Ashvegas Op-Ed: In Moffitt vs. Turner, it’s Turner’s story that stands up to scrutiny

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Ashvegas: The City You Love. The News You Want.By Sean McNeal

Phone conversation:

Brian Turner: And Tim (Moffitt) asked me not to use certain things in that conversation in my campaign, and I won’t.

David King: Right. Right.

Turner: But I’m not gonna sit by and say, well, I’ve got a two-term incumbent who wants to be Speaker of the House, who asked me to withdraw, who implied that I might be able to get a job at UNC-TV, and if I stay on the ballot I’m gonna get destroyed by outside groups. I mean, that’s just… You know, those are things that, that were said..

King: Yeah.

Turner: …that are politically.. can be, you know, advantageous to me in my campaign. I’m not gonna distort the truth.

17:40 into the conversation between Brian Turner and David King, recorded after Tim Moffitt and Turner’s infamous backroom meeting, yet before either King or Turner went on WWNCW, King affirms Turner’s entire story.

It’s been weeks since Ashvegas dropped the bomb that Democratic candidate Brian Turner met with Republican incumbent N.C. Rep. Tim Moffitt in a backroom meeting attended by David King. Since then, there have been numerous radio interviews and articles cataloguing the various viewpoints of those in attendance. Many pertinent details have been noted. After all the parsing, and the addition of the taped phone call, it’s clear that Turner’s version of the meeting is the one that stands up to all the scrutiny.

On the afternoon of Feb. 24, Moffitt, Turner, and King met in the backroom of a South Asheville restaurant. Although the idea of a meeting was first floated by Turner, it was Moffitt who, on Feb. 22, asked for a meeting with Turner through King. The three sat down just four days before the deadline for a candidate to withdraw. (At that point, Turner had filed to run for N.C. House District 116 and Moffitt had not.) When questioned by the Asheville Citizen-Times, Moffitt said Turner had been sending messages to him about meeting for some time. Both Turner & King have verified that this was in fact not true.

Before the meeting began Moffitt laid the ground rules, saying that no recording devices were allowed. Why? If this was simply a forum for two candidates to meet, what could possibly be said that Moffitt wouldn’t want heard? Keep in mind that it was Moffitt who arranged the meeting time and date. Moffitt also claims that Turner asked for the meeting to be private, yet King acknowledges that both parties asked him to stay.

According to King, one of the first things discussed was the matter of third parties “nuking” Turner and his family. It’s an issue that can’t really be constituted as a threat, despite Turner’s reaction. The political reality is that outside groups will go after Turner. (And probably Moffitt, too.) Moffitt shouldn’t have any say over that, at least according to law. If there’s ever any evidence of collusion between Moffitt and his PACs, that’s a different story. But as it stands, there’s nothing to suggest that Moffitt threatened Turner.

According to Turner, and verified by King, Moffitt asked Turner to consider withdrawing from the race. Moffitt told Turner what he’d accomplished in the General Assembly and stated that he needed four more years to finish what he had started. He told Turner of his ambition to be Speaker of the House and about what power, including financial, that position held. Running unopposed, Moffitt could spend his time and considerable resources to obtain this much sought-after position. According to Turner, Moffitt said it simply wasn’t Turner’s turn yet to hold the seat. Neither King nor Moffitt have denied this. It’s clear that Moffitt thinks he owns the seat. But isn’t that up to the voters and not candidates sitting in a restaurant’s back room?

Moffitt suggested Turner consider serving the public in another capacity, as director of UNC-TV, for example. (Turner has experience working in television.) King verified the statement. Keep in mind that Turner had just quit his taxpayer-funded job at UNC Asheville as assistant vice chancellor for the sole purpose of challenging Moffitt for the House seat. Why on earth would he be interested in some random job in Raleigh? When the Citizen-Times asked about his statement, Moffitt stated, “I could probably make him queen of Spain before I could make him president of UNC-TV.” But what’s interesting is that this statement is only kinda-sorta-maybe true. If Moffitt becomes Speaker of the House, he gets to appoint one person to the UNC-TV Board of Directors. And as Speaker of the House, he would have considerable input on the choice of their next director.

Interestingly enough, UNC-TV is currently in the process of hiring a new director. So unless Moffitt has some major Spanish connections that we haven’t heard about, I’d say he’d have a much easier time getting someone the UNC-TV directorship. Keep in mind that Moffitt’s day job is working as a headhunter. Moffitt gets paid to help major corporations fill executive level jobs, such as CEO. Or, for instance, the director for a publicly run news station, a position that pays roughly $232,000 a year. Due to the sensitive nature of the work, headhunters must be discreet. If you have a client that is interested in a recruit and the word gets out to the recruit’s boss that they are considering other employment options, the recruit stands a fair chance of being fired before ever being offered the job.

Remember: David King, a Republican, won a seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in 2012 solely because district elections were forced on the county by action of the General Assembly in legislation lead by none other than Tim Moffitt. There is not an ounce of hyperbole when I say that David King owes his current public position to Moffitt.

After weeks of sifting through different viewpoints and information, we finally have actual, documented proof that Brian Turner’s story is the only one that holds up completely. What we have here is a two-term incumbent who wants to be Speaker of the House. Who asked Brian Turner to withdraw. Who implied that Turner might be able to get a job at UNC-TV. And that if Turner stayed on the ballot he’d get destroyed by outside groups. I mean, that’s just… You know, those are things that were said.

