes its work. Candidate match-ups, district boundaries, and even party switching make the whole scenario fluid and dynamic.

Pietro has long talked of challenging McIntyre. He can do that even if McIntyre's home County of Robeson is carved out of the Seventh District and placed in an adjoining District, such as the Eighth -- which makes sense to many observers.

Robeson is where McIntyre votes, so he has the responsibility -- or blame -- for much of what happens there in terms of opportunity and quality of life. It's not a situation he brags about.

"If you take a look at what the economics and the health statistics were in Robeson County, his home county, when he took office, until now, these benchmarks haven’t improved one bit," Pietro asserts. "We just have to wait until the new census figures come out to prove what is my assumption -- that the situation has probably even worsened on Mr. McIntyre's watch."

According to Democrat challenger Pietro, a family man and resident of Wilmington, McIntyre gets low marks for leadership, low ratings for planning and execution -- both required in order to change the fate of people in his county and district.

"The most astounding thing is that Congressman McIntyre has no plan, and never has had a plan, for the future of his own District. I’ve never seen one and nobody knows of one. So he doesn't have an idea which way to go, and can be accurately described as totally reactionary,"

McIntyre describes himself as a conservative, but Pietro charges that he votes in the conservative column just enough to get re-elected in his District, where this stance plays well.

"We have here an opportunist who does just enough to get elected," Pietro commented. "He knows the liberals in the district are going to vote for him no matter what. So he appeases conservatives every now and then by throwing them a bone, such as his vote to repeal health care. And nobody calls him out. It's shameful."

Congressman McIntyre will host a "Job Creation Summit" on Tuesday, March 29, from 10:00 am to 12 noon at the Cape Fear Community College north campus, 4500 Blue Clay Road in Castle Hayne. The event is free and open to the public.

Candidate Pietro is not impressed.

"It's just another photo op, doesn't stand a chance of accomplishing anything for the unemployed, under-educated, sick and impoverished people in his district. This should have taken place ten years ago," said Pietro.

"Robeson County is right at the top of the heap when it comes to need, and right at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to any hope of eventually climbing out.
That's not going to change under a Congressman whose claim to fame is bringing in a new firetruck or a few loads of sand," Pietro concluded.

Del Pietro said he will attend McIntyre's job creation summit on Tuesday. "I'm looking for a job too -- representing the Seventh District in the U.S. Congress," Pietro said.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Del-Pietro-NC-7th-Congressional-District/131774246836913

http://www.facebook.com/mikemcintyre

U.N.: One Quarter of North Koreans Face Starvation. (It's the system, stupid!)

THANK GOD FOR AMERICA -- AND OUR PRODUCTIVE, EFFICIENT U.S. FARMERS!

Verne Strickland Blogmaster


NEWSMAX.COM March 28, 2011

North Korea’s government food distribution system will run out of supplies in May and place a quarter of the nation’s citizens at risk of starvation, according to the U.N. World Food Program.

Dire reports about food shortages in the communist country are not uncommon, but the current situation is worse than in recent years, the agency warns.

Floods and extreme cold this winter have devastated crops and an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has ravaged North Korea’s livestock, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“Vulnerable members of society are currently facing increasing shocks to their daily coping strategies, leaving them on a knife edge,” the WFP said in a statement.

Daily rations in the country have reportedly been reduced to 360 grams a day. At one hospital visited by WFP staffers, 136 children were being treated for malnutrition and 11 were in such poor condition that they were able to take only intravenous fluids and high-nutrition biscuits, none of which were available.

The United States and other nations are wary about rushing to North Korea’s aid because previous food donations have been re-directed by dictator Kim Jong Il’s regime away from ordinary citizens to the nation’s military and elite, the Journal noted.

The WFP has proposed sending 297,000 tons of cereal products to North Korea. But that assistance would amount to only about 5 percent of the 5.5 million tons of rice and cereal grains North Korea needs to produce to feed its 24 million residents each year.

Newsmax reported in February that North Korea had ordered its embassies and diplomatic offices around the world to issue new appeals for food aid.

An estimated 1 million North Koreans died in a famine in the early and mid-1990s.

NC district map-makers could be political king-makers -- but GOP vows to play fair.

REPUBLICANS IN CHARGE OF CRITICAL PROCESS, WHICH GETS UNDERWAY THIS WEEK

Verne Strickland Blogmaster

BY JIM MORRILL - CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
Saturday, March 26, 2011


It's the mantra of North Carolina's Republican leaders: This year's political redistricting will be "fair and legal."

They don't say it will be non-partisan.

The process that will change voting districts for millions of North Carolinians - and the state's political landscape for at least a decade - starts Wednesday when House and Senate lawmakers charged with redrawing districts meet for the first time. A series of public hearings will start in April.

