GN&R's Allen Johnson on Skip Alston
"Alston created a ruckus by threatening City Council members who opposed his clients’ proposal with political retaliation through his association with the Simkins PAC, a powerful African American group that endorses candidates."
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/gn-allen-johnson-on-skip-alston.html
Yes Weekly on Skip Alston Pressuring City Council Members with the Simkins PAC Endorsement
"Greensboro City council members Nancy Vaughan and Marikay Abuzuiater felt “threatened” by former Guilford County Commission Chair Skip Alston during his group’s bid to take over plans for a community co-op grocery store in District 2, the most surprising thing was that people were surprised at all.
...The vehicle for Altson’s leverage, councilmembers said, was the Simkins PAC, the influential east Greensboro PAC that has ushered the political careers of many black — and white — Greensboro politicians.
...The PAC, over which Alston, a voting member, wields considerable influence, still plays a vital role in choosing candidates that can be counted on to a least give lip service to the perennially underserved precincts in the east.
...it seems that the self-interests of individual members of the PAC get in the way of the larger interests of the African-American community.
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/yes-weekly-on-skip-alston-pressuring.html
John Hammer: "City [of Greensboro] Wants To Know Where Its Money Is" from Guilford County, with a little Skip Alston hotel history
"...Alston threatened Knight and Vaughan about what would happen if they didn't support the federal funding for a proposed hotel on South Elm Street.
...both Vaughan and Knight said they felt threatened and also believed it was highly inappropriate for Alston, who was the real estate broker of record in the deal, to be bringing up a private business deal in which he stood to make a lot of money...
...At that meeting, Alston told Knight that if he didn't support the hotel that Alston might remove him from the dais for the upcoming opening of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum..."
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/john-hammer-of-greensboro-wants-to-know.html
Allen Johnson: "Alston, a member of the powerful Simkins PAC, is not-so-subtly suggesting political payback if they don’t go along with his group’s proposal. "
The PAC endorses local and state candidates, and Alston is one of its leaders. [Treasurer]
“I believe there was the implication that if we didn’t support them there’d be negative consequences in November,” said Councilwoman Nancy Vaughan, who plans to run for mayor. “Those words were not directly used, but they were implied.”
Another council member, Marikay Abuzuaiter, gave a similar account.
“He said I seriously needed to think about voting for the project with his developers because I needed to think about the election in the fall, and the Simkins PAC would be very upset if I didn’t vote for his developer. It was pretty devastating.”
...in 2010 Alston was accused by Vaughan, then-Mayor Bill Knight and then-Councilman Danny Thompson of using similar tactics as a broker for investors who wanted to build a new downtown hotel...
...Alston flatly denies any threats, implied or otherwise.
"You name me one person that’ll come to me and say that” he said last week.
How about two? Vaughan and Abuzuaiter held fast, even following phone calls from Alston challenging what each had said. “I’m still not going to lie about it,” Abuzuaiter said. “It happened, and I was shaken up by it. Why would I cook something up? I was so upset I called the city attorney.”
Added Vaughan: “I stand by what I said.”
The city tentatively has agreed to sell the center for $490,000, plus to provide a [forgivable] $2 million loan (a sweet deal) to Alston’s clients..."
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/allen-johnson-alston-member-of-powerful.html
Highlights of Googling "Skip Alston"
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/highlights-of-googling-alston-and-ruco.html
If Commissioner Alston commingled funds with Real Estate Broker Alston, and Deena Hayes shares the same voting district...?
"Members of the Greensboro City Council say Melvin “Skip” Alston threatened them with a recall election if they reconsider federal bond financing for a luxury hotel in which he has a direct financial interest."
http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/if-commissioner-alston-commingled-funds.html
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