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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63 Comments

  1. Curious April 9, 2014

    This is a real question for Ashvagas. I’m curious as to why you let Barry, Devayne, Angel (and Heather) carry out their personal spat in the Comments section of this blog, even when the comments – something to do with taping or not taping a water forum – have no connection to the topic at hand and are just personal attacks on one another. (Sometimes very personal, with implications of mental illness.) Don’t these people have email accounts in which they could send these essentially private messages back and forth?

    I can speculate as to your reasons (allowing your readers the pleasure of being voyeurs at a family feud?, allowing your readers to judge for themselves the name-calling character of some of your frequent commenters?), but you may have a deeper journalistic purpose. Do you? Just no time to moderate comments?

    Now back to the Barry-Angel-Devayne-Heather Show.

    Reply
    1. theOtherBarry April 9, 2014

      For starters, ‘Heather’ hasn’t posted here, so don’t drag her into this. Second, I’m done. I don’t know about Davyne. Third, Angel hasn’t participated in any of that. She’s been busily attacking Brian Turner and his supporters, all the while failing to mention that she works for Rep. Moffitt.

      Reply
  2. Sean April 8, 2014

    530 words. That’s how many Angel used in her rebuttal. A rebuttal that Buncombe Co. GOP Spokesman Nathan West labelled “a spanking” and that local right-wing radio host, Pete Kaliner, labelled “Hilarious and Brilliant!”

    I honestly wasn’t going to respond to her wall of text because it seemed to me that anyone with some basic reading comprehension and critical thinking would dismiss it out of hand. But according to these guys, I must’ve totally missed something spectacular! So let’s go through Angel’s “5-Star” scree point by point, shall we?

    I didn’t really respond to your “Op-Ed” because there’s nothing much to it. Basically, you just recount what everyone already knows that happened and which no one disputes. But none of it leads to your already predetermined conclusion that “it’s Turner’s story that stands up to scrutiny.”

    First, let me give the reason that I wrote this Op-Ed, as pitched to Ashevegas.

    Several local news outlets, including the Citizen-Times and WLOS, have covered the topic. And quite well I might ad. But no coverage had included all of the relevant facts. Competing news orgs don’t want to use the little gems uncovered by their competitors. This is the first place where all of those gems have been included.

    Also, several important facts had not been reported before this Op-Ed, including Moffitt’s job as a Headhunter. His job wouldn’t have rated a single sentence if he was, say, a contractor or dairy farmer. But the fact that his job is completing deals exactly like the one Turner said he was offered is extremely relevant.

    Also, the fact that Moffitt actually could make Turner President of UNC-TV before he could make him Queen of Spain. Not one single news org followed up on that before this Op-Ed.

    Moffitt also claimed that Turner had been “sending messages to him about meeting for some time.” The recording directly debunks this claim.

    And regarding King, he claimed, in a sworn statement mind you, that Turner said he was “making allegations (against Moffitt) because it’s good for my campaign.”

    Again, the recording directly debunks this claim.

    So, yes, Turner’s story is the only one that stands up to scrutiny. As the recording shows, both Moffitt and King lied in their telling of the story at least once.

    You’re just stringing a bunch of factual sentences together and slapping a headline on it. That doesn’t in any way prove your thesis.

    Uh, yes. Yes I am. That’s called ‘journalism’. If I strung a bunch of non-factual sentences together that’d be called ‘fiction.’

    And as I just pointed out, yes it does prove my thesis.

    If anything, your article does the opposite. Regarding the so-called “threat,” you say “it’s an issue that can’t really be constituted as a threat, despite Turner’s reaction.” But the so-called “threat” (and the so-called “bribe”) make up the entire substance of Turner’s complaint.

    Actually, this is completely wrong. If you read Turner’s actual sworn statement, the only thing he formally accuses Moffitt of is offering him employment at UNC-TV in exchange for dropping out of the race in direct violation of NC statutes.

    http://wlos.com/images/Turner%20vs%20Moffitt.pdf

    If, as you assert, there was no threat (which is also something Turner finally admitted to yesterday on 880) and there was no “bribe” (“no quid pro quo” to use Turner’s own words on the Pete Kaliner Show), there is no real case against Moffitt. Even Turner says he wants the case dismissed now.

    I never said there wasn’t a bribe. There certainly doesn’t seem to have been a ‘quid pro quo’. But that in no way means there wasn’t a bribe.

    And can anyone show me where, exactly, Turner has said “he wants the case dismissed now.”

    Asking that no recording devices be used during what was meant to be a man-to-man private meeting isn’t a crime. Neither is asking someone to consider withdrawing to save him and his young family the stress and enormous amounts of money involved what everyone already knows will be a pointless campaign. Neither is it a crime for Moffitt wanting to be Speaker of the House.

    Nowhere in my Op-Ed did I claim that asking for no recording was a crime.

    However, I think it is a piece of context that leads to a greater picture. If you’re getting together simply to introduce yourselves to each other, why on earth would you care if the resulting exchange was recorded? However, someone who was thinking about doing or saying something potentially illegal would care if that exchange was recorded. Context.

    And what’s wrong with wanting to be Speaker of the House? I think having a Speaker of the House from Western North Carolina would be a great thing for our area, whatever political party he or she is from. Maybe Raleigh would finally understand that the state doesn’t end at I-77.

    Again, who said anything about it being wrong to want to be Speaker? Certainly not me. My words are up there in black & white. Unchanged.

    However, that ambition is what a lot of folks would call ‘motive’. Why on earth would a politician risk his position and even prison? Well, maybe for a prestigious and powerful position. When put in context, it’s again a piece of the puzzle that lends clarity to the larger picture.

