What the News & Record's Allen Johnson chose not to tell 72,649 Sunday circulation recipients before the primary; Skip Alston, Alma Adams, Earl Jones, Yvonne Johnson and the Simkins PAC

"There is an obvious pattern to the George Simkins Jr. Memorial PAC endorsements.

Being a PAC member seems to help.

For the May 6 primaries, the PAC endorsed former County Commissioner Melvin “Skip” Alston, a PAC member, over incumbent Gladys Robinson in the Democratic primary for the N.C. Senate District 28 seat.

It also endorsed 12th District congressional candidate Alma Adams, a PAC member, and House 60 candidate Earl Jones, a PAC member.

And it endorsed Lisa Johnson-Tonkins for clerk of Superior Court; her mother, City Councilwoman Yvonne Johnson, happens to be vice chairwoman of the Simkins PAC.

The PAC traditionally has endorsed in elections and typically includes its selections in a mailer to African American households. In the past, it has helped to increase black voting power and to amplify black voices in local politics.

Today, its luster and credibility are fading, and it may have only itself to blame. It seems more self-interested and self-serving.

...When asked about the endorsement process, Alston said: “I’m not going to get into that.”

And when asked whether his involvement in the PAC poses a conflict of interest, Alston said, “No.”

...Politically, it seems almost incestuous.

If the PAC values its integrity, it should reveal all of its members, as well as specify which ones were involved in the endorsement process. And it should make it clear whether any, such as Yvonne Johnson and Alma Adams, did or did not recuse themselves from the endorsement process because of family ties or because they themselves were candidates.

...In the long run, the PAC seems to be losing influence and has had its endorsements challenged and contradicted in the black community...

http://www.news-record.com/blogs/thinking_out_loud/article_1eb67396-cc0b-11e3-b2dc-001a4bcf6878.html
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Allen wrote on his blog instead, probably attracting no more than a couple of thousand page hits.
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Prior restraint or prior censorship eliminates certain material from being published or communicated to its fullest extent.

In Greensboro, North Carolina, the paper of record has prevented controversial information from being disseminated to the public.

I believe “Freedom of the Press” is the right to be free from prior restraint.

I believe Greensboro's News & Record has failed our community by not reporting some of what they should have, but chose not to, or reported what should have been widely disseminated as online blog posts which very few saw, or buried important topics where few would read them.

In this case, Mr. Johnson chose to mislead Greensboro's African American community by not informing them of important information via the newspaper directly before many vote for or against Simkins PAC members.

In this case, I believe the News & Record, by not pointing out these facts to its in print, newspaper circulation, has manipulated the election in favor of the Simkins PAC.

Skip Alston using the Simkins PAC, which Yvonne Johnson is a member, to personally profit

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

Civil Rights Museum / Simkins PAC related links

Yes Weekly on Skip Alston Pressuring City Council Members with the Simkins PAC Endorsement

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/yes-weekly-on-skip-alston-pressuring.html

I believe Yvonne Johnson should have been recused from deliberations and voting on the Civil Rights Museum issue

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-believe-yvonne-johnson-should-have.html

GN&R's Allen Johnson on Skip Alston

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/gn-allen-johnson-on-skip-alston.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."

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/allen-johnson-alston-member-of-powerful.html

From the City of Greensboro's Internal Audit Division; Civil Rights Museum Financial Review

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/07/from-city-of-greensboros-internal-audit.html

Dear Steve Bowden, Chairman of the George C. Simkins Jr. Memorial PAC

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/dear-steve-bowden-chairman-of-george-c.html

Rhino Times Skip Alston Propaganda Piece; Roy Carroll must be proud

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/12/rhino-times-skip-alston-propaganda.html

Yvonne Johnson, Skip Alston and Robbie's self dealing vote for Skip's $150,000; Simkins PAC and money for family members

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/10/yvonne-johnson-skip-alston-and-robbies.html

Self-dealing Skip Alston Style?

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/self-dealing-skip-alston-style.html

How to purchase a Simkins PAC endorsement, by Nancy Hoffmann

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-to-purchase-simkins-pac-endorsement.html

On Robbie Perkins' dishonest campaign flier

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/10/on-robbie-perkins-dishonest-campaign.html

How Greensboro, North Carolina Works; Skip Alston, Robbie Perkins, Roy Carroll, Renaissance Center, Simkins PAC

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/how-greensboro-north-carolina-works.html

Concerned Citizens of Northeast Greensboro; Ralph Johnson / Jim Kee / Robbie Perkins / Skip Alston / Simkins PAC

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/06/concerned-citizens-of-northeast.html

John Hammer on the Simkins PAC, Purchased Endorsements, and Greensboro's City Council Election results.

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2011/11/john-hammer-on-simkins-pac-purchased.html

The International Civil Rights Museum's 2011 IRS tax form 990 and what looks like a bailout for BB&T and wealthy investors, with what looks like some pretty important unanswered questions

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/05/in-international-civil-rights-museums.html

Zack Matheny Speaks About Simkins PAC “Promise”; Posted by ryan [Shell] on January 15, 2008

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2013/08/zack-matheny-speaks-about-simkins-pac.html

If the Simpkins PAC’s Skip Alston and Steve Bowden received $750 from Don Vaughan in 2008...

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2010/10/if-simpkins-pacs-skip-alston-and-steve.html

Zack Matheny Speaks About Simkins PAC “Promise”; Posted by ryan [Shell] on January 15, 2008

"I had a quick face-to-face meeting with Zack Matheny yesterday afternoon which allowed us to talk about everything from jobs to Greensboro politics.

One of the politics questions I asked Matheny had to do with an anonymous letter that referenced a promise everyone indorsed by the Simkins PAC had to make in order to receive the PAC endorsement. The letter said the following,

“The Simkins PAC board members required a promise not to fire Mitch Johnson and to support the civil rights museum in order to receive their endorsement (emphasis mine)… Newcomer Zack Matheny is being coached by Perkins and Wells on how to vote after they get their orders from Jim Melvin.”

My question to Matheny was pretty simple, “Did you make any type of promise to the PAC that Johnson would not be fired and that you would take action to financially help the civil rights museum?”

Without taking anytime to mull over the question he responded by saying “There is no validity to that whatsoever!”