Saturday, February 15, 2014

Greensboro Civil Rights Museum Debacle Might Mean Jail Time For Some

We learn from a thread on City Councilman Tony Wilkins' Facebook page that the story of the unsigned loan contract for the $750,000 loan to the Greensboro International Civil Rights Museum has now gone from boo-boo to possible indictments at some point in the future.

You see, not only was the check not signed but the contract was notarized June 14, 2013. Tony writes: 


"Sue, seems this is heading toward being a BFD. And to your comment about the contract being signed- signature is notarized June 14, 2013- which can't be."

That's right it can't be because the Greensboro City Council didn't vote to make the loan until November of 2013.

A very big deal indeed. Here's why:

 I happen to be a North Carolina Notary Public with the book right here on my desk and sections 1.8.2 and 1.9 state that such actions are criminal offenses. As a matter of fact, it could be interpreted as a Class 1 Felony. I wonder how Greensboro City Attorney S. Mujeeb Shah Khan will work out as a convenience store clerk or flipping burgers.

Also, if the contract was not signed then obviously the notary did not actually witness any signing. Therefore, according to section 1.9:

"The following actions by a notary are Class I felonies:

*Taking an acknowledgment or administering an oath or affirmation without the principal appearing in person before the notary if the person does so with the intent to commit fraud.

*Taking a verification or proof without the subscribing witness appearing in person before the notary if the notary does so with the intent to commit fraud."

Without the intent to commit fraud it's just a Class 1 misdemeanor but still a crime under North Carolina law.

And no matter how you cut it, $750,000 is enough money to constitute a felony in any state in the United States of America. The backdated notary stamp may well be the smoking gun and the question remains: how does this involve Skip Alston and Earl Jones?

 See also: Obama's New Greensboro Girl In Trouble as this story continues to grow.