    And is political ambition bad? Or is it only bad when it comes from Republicans? Where was your criticism of Holly Jones and Veronika Gunter and Terry VanDuyn? They announced their political ambition to fill Senator Nesbitt’s seat before his corpse was even cold.

    Yet another venting of her personal acrimony that has absolutely nothing to do with the Op-Ed that I wrote. Nowhere did I ever condemn ‘political ambition.’ This is simply the place in her rambling where she figured it was a good time to get a jab in at politicians she’s known to dislike.

    Maybe you’re just so blinded by your hatred of Moffitt (a hatred you share with Gordon Smith and other Asheville progressives) you can’t see clearly, I don’t know. But I do know that poor, hapless Brian Turner is being used as a tool of that progressive hatred. And it’s a hatred so blinding that it’s caused Turner to make mistake after mistake after mistake right from the start. And trust me on this, I’m not the only one that’s noticing.

    Yet again, another venting of her personal acrimony that has not one iota of bearing on the Op-Ed that I wrote (she had to get at least one Gordon Smith jab in!). She took 80 words to say absolutely nothing.

    One more thing that I think everyone can see, Sean. You think really highly of yourself, that’s for sure. But it’s pretty clear that despite all your self-serving bluster, you aren’t as smart as you think you are. And when you look even closer at the things you say and the way you say them online, it’s pretty obvious that you have a desperate, almost pathological need to be noticed. That’s sad, because it’s not all about you. I’m no psychiatrist but I’ve worked a long time in the mental health and social services arenas to know abandonment issues when I see them. Maybe you should work through those before getting so obsessed with things where your opinion doesn’t really matter at all.

    And this? Her pièce de résistance? My favorite. Here she used 123 words to attack my intelligence and my mental health. Not even a single word in all 123 about the Op-Ed and the fact that it does indeed show that Brian Turner’s version of what happened is the only version that stands up to scrutiny. It is truly a Brilliant Spanking I guess, if ad hominem attacks became “brilliant” overnight.

    Reply
    1. theOtherBarry April 8, 2014

      Well stated.

      Reply
  3. Politics Watcher April 5, 2014

    Who is Brian Turner’s campaign manager? Has he filed any financial reports yet?

    Reply
    1. theOtherBarry April 5, 2014

      Sager Sane. Yes.

      Reply
      1. Politics Watcher April 5, 2014

        Thank you for that info. Can you point to a link on the financial report?
        Will Sane’s experience on the McFarlane, Hutchinson, and Portman campaigns translate here in Asheville?

        Reply
        1. Angel Chandler April 6, 2014

          Politics Watcher,

          I was curious myself so I looked it up on the state board of elections website. His most recent report shows that as of January 31, Turner has $57,147.25 cash on hand http://bit.ly/1keWO0p

          But $50,000 of that was from his parents and $5,000 of it was from him according to his year-end report: http://bit.ly/OmJhVF

          If he was a Republican, the progressives would say that he and his family are trying to buy the seat.

          I don’t know anything about his campaign manager, but someone sure is giving him bad advice. I bet now that people know that Turner likes to secretly record telephone conversations, it’ll make people nervous when he calls them up looking for money. Everyone I’ve talked to (even people who don’t follow politics) says that what Turner did was just creepy. I think releasing that tape ended up backfiring on him because now he’ll always be known as the guy who secretly records telephone conversations with his “friends.” I wouldn’t pick up the phone if he called me.

          And I can’t imagine any legislators in Raleigh would want to work with him now that they know he can’t be trusted.

          It’s ironic isn’t it? Instead of getting nuked by outside groups, Turner nuked himself.

          Another thing I’ve wondered. Why didn’t Turner have an attorney write his complaint? It looks like he wrote it down quickly himself (after telling Jason Sandford he wasn’t going to file a complaint). When you publicly accuse a respected elected official of crimes that could send him to jail, you’d think you’d get your lawyer to at least have a look at it. It’s not like Turner can’t afford an attorney.

          Reply
          1. Matt Christie April 7, 2014

            Um, no.

            But for your sake, after such desperately ludicrous, hilarious spin, I do hope you’re being well-compensated by someone…you precious “non-partisan” you.

            Reply
          2. Matt Christie April 7, 2014

            “Keep telling yourself this and you might believe it, which will make one of you.”

            Reply
          3. D.Dial April 7, 2014

            So revealing how the local water carriers always think anyone who doesn’t think or walk in lockstep means we’re “well compensated”. Juvenile much?

            Reply
          4. D.Dial April 7, 2014

            Taping a private conversation is just wrong. And had the opposition done this the local “water carriers”would be all over it like white on rice.

            Reply
          5. theOtherBarry April 7, 2014

            Taping a private conversation is just wrong.

            Maybe. But being entrusted to tape a public forum on an important issue, and then erasing all copies of it out of spite, definitely is.

            But hey, thank goodness for ‘situational ethics’, eh?

            Reply
          6. D.Dial April 7, 2014

            Barry,

            For the umpteenth time, I was asked and agreed to live streaming that forum, which I did. I NEVER agreed with Heather Reaburn to do anything but lifestream the forum. I have the email dialog that verifies this and have posted it before and will do so again if youkeepupthis bull sh*t.

            You chose to unlawfully post the youtube video I had uploaded as an additional favor to Heather, without permission from me. Then you chose to disrespect me on several occasions. So I took down the video.

            That said, I did find copy of the MVA Q & A session on a little used computer of mine, and I wrote to Elaine Lite and told her I’d found that footage. I told her I would share the footage, but I would need a public apology from both her and you for accusing me of bizarre things like “crimes against the community, ” or being in Moffit’s pocket.

