ROBIN HAYES WILL SPEND ZERO TIME IN JAIL FOR HIS CRIMES: When recruited in 2018 to help funnel some $2 millions in bribes to Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, Robin Hayes said he was “more than happy to help,” a new court document shows. While Hayes, as state Republican Party chairman, raised concerns about the size of an illegal $250,000 campaign donation he had been asked to direct through the GOP to Causey, he nevertheless told his co-conspirators, “I’ll get ‘er done.” On Monday, a filing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte recommended to Hayes’ judge on how much prison time the former 11-term congressman should serve. That number would be zero. In explaining its recommendation of probation, prosecutors cited Hayes’ plea agreement and his lack of a previous criminal record. Hayes was also prepared to testify against his partners in the scheme, the filing indicates. Under the federal sentencing guidelines, Hayes, who turns 75 this week, faced up to six months in prison. Both sides, however, recommended probation.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article244852887.html

MAIL SERVICE IS CRITICAL TO 2020 ELECTIONS, TRUMP NEEDS TO END IRRESPONSIBLE ATTACKS: In his short tenure DeJoy has taken action making mail delivery slower, less sure and inefficient. He ordered a halt to paying postal workers the overtime so mail carriers could complete their daily rounds. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, postal package volume has nearly doubled – exacerbating the opportunities for Trump to find ways to exploit his feud with Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s top executive and owner of The Washington Post. It has caused significant delays in deliveries of letters and packages. In the midst of his actions that effectively are dismantling the postal service, that service has never been more critical to the nation and especially with the approach of the national election. Wendy Fields of the Democracy Initiative, a coalition of voting and civil rights organizations, said the president was “deliberately orchestrating suppression and using the post office as a tool to do it.” This is no political biased pot-shot. It is a very real worry that will have an impact on Democratic, Republican and unaffiliated voters alike.
https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/editorial-mail-service-critical-to-2020-elections-trump-needs-to-en...

LOUIS DEJOY IS WREAKING HAVOC AT THE POSTAL SERVICE: Critics say the Greensboro businessman already has launched policies that have slowed mail service. They worry that as a major donor to President Donald Trump, he’ll delay delivery of what’s expected to be a flood of absentee ballots that could decide the presidential election. “DeJoy has engineered an unconstitutional assault on our Postal Service from within the organization itself,” said Democratic Rep. Alma Adams of Charlotte. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had a “heated discussion” with DeJoy Wednesday over their concerns about mail delivery, according to the Washington Post. DeJoy, 63, could not be reached. But in a statement last week, he said the postal system is “financially unsustainable” stemming from “a broken business model.” He promised to fix it.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article244724002.html

JUDGE WILL ISSUE WRITTEN OPINION IN FOREST'S LAWSUIT AGAINST GOVERNOR: Forest vs. Cooper — the lawsuit, not the election battle — hinged on interpretation of the state’s Emergency Management Act and what the state law says about the authority of the governor. After 90 minutes of arguing each side by lawyers and questioning by Gale, the judge said that instead of giving a “horseback opinion,” he owed it to them to write a thorough opinion because of the significant public importance. He also acknowledged Cooper’s Phase Two of reopening is scheduled to expire on Friday so he said he would rule as quickly as he could. Forest has said the lawsuit is about the process, not the orders themselves. Forest and other Republicans on the Council of State have said they want more of a say in the governor’s coronavirus response. However, Forest was not joined by other Council of State members in the lawsuit.
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article243960812.html

AFTER SENATE REJECTION, TRUMP PUTS TATA AT PENTAGON ANYWAY: Just days after a Senate committee canceled his nomination hearing, former North Carolina state official Tony Tata has been placed in a top Department of Defense position. Tata, a former Wake County schools superintendent and NC Department of Transportation chief, had been nominated by President Donald Trump for the No. 3 post in Defense. “Our system of checks and balances exists for a reason and the Senate’s role in the confirmation process for administration appointees ensures individuals at the highest levels of government are highly qualified,” said Rep. Adam Smith, a Washington state Democrat. “If an appointee cannot gain the support of the Senate, as is clearly the case with Tata, then the President should not put that person into an identical temporary role. This evasion of scrutiny makes our government less accountable and prioritizes loyalty over competence.”
https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article244676842.html