#ncpol: Details keep dripping out on L’affaire Pittenger
Word came out this week that the FBI is looking at congressman Robert Pittenger’s family business. It is *amazing* how much we are hearing about said probe from the alleged focus of said probe:
U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger’s annual financial disclosure filed Thursday shows millions of dollars worth of land and salary from Pittenger Land Investments held by his wife, who took over the company after Pittenger won election to Congress.
Pittenger disclosed earlier this week that the FBI has investigated the Charlotte-based company he founded, which dropped plans to sell all of its land after the FBI probe became public. Pittenger said he has no financial interest or direct role anymore in his namesake company, which is run by his wife, Suzanne Pittenger.
Wow. Throwing the missus under the bus. MORE
Pittenger has said he doesn’t know what the FBI is investigating, and that he is confident the business has done no wrong.
The financial disclosure, required from each member of Congress, shows the dozens of various limited liability corporations Pittenger Land Investments uses as vehicles for its investments. The company pools money from investors to buy tracts of vacant land, which it later tries to sell to developers.
The values of the land holding companies are listed as wide ranges, as the f
orm requires, not exact values. The holdings could be worth from several million to more than $10 million dollars. They’re listed as being owned by Pittenger’s spouse, Suzanne Pittenger.
“(Pittenger) has no financial interest in those whatsoever,” said spokesman Jamie Bowers.
“My spouse owns that — NOT me.” Or “I own that — NOT my spouse.” Try using those lines, or something similar, with the IRS, the cops, or in divorce court. See how *far* it gets you.
Acquire something while you’re married? It’s yours, but half of your interest goes to your spouse, too.
(By the way, HERE is the financial disclosure form being cited by this article.)
[…] Pittenger founded the land investment company that bears his name after moving to Charlotte in 1985. Tampa-based Landeavor, a development company, had been in talks to buy all of Pittenger Land Investments’ holdings for the past few months.
The company has struggled to sell properties it has acquired over the years because the land does not have zoning and other approvals that make the parcels ready for development, according to documents and emails obtained by the Observer, as well as interviews.
But investors in Pittenger Land Investments raised questions about the terms of the sale, which they viewed as unfavorable, and the speed with which they were asked to approve the deal. On Tuesday, Suzanne Pittenger told investors in a memo obtained by Observer that the company was suspending its talks with Landeavor because of “significant concerns and confusion” from investors.
In a statement to the Observer, Landeavor said it had moved to break off talks with Pittenger Land Investments.
“Landeavor is not involved nor the target of any investigation. Landeavor is simply a potential buyer of real estate holdings controlled by Pittenger Land Investment,” a company representative wrote. “Now, in light of news reports of an investigation involving PLI, we believe it is best to suspend negotiations with them at this time.” […]
It would be interesting to know how many members of the GOP leadership in Mecklenburg County have invested in one of Pittenger’s land deals. I have heard of several, including some elected officials.
Pittenger is a supporter of amnesty for illegal aliens. This budding scandal might open an opportunity for a conservative primary challenge.
Not only does he support illegal aliens, he was the only NC GOP congressman to support McCrory’s ill-fated attempt to destroy the NC Sons of Confederate Veterans and other southern historical groups. That says more about his lack of character than anything else. He needs to go.
yep, he’s starting to stink…NO amnesty for ANY ILLEGAL ALIEN EVER!
Pittenger joined the Democrats to vote for Obama’s executive amnesty, he was a huge supporter of the Cromnibus, he spoke out against defunding Obamacare. It seems like almost every bill that Obama has signed into law has been supported by Pittenger. Plus the guys corruption goes back to 2003. Pittenger has always used his elected position to push legislation that benefits his pockets. He is an evil person.