Holding has HUGE stake in Edwards verdict
George Holding — the scion of the family which owns First Citizens Bank — has had a charmed life. Ol’ George has always been in the right place at the right time.
He got a great job with the late Senator Jesse Helms, and an appointment to the US Attorney’s office in Raleigh. When then-US attorney Frank Whitney got appointed to a federal judgeship, Holding got promoted to the top job in the USA’s office. Under Whitney, work had already begun on a number of political corruption cases such as The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Governor Mike Easley, and Senator John Edwards.
In the Robeson County case, Holding was criticized by law enforcement officers working the case — as well as federal judge, and fellow Helms alum, Terrance Boyle — for foresaking “throwing-the-book-at-’em” tactics for quick-and-easy dispositions. Sources familiar with that investigation say that Holding avoided the harsher charges because that would have meant arguing in court before a judge — something that he is not very good at. That may explain why he avoided the AG race against Roy Cooper like the plague.
Holding talked himself into a tenure extension when Barry-O moved into 1600 Penn, claiming that he was working some good stuff on Easley and Edwards. Easley got off with basically a slap on the wrist, much to the consternation of the cops working the case and Judge Boyle.
Holding ran for — and won — the GOP nomination for the 13th congressional district seat in the U.S. House by touting his record as a tough prosecutor. In the Robeson County case, many of the sentences have been overturned or reduced. Easley, of course, got his hand-slap.
Today, we are awaiting a verdict on John Edwards. If Edwards gets completely exonerated, or only gets popped on minor charges, it will become painfully clear that “the emperor” — Holding — has no clothes. He will have taken over great cases established by his predecessor and effectively screwed the pooch on them all. My bet is that the Holding campaign is praying for Edwards being found guilty on all counts.
Maybe he’s not the type to look for a challenge. And supposedly winning the new 13th district isn’t supposed to be a challenge for a Republican candidate…thus we can understand the attraction. I hear that some Coble supporters are infuriated by the attacks he nailed their candidate with. Ordinarily, a less-than-unified party would be a problem for Holding, considering that 66% of primary voters didn’t support him, and Democrat voters make up 40% of the district. Luckily for Holding, the Democrats have put up no serious opponent for the general election.
Backed by the banking community, the U.S. House (District 13) was “purchased” with $1,400,000 for a $174,000 salary! “Powers that be” ignored more qualified retired U.S. Navy Command Master Chief, Bill Randall (CMC is highest grade attainable by enlisted personnel). Except for the day before the election and several one-line parenthetical (Bill Randall is also running) prior statements, the “Walking Dead” media completely ignored CMC Randall. While Randall had detailed plans for his service as U.S. Representative, his two opponents did nothing more during the campaign than throw “mud” at each other. Their “political” ignorance during debates indicated that only Command Master Chief, Bill Randall, knew what the issues for success in Congress are, and would be. But as they say, “money talks”, and in this case, it said, ‘obligated to the bankers’ of America—WE THE PEOPLE be damned. Nevertheless, since THE PEOPLE blew a chance to choose an effective Representative and didn’t, all we have left is to remind ourselves of POGO’s lament, “We have met the enemy and he is us!” OOPS! Did I leave out the names of Randall’s opponents? (Coble and Holding also ran)