            So the bottom-line is Barry, I NEVER authorized you to repost a video of mine, you did not ask permission to post it, nor did I ever agree to anything but livestreaming the MVA forum back in 2012.

            Reply
          7. D.Dial April 7, 2014

            Plz excuse those run together words…space bar is acting up.

            Reply
          8. theOtherBarry April 7, 2014

            So you now admit to having the Q&A portion of that forum, but you’re refusing to release it to the community who participated, until you exact some ransom from me? Gosh, who would ever accuse you of “bizarre” behavior?

            Reply
          9. D.Dial April 7, 2014

            Barry, I do not do big favors and then take crap from people who are so self-important that they do not feel any need to be civil.

            What part of I committed to live streaming and assisting in setting up the forum for expert audio, and nothing more do you not understand? I would add, that also I arranged for an audio expert (at my one expense) to set up the audio for that forum and that individual also volunteered several hours,(along with myself) setting up that forum with ten mics, a sound mixer and the efforts it took to lifestream. With no thanks from you….ever.

            My terms for releasing the recently found footage is a public apology from you and Elaine Lite. If in a million years that is forthcoming, the footage will ONLY be available via my YouTube channel. There are consequences to a**holery.

            ____________________________________________________
            From: Davyne Dial [mailto:dixiegirxxxxxxxx.com]
            Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 11:44 AM
            To: Heather Rayburn
            Cc: Davyne Dial; Elaine Lite
            Subject: Re: Davyne & Elaine: have left message with Jubilee

            In that case, y’all might consider doing musical chairs…as the table can accommodate 6 people To comfortably face the audience. Anyone sitting away from the table could move up to do their speech. This is just a suggestion based on what I saw happen at Grace. Also there were only two of our panelists who were consistently addressed by the audience with ???s, (Manheimer & McGrady). Perhaps y’all can use that as a seating guide.

            A riser would be REAL good.
            .

            Sent from my iPad

            On Feb 17, 2012, at 10:41 AM, “Heather Rayburn” wrote:

            Hi Davyne,

            I haven’t had any luck reaching a live person at Jubilee, but have left them my number and Elaine’s. Will let you know when we hear back. Worse-case scenario, we can drop in on Sunday after the service per your suggestion. Elaine, I’m going to call and see about renting an 8-foot table and riser after I get off work today. Davyne, I’ve copied press release to you here. We have 10 speakers if you include David Gantt’s video statement! (everyone we asked rsvp’d to our great surprise).

            Will be back in the loop after work today (3pm). If we haven’t heard from Don, we’ll can plan on Sunday drop-in at Jubilee (I’ll get their service schedule).

            Cheers,
            H.

            Dear Water Forum Speakers,

            Thank you for agreeing to speak at the water forum on Monday, Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Jubilee!, 46 Wall Street. We have settled on the following format:
            Each speaker will be given up to five minutes to speak about the water issue at a podium (We are in the process of trying to get a riser to place the panel table at the front of the room. If we do, each speaker can speak from the table);
            Elaine Lite, chair of Mountain Voices Alliance will moderate;
            Speakers will be seated together at a table at the front of the room;
            After all the panelists speak, we will take a five minute break;
            In order to avoid speech-making, we will ask the audience to write their questions on index cards;

            The event will be live-streamed for people unable to attend in person.

            We are currently trying to arrange a live-stream viewing nearby in case we have an overflow crowd.
            Finally, we want to have the computer/projector queued up in order to save every minute for discussion. To that end:
            If you have slides, video, or other multimedia material that you would like to use during your five minutes, please send it to us no later than 5 p.m. this Saturday.
            Again, thank you so much for your participation!
            Sincerely,
            Elaine Lite
            Mountain Voices Alliance

            Reply
          10. D.Dial April 7, 2014

            Davyne Dial [email protected]
            Jan 15

            to Elaine

            Hello Elaine,
            I found part two of the video …this is the Q & A part of the Feb. 2012 meeting.

            I am taking the higher road here, and will access to the footage. But there is a stipulation. I will need a public apology from both you and Barry Summers for the inappropriate way you both acted after I took down the youtube version which had been used without my permission.

            I do want to refresh you, that I never agreed to anything but to lifestream the event (as per Heather Rayburn’s request). See reprint of email below.

            Best Regards,
            Davyne

            Heather Rayburn
            2/14/12

            to Davyne

            Hi Davyne,

            How are you doing? I wanted to see if you would be willing to livestream the Mountain Voices Alliance forum on Monday Feb. 20 at Jubilee like you did for the League forum. It was so nice to be able to see that online! We don’t know the first thing about how to do it. My number is XXXXXXXXXX

            Cheers,
            Heather (Rayburn)

            Reply
          11. theOtherBarry April 8, 2014

            Davyne – What’s “bizarre” about this, is that I never had anything to do with bringing you in to videotape this forum. That was Elaine, Heather, and the others at MVA. Your own emails demonstrate this. I was just one of the panelists. They clearly thought that the record you were entrusted to make would be available for all time, not just “live streamed”.

            You’re punishing them, and the whole Asheville/Buncombe community that should have access to the record of this event – an event that had Reps. Moffitt and McGrady on the record, in front of Asheville residents and City Council members, who asked tough questions, and activists who couldn’t have their mics turned off. This record belongs to the people of Asheville, but you’re holding it hostage. All because you’re mad at me, someone who never spoke to you or had anything to do with arranging to have you there.

            Why would anyone call that “bizarre”?

            Take note, Asheville.

            Reply
          12. D.Dial April 9, 2014

            LOL…not a threat at all…it’s a fact. The consequences of your insulting behavior, is that I will no longer do any favors for you.

