The Bill Culp Elections Scandal and the County Commission

By Bill James (8-19-2001)

Bill Culp served as Charlotte's elections director for almost 30 years. A liberal Democrat to the core -  he also was a crook. 

In 1999 Culp was sentenced to Federal prison for taking bribes and kickbacks over a 10-year period totaling $134,000 (plus some other charges that raised the total to $160,000 or so after an internal audit investigation was concluded). This summary is to explain the sequence of events and the benefical results of the Culp investigation.

After the dust settled, Culp was given his benefits back by the Democrats in charge, an "Audit Review Committee" was established by the Commission at Commissioner James' request.

THE 1997 ARTS VOTE STIRS CULP TO ACTION

After the 1997 "arts war" vote, Culp also began using his office to promote liberal candidates for office and to use the Elections office for partisan advantage (see observer 97 articles). He appeared on WBT radio and encouraged Democrats to swtich parties to remove existing elected officials from office. He appears to have manipulated the elections system to disenfranchise voters who signed Commissioner Martin's drive to be on the ballot as an independent. Culp was gone by then but the "process" that was put in place was established by Culp.

CARTER RECEIVES INFORMATION THAT CULP IS A CROOK 

In December 1997 former Commissioner Joel Carter was informed that Mr. Culp had been taking bribes and kickbacks and requested that Culp be investigated. Carter also requested that Culp be fired for engaging politics on the job.  The US Attorney's office was evidently also investigating Mr. Culp at that point as well.

In January 1998 Culp, quit one step ahead of the Federal prosecutors. Because he "retired" before he was convicted, the Democratic State Government refused to take action to strip him of his pension (Then AG Mike Easley's office - now Gov. Easley).  Culp got his "pension" while in "prison" and earned vesting rights for the 10 years he took bribes and kickbacks from vendors of Mecklenburg County.

Once Culp quit, and it became clear that "something was wrong" he started blaming Comissioner James and Carter for his problems. This was recounted in several articles at that time and resulted in various "negative" editorial cartoons even though later it was clear that both James and Carter were entirely correct in their assessments of Culp.

CULP IS ARRESTED 

Observer July 8, 1998  page 1a

Observer, July 21, 1998 page 1a

THE COUNTY REVOKES CULP'S RETIREE MEDICAL

In August 98 the County revoked Culp's discretionary retiree health insurance to send a message that someone who steals from County Government will not receive benefits from "disloyal service". 

Culp pled guilty to accepting bribes and kickbacks totaling some $160,000. His wife, Deena also accepted several thousand as a "consultant" for the voting machine salesman who had made money off the County. Culp initially blamed Commissioner Joel Carter and Commissioner Bill James brushing aside the questions about financial irregularities. Later, after he had pled guilty he blamed his actions on taking "pot" (marijuana) which he said clouded his judgment.

 Observer July 25, 1998, page 2c

Observer July, 17, 1998  page 1c

Observer July 24, 1998, page 17A- viewpoint

Culp's lawyer negotiated with the County to "make restitution" with the County (over and above the amounts the Federal Governement required). Commissioner James who was in the closed sessions has said that Culp's lawyer offered ( on Culp's behalf) to implicate Elections machine vendor Ed O'Day ("make it financially worth the County's while") IF the County did not make Culp pay back any restitution. This offer was brazen because it indicated that Culp knew there was more illegal activity to be found at the County (or suspected so) other than the Fed's had convicted him of. The County rejected the offer requiring that the entire amount of the bribes and kickbacks be paid back - around $160,000. Culp's co-conspirator's paid most of the "restitution" to the County. In essence, did Ed O'Day paid the a lot of the financial restitution for Culp in order to  keep him quiet on other financial misdeeds that have yet to come to light? 

Read the following from the County attorney and decide for yourself.

In 2001, the Democratic majority on the County Commission gave Culp back his medical insurance in a political payoff of mammoth proportions. Culp, who stole (via bribes and kickbacks) from Mecklenburg County for 10 years now is out of prison, receives his County supplemented pension (even for the 10 years he took bribes) and receives free "retiree medical" courtesy of Mecklenburg's elected Democrat's.