Sleeping With The Enemy

When Julia Boseman first came to Raleigh she was introduced to Craig Souza, current president of the North Carolina Health Care Facilities Association, a nursing-home trade organization who sold her a condo that Senator Boseman flipped in a few months for a substantial profit. Souza’s resume includes Vice Chair of the UNC Board of Governors, former chairman ECU board; member UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health board of advisers; member Duke University Long Term Care Resources Program board; past president Association Executives of N.C.; member Governors Council on Health Policy Information; former member N.C. Institute of Political Leadership board; member N.C. Center for Public Policy Research board; past president American Society of Health Care Association Executives; member NC Institute of Medicine board of directors. Some might say this is an excellent start for the freshman senator from New Hanover County.

All legislators living outside Raleigh generally have to make sleeping accommodations a priority during session. The Velvet Cloak, Brownstone Inn, even the YMCA are bedding places for most of the out of town lawmakers. Some found ways to make their $104 per diem go farther by living in a travel trailer or bunking up in private homes with friends or associates while in session. This session Sen. Boseman seems to have found such a home.

According to court documents filed today Senator Boseman has been living at 2349 Churchill Road. This is the home of Theresa Kostrzewa-Tucker. It is also the address listed for Capital Advantage Associates, a lobbying organization listing Kostrzewa as the lobbyist representing, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, Hest Technologies, Murphy-Brown, LLC, NC State Optometric Society, News Corporation, Smithfield Foods, Smithfield Packaging, Wal Mart Stores, and the video poker industry.

Surely many of Senator Boseman’s supporters will say that just because the senator is spending the night with the lobbyist it doesn’t mean anything inappropriate is happening. After all it will all be covered in the upcoming campaign finance report by Sen. Boseman showing that she is paying rent to share the million dollar home. But to believe her you would have to trust her character, the same character that is illustrated in the number of times she told Melissa Jarrell she would be with her as life partner.” Or the fact that she told the social worker evaluating the “parental” relationships in Senator Boseman's bid for adoption, that she was in a “loving relationship” with her life partner, Ms. Jarrell. However, in the civil trial testimony it is revealed that all the time she was having an admitted sexual relationship with two women outside her relationship with Ms. Jarrell, two people close to the couple, two people she was keeping quiet about, lying about, threatening, extorting, in order to protect this sexual affair, how are we to trust the senator now, even though she is saying to her supporters, “nothing is going on, just more none-of-your-business revelations from the right.” But serious Mr. and/or Ms. Democrat, how can you believe a woman that uses the “N” word describing 40% of her constituents, how can you trust a woman that betrays those around her by consistently placing herself in various complicated sexual escapades outside her committed relationship with her life partner. How can you expect honesty? And perhaps most importantly, how can you expect ethical behavior from a desperate person in the financial predicament she has seemed to place herself in? Senator Boseman has extravagant lifestyle (see court transcript) that demands plenty of income.

It is uncertain at this time whether or not Senator Boseman is in violation of the law but in light of the recent criminal influences by lobbyist in the downfall of House Speaker Jim Black and Rep. Thomas Wright on might not be quick to wink at Julia sleeping with the enemy.

NCGS§ 120C‑602. Punishment for violation.
(a) Whoever willfully violates any provision of Article 2 or Article 3 of this Chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, except as provided in those Articles. In addition, no lobbyist who is convicted of a violation of the provisions of this Chapter shall in any way act as a lobbyist for a period of two years from the date of conviction.
(b) In addition to the criminal penalties set forth in this section, the Secretary of State may levy civil fines for a violation of any provision of Articles 2, 4, or 8 of this Chapter up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) per violation. In addition to the criminal penalties set forth in this section, the Commission may levy civil fines for a violation of any provision of this Chapter except Article 2, 4, or 8 of this Chapter up to five thousand dollars ($5,000) per violation. (1933, c. 11, s. 8; 1975, c. 820, s. 1; 1991, c. 740, s. 1.1; 1993, c. 539, s. 914; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2005‑456, s. 1; 2006‑201, s. 18; 2006‑259, s. 43.5(a).)

A conflict of interest arises when a legislator's private interest, usually of a personal, financial or economic nature, conflicts or creates the appearance of a conflict with the legislator's public duties and responsibilities. By sharing the home of a lobbyist, Senator Boseman has created an appearance of a conflict of interest.