            You watching this Asheville?

            Reply
        2. D.Dial April 8, 2014

          Barry,
          Bad behavior has consequences. The balls in your and Elaine’s court. Apologize, or pay the consequences.

          Reply
          1. theOtherBarry April 8, 2014

            Apologize, or pay the consequences.

            That sounds like a threat.

            Reply
          2. D.Dial April 9, 2014

            LOL…not a threat at all…it’s a fact. The consequences of your insulting behavior, is that I will no longer do any favors for you.

            You watching this Asheville?

            Reply
  4. theOtherBarry April 5, 2014

    Seem like anyone we know?

    youtube.com/watch?v=gFk0T3ifF48

    Reply
  5. Angel Chandler April 4, 2014

    Sean,

    I didn’t really respond to your “Op-Ed” because there’s nothing much to it. Basically, you just recount what everyone already knows that happened and which no one disputes. But none of it leads to your already predetermined conclusion that “it’s Turner’s story that stands up to scrutiny.” You’re just stringing a bunch of factual sentences together and slapping a headline on it. That doesn’t in any way prove your thesis.

    If anything, your article does the opposite. Regarding the so-called “threat,” you say “it’s an issue that can’t really be constituted as a threat, despite Turner’s reaction.” But the so-called “threat” (and the so-called “bribe”) make up the entire substance of Turner’s complaint. If, as you assert, there was no threat (which is also something Turner finally admitted to yesterday on 880) and there was no “bribe” (“no quid pro quo” to use Turner’s own words on the Pete Kaliner Show), there is no real case against Moffitt. Even Turner says he wants the case dismissed now.

    Asking that no recording devices be used during what was meant to be a man-to-man private meeting isn’t a crime. Neither is asking someone to consider withdrawing to save him and his young family the stress and enormous amounts of money involved what everyone already knows will be a pointless campaign. Neither is it a crime for Moffitt wanting to be Speaker of the House.

    And what’s wrong with wanting to be Speaker of the House? I think having a Speaker of the House from Western North Carolina would be a great thing for our area, whatever political party he or she is from. Maybe Raleigh would finally understand that the state doesn’t end at I-77.

    And is political ambition bad? Or is it only bad when it comes from Republicans? Where was your criticism of Holly Jones and Veronika Gunter and Terry VanDuyn? They announced their political ambition to fill Senator Nesbitt’s seat before his corpse was even cold.

    Maybe you’re just so blinded by your hatred of Moffitt (a hatred you share with Gordon Smith and other Asheville progressives) you can’t see clearly, I don’t know. But I do know that poor, hapless Brian Turner is being used as a tool of that progressive hatred. And it’s a hatred so blinding that it’s caused Turner to make mistake after mistake after mistake right from the start. And trust me on this, I’m not the only one that’s noticing.

    One more thing that I think everyone can see, Sean. You think really highly of yourself, that’s for sure. But it’s pretty clear that despite all your self-serving bluster, you aren’t as smart as you think you are. And when you look even closer at the things you say and the way you say them online, it’s pretty obvious that you have a desperate, almost pathological need to be noticed. That’s sad, because it’s not all about you. I’m no psychiatrist but I’ve worked a long time in the mental health and social services arenas to know abandonment issues when I see them. Maybe you should work through those before getting so obsessed with things where your opinion doesn’t really matter at all.

    Reply
    1. theOtherBarry April 4, 2014

      “I’ve worked a long time in the mental health and social services arenas”

      I notice you don’t say which side of the counter you were on.

      Reply
      1. GMBH April 8, 2014

        I’m trying to steer clear of this discussion, because I think it makes both sides look bad, but sentiments like these are truly ugly and unworthy.

        Reply
    2. luther blissett April 4, 2014

      “what’s wrong with wanting to be Speaker of the House?”

      There’s the Martin Nesbitt way to achieve political power over time, and there’s the Tim Moffitt way, which involves treating your district as a stepping-stone to power, and the need to face the voters in that district as an inconvenience. Timmy is a small man in a big hurry, partly because Timmy thinks he’s worth it and partly because 2014 is a mid-term election where the GOP gerrymander is still going to have an impact.

      “it’s a hatred so blinding that it’s caused Turner to make mistake after mistake after mistake right from the start.”

      Keep telling yourself this and you might believe it, which will make one of you.

      Reply
  6. Angel Chandler April 4, 2014

    Strange how I don’t work for the Moffitt Campaign, don’t volunteer for the Moffitt campaign, was ARRESTED protesting Moffitt and the Republicans’ over Amendment One, strongly disagree with their stances on abortion, but, yet, still, I’m a “Moffitteer”.
    How does one become a “Moffitteer”? Just by disagreeing with progressives and Democrats? By holding Democrats accountable? Just wondering.
    Seems that’s always the go-to for liberals. when ya’ll don’t like that someone is disagreeing with you, holding you accountable, etc., you always throw out that silly name as a put-down.
    As I have said before, you can call me a Moffitteer all you want. I can live with that. Just don’t call me a status-quo liberal or a pawn in the hands of the Democrats.

    Reply
    1. D.Dial April 4, 2014

      They’re limited response is almost always to attempt to dismiss with some personal slur, to anyone not drinking their Kool Aid is “ALWAYS” Moffiteer” and on Moffitts payroll. Mr. Moffitt must have a lot of money to pay all of us that are accused of being on his payroll.

      I’ve given the NCLeg and Republican twitter followers holy hell over women’s health, abortion, guns among other issues. But you and I Angel….we’re “Moffiteers.”

