#ncga: More Steinburg tourney questions
Okay, let’s review. State Rep. Bob Steinburg — in his rookie season as an event promoter — talked Currituck County into paying him $50,000 to promote a basketball tournament in Asheville.
It appears that a majority of Currituck County commissioners were not informed of this deal prior to its execution. The deal was spearheaded by Currituck’s Tourism Development Authority, which is chaired by Steinburg BFF, top political lieutenant, and North Carolina House candidate Bobby Hanig. No word yet on how the deal won an exemption from the county approved rule that all funded events had to occur IN CURRITUCK COUNTY.
Sweetheart deal? We already know Steinburg best-bud Bobby Hanig chaired the group that OKed the payment to Steinburg. (Hanig also chaired the full county board of commissioners at the time of the deal.) It turns out that 
Steinburg may very well be getting a special, sweetheart deal on rent at the Asheville venue supposedly hosting his event. The US Cellular Center is owned by The City of Asheville. Bob Steinburg currently serves as a member of the GOP majority in the General Assembly — a position with some influence over affairs in the vicinity of Asheville.
Published reports indicate that the going rent for the US Cellular Center is $40,000. Check out this cost-estimate for rent that city officials initially gave Steinburg:
Okay. So – based on precendent — rent runs roughly $18,000 per day for basketball tournaments.
Check out the rate Asheville city officials offered Steinburg:
Hmm. Just about HALF of what they charged the Southern Conference.
Private Business on the Public Dime? We’ve already seen emails that suggest Steinburg was holding meetings about his basketball tournament promotion business in his state office. However, there might be another angle to this particular angle:
Bobby Steinburg is the associate head men’s basketball coach for Youngstown State University in Ohio.
According to Rep. Steinburg’s email, his son would be in the Asheville area for “recruiting” while also representing the family event promotion business as a “consultant.”
One would think that the younger Steinburg would be on-the-clock for the university AND the State of Ohio during said recruiting trip to the Asheville area.
In Absentia. For what it’s worth, the US Cellular Center in Asheville is STILL not promoting Steinburg’s tournament on its website.
Oh My M! By all means: Let’s play ball. And I mean…playing ball with Steinburg and Hanig means money out of the taxpayer pocket. What a complete joke to Currituck County Hanig has turned out to be. The Dynamic Duo is sure to spend NC money to benefit themselves.
I will be sitting this election cycle out, thank you.
Don’t ever sit it out. Do a write in. TWIDDY.
I totally agree that sitting out the election is a mistake. The judicial races are critical, with a bouncing off the wall Loony Left Democrat Anita Earls facing a common sense conservative, Barbara Jackson, for a critical Supreme Court seat, and other important Court of Appeals race, Go vote for the judges if for no other reason. Earls is to the left of Lenin. It also sounds like Currituck County badly needs some honest conservative county commissioners.
Sadly I run into too many Republicans with low enthusiasm, due to things like the repeal of HB2 and the failure to repeal Obamacare. Our elected wimps have brought this on themselves, but we voters will bring it on ourselves, too, if we fail to vote at all. There are still some good conservatives on the ballot and we need to support them.
I can see being so disgusted to sit out a race or two, but not the whole election. There ARE other races on the ballot.
I never realized REP BS had such a far reaching effect for screwing taxpayers. First the taxpayers of Currituck in the Northeast, second the taxpayers of Ashville in the West and lastly the taxpayers of Ohio through his son’s double dipping in this slimy scam in Ashville while recruiting for Ohio. I guess it runs in the BS family.
If I were a resident of Currituck, I would go to the Commissioners and demand they fire the County Manager for allowing this to happen. If that didn’t occur, I would do my best at the next election to get rid of any commissioner who supported this scam. Anyone who continues to support REP BS is a fool.
Once again another reminder of how corrupt Steinburg is. In other words go back to New York Steinburg. Your yankee attitude does not fit in with the people of eastern NC!
Does the Constitution party have a presence on Steinburd and Hanig’s district? Is it too late to place an alternative name on the ballot? Looks like the NCGOPE is committing suicide thru ineptness.
Steinburg and Hanig are as corrupt as they come…and don’t forget their pal Bob “The Taxman” Woodard in Dare County.