People in Politics August 9, 2014 Print
People In Politics
Tuesday, 05 August 2014 15:07

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After months of debate, discussion, and and more debate, we have a new state budget. And it includes provisions close to the heart of Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, who's been touting education reform since his days on the campaign trail. Host Donna Martinez talks with Forest about a new education endowment, pay raises for teachers, the state of the North Carolina economy, the future of fracking, and the impact of illegal immigrant children who have made their way into North Carolina as part of the recent wave across the U.S. border. Then Carolina Journal Managing Editor Rick Henderson tells Martinez that our state's 2nd District congressional race is drawing even more national attention. This week political analyst Charlie Cook moved his rating of the race between Republican incumbent Renee Ellmers and Democratic challenger Clay Aiken from "Likely Republican" to "Solid Republican." The change comes in the wake of HBO host Bill Maher's campaign to get his viewers to elect Aiken over Ellmers. Then Henderson updates Martinez on recent eye surgery for Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan. Next is a look at a move by state legislators to increase the transparency of campaign donations to state campaigns. Martinez gets the details from Jane Pinsky of the North Carolina Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform. Pinsky also talks about her continuing push to reform the redistricting process in North Carolina. Then Joe Stewart of the North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation analyzes the state's elective seats on the judiciary. And finally, we look back at North Carolina's connection to the Watergate investigation as the country marks the 40th anniversary of the resignation of Richard Nixon. People in Politics Special Correspondent Patrick Johnson talked earlier this year with Rufus Edmisten, who worked for N.C. Sen Sam Ervin, the man who led the Senate investigation into Watergate and Nixon. Edmisten became North Carolina's Secretary of State and Attorney General. He talks about Nixon and serving the subpoena on the White House. 

Last Updated on Tuesday, 05 August 2014 15:09