      Talk about junior high mentality. And clearly not used to uppity women with opinions of their own. It’s disappointing to come to understand that someone I once thought was a bright guy, is just another delusional mouthpiece.

      Reply
      1. theOtherBarry April 4, 2014

        “…just another delusional mouthpiece.”

        Thank goodness you would never stoop to personal slurs.

        Reply
        1. Big Al April 6, 2014

          I noticed that you have ALREADY stooped twice on this blog.

          Pot, meet Kettle.

          Reply
          1. Big Al April 6, 2014

            And one of them was a swipe at the mentally ill.

            Real classy.

            Reply
          2. theOtherBarry April 6, 2014

            Are you talking to her, or me?

            Reply
      2. roo April 4, 2014

        Davyne, I don’t follow things too closely and can’t claim to be a scorekeeper, but you’ve called somebody who disagreed with you a ‘buttboy’ in a recent thread, which pretty much takes the ‘personal slur’ card out of your deck.

        Reply
        1. D.Dial April 5, 2014

          Yoohoo Roo, come out from behind that screen name.

          Reply
      3. D.Dial April 6, 2014

        Delusion
        A delusion is a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary. As a pathology, it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information, confabulation, dogma, illusion, or other effects of perception.

        Reply
    2. Politics Watcher April 9, 2014

      Who is Angel Chandler on LinkedIn?

      Angel Chandler

      Executive Recruiter at Moffitt International [email protected]
      Asheville, North Carolina Area | Staffing and Recruiting

      Reply
      1. theOtherBarry April 9, 2014

        Well isn’t that a coinky-dink? I’m sure her angry screeds towards Brian Turner and Sean were not based on who signs her paychecks.

        Reply
      2. Angel Chandler April 10, 2014

        As smart as Sean thinks he is and as obsessed as he and Barry are with Moffitt, I’m a little surprised that it took so long to find out where I’m employed, especially since I’ve always posted under my own real name here and on Twitter (unlike some people) and have several public online profiles including LinkedIn. We already know ya’ll wouldn’t make very good attorneys. You haven’t mastered Google yet?

        I work for the executive search and recruiting firm Moffitt owns (he owns a few businesses), not anything connected with his political office or his campaign. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even talked to him about his campaign. This is a pretty busy place and honestly we don’t have time to really interact that much. And I wrote what I wrote. I don’t even know if Moffitt reads this stuff. Never as much as talked to him about it. I can’t have an opinion?

        I don’t work places where I have to comprise my beliefs/morals/views. When I worked at an area mental health facility for adults with severe mental illness I turned them in to the Sheriff’s Department for covering up a crime, to Medicaid for Medicaid fraud and to the local LME for clients’ rights violations. I pressed on until they let me go. I don’t comprise for a paycheck. I guess we can’t say that about everyone. A certain Register of Deeds comes to mind.

        It’s probably hard for Sean, Barry and others to grasp, but some of us don’t base our personal or professional relationships on politics. The firm employees a healthy mix of mostly Democrats and Progressives with some Republicans and even a Libertarian or two. But it’s mostly folks who don’t really give a crap about politics. As long as you do your job well and make money it doesn’t matter. That’s one reason I respect Tim, you don’t have to agree with him or support his political positions.

        Moffitt knew all about what I believed and who I am when I was hired and that didn’t matter to him. Not everything is about politics for Moffitt (again, unlike some people). He’s honest and straightforward (unlike Turner and most Asheville progressives I know). I respect the guy. And obviously most of his constituents and colleagues do too.

        What’s funny to me is that you all have this preconceived opinion of Moffitt mostly I think because you need him to be some sort of evil guy. Your narrative depends on it. Honestly I used to think the same way. Republican bad/Democrat good. It’s a trap I fell into until I worked closely with Democrats. I respect Tim. Tough for some of you to accept I know. But you’ve already formed your opinion of him. Have you ever met him or had the guts to talk to him? Or are you too afraid to come out from behind your screen?

        The first time I met Tim was at Mountain Moral Monday in Asheville last year. I saw him walk through the crowd and I thought “this guy’s got guts” and I approached him, introduced myself, and told him I was glad he came and then went about watching the frenzy that erupted from a table at Pack’s Tavern. Ridiculous nonsense and hysteria.

        But you know what? I don’t live in his district and honestly, I wouldn’t vote for him if I did. His votes on abortion (I am an adamant supporter of the right to choose and volunteered for years at the local abortion clinic) and Amendment One (which I protested and organized against and was actually arrested for unlike some of you brave online activists) go against my political and personal beliefs.

        I took my positions on these issues long before they became popular (again, uhmmummm unlike some people) and long before I worked here and I won’t change one thing about my beliefs to satisfy anyone. Not you, not the liberals, not the gays, not the General Assembly, and not my boss. I am unapologetic about my beliefs and would never compromise myself to work anywhere (unlike some people). Tim knows that and, although he’s never said, I’ll bet respects me for it.

        Moffitt’s running a multinational business. Sean is washing out laundry tubs and filling up beer bottles for a living. Moffitt is making laws. Barry spends his time selling glass balls at hippie festivals. Moffitt was rated one of the most powerful legislators in the entire state. Sean has 400 Twitter followers and he and Barry spend their time commenting on blogs that no one reads. Let’s keep things in perspective, folks.

        The funniest thing about this to me is that, Sean McNeal (aka @ravenravinoff), hid his identity online for so long and is now all in a tizzy about outing me, someone who has never hidden my identity. That’s a riot!

        I stand by what I said earlier about Turner and even more so now about you, Sean.