Republicans drawing lines for the first time since Reconstruction will work from a 2010 census that left current congressional and legislative districts unbalanced a decade after they were last drawn.

Rebalancing the district's populations means that some, such as the 1st District of Democrat G.K. Butterfield in the northeast, must be redrawn to take in more people. Others, such as the Charlotte area's 9th District, represented by Republican Sue Myrick, will have to shrink.

Republicans expect the process not only will solidify their new hold on the General Assembly but help them gain as many as four congressional seats. One publication called North Carolina the GOP's "Golden Goose of redistricting."

"If [Republicans] just draw districts that, in their words are fair and legal, they should do pretty good," says Francis De Luca, president of the conservative Civitas Institute.

Drawing legal districts has never been easy in North Carolina.

Cases challenging N.C. plans have gone to the U.S. Supreme Court at least six times in three decades.

"It's definitely been the epicenter of some of the most landmark redistricting cases in the modern era," says Tim Storey, a senior fellow with the National Conference of State Legislatures. "Some of the seminal Supreme Court cases that guide legislators in every state in the country in the redistricting process originated in North Carolina."

Those cases as well as a series of state court rulings have created a legal thicket for map-makers. Virtually every case involved interpretations of the Voting Rights Act, the 1965 law designed to ensure the rights of minorities.

The court has said the state can consider race in redrawing lines. Just not too much.

Race will play a role

This year, race will be a factor again as lawmakers tweak the state's two "majority-minority" congressional districts - the only two represented by African-Americans - and perhaps try to add a third.

"We're looking at our options," says Sen. Bob Rucho, a Matthews Republican who chairs the Senate Redistricting Committee. "It's all going to be based on where we can find large pockets of population."

To rebalance North Carolina's 13 congressional districts, lawmakers must add nearly 100,000 people - almost the population of Wilmington - to Butterfield's 1st District. They'll have to subtract 3,000 from Charlotte Democrat Mel Watt's 12th District.

They'll have to do both without diluting the influence - what the Supreme Court called the "effective exercise" - of minority voters. Any plan has to win approval of the Democratic-controlled U.S. Justice Department.

African-Americans tend to be concentrated in the state's urban areas and in rural areas in the northeast and south.

One place lawmakers might attempt a third majority-minority district is along the southern tier, through much of what is now Democrat Larry Kissell's 8th District. Such a plan could effectively siphon traditionally Democratic voters from Kissell and Rep. Mike McIntyre of Robeson County who represents the 7th District.

(VS: McIntyre is already challenged by Democrat Del Pietro. Republican Ilario Pantano, who lost to McIntyre in 2010, is an announced candidate for 2012. )


"It's obvious why Republicans would want to create a third minority district," says Democratic Sen. Dan Blue of Raleigh. "Their whole goal and purpose is to bring all the black voters in the state together and sort of 'ghettoize' them and reduce their influence in other districts."

Robo-calls target Dems

This week the National Republican Congressional Committee began robo-calls against Kissell and Democratic Reps. Brad Miller and Heath Shuler, blaming them for rising gas prices. Similar calls have targeted McIntyre. All four are among the GOP's top 10 Democratic targets. Redistricting could help unseat them.

Shuler's 11th District must add about 30,000 people. They would likely come from Republican Patrick McHenry's 10th District, making an already conservative district more so.

Rucho has suggested that Kissell's 100,000 Mecklenburg County constituents - most of them Democrats - might be moved to a more compact 12th District.

Miller, a former state senator who in 2001 drew the district he now represents, could lose Democratic voters in Guilford and Wake counties.

Republicans could draw Robeson and Cumberland counties out of McIntyre's 7th District and replace them with Republican-leaning voters along the coast. Republicans could put Kissell and McIntyre, or Miller and Democratic Rep. David Price of Chapel Hill, into the same district.

Working within limits

But map-makers will be constrained by growth patterns, which have seen the state's population shift from rural to urban areas. And every change creates a domino effect on neighboring districts.

"There are just some limits to what they can do, simply because you have to make them fit," says Ferrel Guillory, a UNC-Chapel Hill political analyst.

While federal law will guide congressional maps, a 2002 N.C. Supreme Court ruling sets parameters for state legislative districts.

Chafed by what they consider years of Democratic gerrymanders, Republicans say they can be fair, legal and successful. By changing maps gerrymandered by Democrats, says House Speaker Thom Tillis of Cornelius, "logic would dictate that that favors Republicans."

GOP Senate leader Phil Berger of Rockingham County agrees.

"If we draw the plans fairly, consistent with the law, our folks will win on their merits," he says. "We want to draw maps that allow voters to choose their representatives, as opposed to maps where legislators pick their voters."

jmorrill@charlotteobserver.com or 704-358-5059
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/03/26/2173064/gop-ready-to-redraw-ncs-political.html


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