LOBBYIST DON BEASON’S CONDUCT UNACCEPTABLE
Clients Should Drop Beason as their Lobbyist 

RALEIGH—Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party made the following statement: 

“The revelation that Don Beason was the lobbyist that gave a $500,000 loan to Jim Black while he was Speaker of the House should outrage all North Carolina citizens.  If this loan was not illegal, it was certainly unethical and highly improper.  For a lobbyist to make an unsecured, non-interest bearing, unwritten ‘loan’ to the Speaker while the legislature was in session smacks of influence peddling of the worst kind.  Unfortunately, by Black’s own admission, this kind of pay-to-play mentality was not atypical behavior during his tenure as Speaker of the House.  Professional lobbyists should be outraged at this behavior from one of their own and should adopt as well as enforce more stringent ethical standards to make certain their profession is not further sullied.  Beason’s clients should not tolerate these tactics from someone they employ to represent their interests.  Responsible clients will drop Beason as their lobbyist.”

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