        Angel Chandler

        P.S. By the way Sean, be sure to send me your resume. I never know when I’ll come across a Fortune 500 company looking for a glorified bartender.

        Reply
        1. luther blissett April 10, 2014

          “you all have this preconceived opinion of Moffitt mostly I think because you need him to be some sort of evil guy. Your narrative depends on it.”

          They’re post-conceived opinions, Angel.

          We judge Tim Moffitt’s temperament by his oft-displayed “sense of humor”: one part troll, one part bully. He’s a kiss-up, kick-down kind of guy.

          We judge his ego by his stated political ambitions, including his desire in 2014 to campaign to an electorate of 70 Republicans as opposed to the members of his district.

          We judge his attitude toward the area he represents by his actions towards the area he represents.

          We judge his ethics by the way he fights elections.

          We judge his judgement by the little money-making schemes he runs, the people he takes money from, the company he keeps and the people he employs to run his political operations.

          He is an ambitious little man who pursues politics for the sake of self-advancement. He is undoubtedly a clever politician, but to be clever in the NC House is like possessing two legs in a race for the one-legged. He is not Nathan Ramsey or David King or Carl Mumpower. He is a true 21st-century Republican.

          Reply
        2. theOtherBarry April 10, 2014

          Nice speech. The fact that you spent days attacking Brian Turner and his supporters without acknowledging that you are in fact employed by Rep. Moffitt – sadly that calls into question anything else you have to say.

          Congratulations. You’ve joined the ranks of paid shills who continue to crop up around here as “supporting” Rep. Moffitt.

          To answer your question, yes, I for one have spoken to Rep. Moffitt any number of occasions, including going toe to toe with him on a panel discussion on the water issue. He’s always been cordial and polite to me, and we always have a snarky joke for one another. Then we go back to disagreeing about the issues. Your attempt to make him into some godlike figure compared to us Lilliputians, is well… worth whatever he’s paying you I guess.

          Reply
  7. Angel Chandler April 4, 2014

    Barry:

    So I guess, in your mind, the end justifies the means?

    First of all, why would Turner feel he needed “insurance”? The phone call between Turner and King happened on the morning of March 6, a full four days before Jason Sandford broke the story here on Ashvegas. Turner would have no reason to feel threatened, especially by David King, someone (he says) whom he considered a “friend.”

    What sort of person secretly tapes telephone conversations with their “friends” without telling them? Someone who is more than willing to use that friendship for political gain, even if it means throwing that “friend” under the bus?

    And it’s clear to me that Turner is trying to take advantage of that “friendship” throughout the conversation with King by re-asserting the narrative he and his campaign manager were peddling at Democrat precinct meetings. Each time he does, King disagrees with Turner on what happened but Turner will hear none of it. It’s almost as if Turner, who circles back to the same points again and again, isn’t even listening to King. It’s as if Turner has a narrative, points he wants to make for the recording, and he’s trying to get King to say what he wants, to trap him.

    Also, when Turner utters the line “Those are things that, politically, can be advantageous to me in my campaign” King makes an audible gasp and then there’s an awkward silence. King is dumbstruck and Turner picks up the conversation again.

    Turner then goes on to reassure King of his respect and friendship — all the while recording the entire thing without telling King that he’s doing so. Seeing what Turner has done to King reminds me of that old saying “With friends like these who needs enemies”?

    Remember, this all happened four days before the story broke on Ashvegas and two weeks before King made his sworn statement. Turner would have no reason to record King on March 6. Unless he was up to something sneaky, like attempting to tamper with a witness (King) knowing that he intended to file a complaint.

    It’s interesting to note that yesterday (on 880) Turner backtracks and says that Moffitt never threatened him. He also says that he prefers that the complaint be dismissed (after basically calling King a liar).

    Yes, let’s let the Board of Elections and the State Ethics Commission do their thing. When they find in favor of Moffitt, will Turner (and you) apologize? I won’t hold my breath waiting.

    Debating the issues of this election? Like it or not, the 116th House District is R+7 district. That means that Moffitt wins on the issues alone by 7 points and that’s why Turner needs to do whatever he can to impugn Moffitt’s integrity. In his mind (and yours) that end justifies whatever means necessary. You don’t live in the 116th and neither does Sean. Most of Turner’s support comes from progressives in the City of Asheville who hate Moffitt. But they can’t vote for Turner.

    Reply
    1. luther blissett April 4, 2014

      “King is dumbstruck”

      One syllable too many. That’s actually a compliment to King, because he’s not a bona fide greasy-pole-climbing ratf*cker like your lord and master, and doesn’t really understand the politics of sleaze.

      But let’s examine the argument at the end: the political logic of running in a R+7 district is that Moffitt could have refused to engage with Turner entirely and conducted a campaign through his little media empire and minions.

      And for what it’s worth, Timmy has explicitly stated that the only electorate that matters for him this year is one made up entirely of people who live outside of District 116: that is, 70-odd GOP House members who have the power to elevate him to his rightful throne.

      Reply
    2. theOtherBarry April 4, 2014

      I believe that Turner did the right thing, although I can see you will never acknowledge it. He initiated a polite get-to-know-you meeting with his opponent. It immediately turned ugly, through no fault of his own, but through Rep. Moffitt’s tendency towards bullying. As someone who has been a target of that tendency, I can tell you it’s hard to know how to respond.

      As for David King, he chose to put himself in that position. As I pointed out earlier, he has covered for Rep. Moffitt before, and he has no one else to blame if Turner decided he had to get him on the record about what transpired. Good thing he did – King confirmed that everything Turner said, did in fact happen (like Rep. Moffitt saying specifically how UNC-TV could be moved to Asheville) – he just thinks Turner may have misinterpreted it. Those of us who watch Rep. Moffitt’s behavior without rose-colored glasses know that it’s absolutely appropriate to conclude what his intent was.

