#ncga: House members jumping into political consulting game

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jbellGoldsboro’s John Bell was a young, fresh face swept into town to replace disgraced, indicted legislator Stephen LaRoque.  In his second term in the House, Bell has risen to the powerful post of House Majority Whip.  The NCGA web site lists Bell’s day job as “manager, sales and business development.”  A little more research indicates that he holds that role with North Carolina Community Federal Credit Union in Goldsboro.

It turns out that Bell is also a “political and business consultant” with NC-based Salem Strategies.    Wow.  Husband, father to a young child, a state legislator, state House leader, a credit union executive AND a “political and business consultant.” That’s quite a busy life.  How does the guy find time to sleep? nelsond

Cary’s Nelson Dollar appears to have much more of a history in this line of work.  According to the NCGA web site, Dollar has been working as a “media and public relations consultant.”    A little more research indicates that he has been working with “J.N. Dollar and Associates” since 1994.

A search of the Secretary of State’s web site could find no record of any corporation containing the wording ”J.N. Dollar.”

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A Google search could not uncover a web site for J.N. Dollar & Associates — rather unusual for a media and public relations consulting firm.   Although we did find some third party sites identifying an address for the firm: 

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We conducted an on-line search for that address and found it to be within a residential condo and townhome development in Cary.  A search of voter registration records found the address for J.N. Dollar & Associates to be the same one Dollar’s  wife declares as her official residence on her voter registration.

Dollar is coming off a stint as one of the managers of the House Republican political operation.  We recently reported on the details of some closed-door meetings where heated discussions took place regarding the financial practices of the House Republican political operation during that time.