      Rep. Moffitt tried to deny his constituents a choice this November, by attempting to beg, bribe, or threaten his challenger to drop out. What does this say about his respect for them, that he insists he be allowed to fight for the throne in Raleigh rather than have to campaign in his own district?

      Reply
  8. Angel Chandler April 3, 2014

    Funny coming from you, Sean. Aren’t you all about privacy and don’t you regularly take issue with government wiretaps? Is “I trust that guy more than the one who says he doesn’t want to be recorded” your standard now?
    Honestly, it seems a little hypocritical of you. And I wonder why Barry “Drone On” Summers isn’t even a little bothered by someone secretly taping telephone conversations?

    Looks like more liberal hypocrisy.

    I don’t want to criticize much more though, Sean. You get so excited like you already have above. Your reactions are very irrational online at times and you sound very biased.

    Good luck, Sean. I wish you well.

    Reply
    1. theOtherBarry April 3, 2014

      I suspect that if I had been the recipient of that f***ed-up afternoon tea, I would also probably feel like getting some insurance. And that’s all this taped phone call was. Turner didn’t release it until King & Moffitt’s versions of events started to differ from what really happened, and other Moffitistas started accusing him of lying.

      You might question whether it was right to tape it or not, but when it turned out to be totally justified, I’m not so bothered by it. I give credit to Turner for recognizing that he’s up against someone who plays dirty.

      Now, can we let the Board of Elections do their thing, and actually start debating the issues of this election?

      Reply
    2. Sean April 4, 2014

      Angel,

      So to sum up your reply:

      You dispute nothing in the 1000+ words I wrote.

      When one of Moffitt’s most rabid supporters can’t find fault then I’d say I must’ve got it spot on.

      Thanks, Angel!

      Reply
  9. theOtherBarry April 3, 2014

    At 4:50 in the tape, King says that he wondered aloud if they could get UNC-TV moved to Asheville, and that Tim Moffitt said, “Get the Board of Directors to move it.”

    The Speaker might appoint only one seat on the UNC BoD, but the NCGA appoints all the rest. When you start speculating about the logistics of moving a high-paying job to the hometown of the guy you are trying to persuade to take it… you’ve drifted from idle conversation firmly into the realm of attempted bribery.

    But as I’ve said before, what people should really take away from this isn’t the bribery or the threats, it’s the arrogance of thinking you can ask a challenger from another party to drop out solely on the merits of how important it is that you ascend to the Speakers chair…

    Rep. Moffitt, this guy disagrees with you on most issues – he has quit his job, accepted campaign money, rallied the support of the community, and you think he’s going to quit (and screw all those people, his party, and his own reputation) just because you tell him how important you are? Wow.

    Hey, you can’t play the “I was just joking” card, but here’s a new one to try out maybe on Pete’s show: “I thought Brian Turner was a Republican.”

    Reply
  10. Angel Chandler April 3, 2014

    Who trusts a guy that secretly tapes phone calls?

    Reply
    1. Seam April 3, 2014

      I trust that guy more than the one who says he doesn’t want to be recorded.

      Reply
      1. GmbH April 4, 2014

        There are a lot of arguments against trusting Tim Moffitt, but not wanting to be recorded unknowingly when carrying on private conversations is one area where I can’t fault him.

        Reply
  11. D.Dial April 3, 2014

    Without time stamps this audio is just suspect. If the shoe were on the other foot, y’all would be saying the same thing I’m saying. It takes no talent and just a couple of minutes to clip out unwanted audio.

    Reply
    1. Sean April 3, 2014

      You’re kidding, right?

      Do you know how easy it is to discern an audio edit? All that has to be done is to isolate the background noise and listen for a sudden, abrupt change.

      https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2012/12/detecting_edite.html

      Do you have anything to contribute besides “Well, it’s probably editing trickery’?

      Just sayin’.

      Reply
      1. D.Dial April 3, 2014

        Nope, not kidding at all….I do a lot of editing. It’s a snap to edit audio almost seemlessly.

        Not a water carrier either, just think people need to hold both partied to the same standard.

        Reply
        1. burnsey April 4, 2014

          Key word being almost.

          Reply
        2. D.Dial April 4, 2014

          iMovie lets you edit down to the nth degree. Final Cut Express even splits the nth degree. Seemlessly

          Reply
    2. roo April 3, 2014

      Now you’re just water-carrying, Davyne.

      Reply
      1. D.Dial April 5, 2014

        Yoohoo Roo, come out from behind your screen name.

        Reply
  12. Dustin April 3, 2014

    I personally don’t find it honorable to attempt to bribe a political opponent with tax payer money or to secretly record a phone conversation and give the conversation to the press. Am I the only one that thinks the situation makes both candidates look very bad? Is everyone else sticking with their political party and unable to see obvious faults within their own political party?

    Reply
    1. GmbH April 4, 2014

      No, I agree. This makes the whole district look unprofessional.

      Reply
    2. theOtherBarry April 4, 2014

      Let’s just remember who started all this. Brian Turner tried to do the honorable thing – ‘hey, we’re going to be competing for this seat, let’s meet to get to know each other, so we have a personal connection before we wind up on a stage somewhere’, etc.

      Rep. Moffitt is the one who responded to that attempt to take the high road, and instead dragged us down this rabbit hole.

      Reply
  13. theOtherBarry April 3, 2014

    3… 2… 1…

    Reply

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