Goodwin Opponent Wants to Take NC Back to the 1830s?

Mike Causey, GOP challenger to incumbent NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin in this year's election, startled a Greensboro newspaper editor this week by specifically advocating for "nullification." Read the full article here.

Even North Carolina's native son, President Andrew Jackson, called such belief folly when he ridiculed it back in the 1830s.

This policy position by the four-time candidate for insurance commissioner, retired insurance industry executive and paid lobbyist has prompted his inclusion in a statewide press statement extolling his plans to take North Carolina "back in time."

North Carolinians have a stark choice between the 19th century Causey or the 21st century Goodwin.

Part 2: Capeless Crusader Wayne Goodwin Fights Insurance Fraud

The exploits of North Carolina’s Insurance Commissioner as crime fighter have been well-documented on this site and in other places, including countless news accounts and the official website of the Department of Insurance.

As a public service to those who join Wayne Goodwin in the never-ending battle for Truth, Justice and the American Way, here is a sample of insurance fraud cases closed in recent months by his team.

They include:

An agent who submitted false life insurance applications in Lenoir County

Two sisters, both of whom are insurance agents, who embezzled premiums in Durham

A Cary subcontractor who submitted a fraudulent certificate of insurance to a homebuilder

A Stanly County woman who exploited her grandmother for insurance money in Albemarle

A Greensboro insurance agent who also embezzled monies

A Burlington jewelry thief whose name - Minx VonParis DeMaxzmohr - is worthy of a James Bond villain

A car shop owner and customer in Martin County jointly conspiring to swindle insurance monies

"As our Insurance Commissioner and the elected head of a law enforcement agency, I take protecting consumers and fighting insurance crime very seriously,” said Wayne Goodwin. “It’s not about partisanship, but right versus wrong, justice versus the lawbreaker, and competence versus inexperience, as well as protecting State-based regulation for the benefit of consumers and small businesses each and every day.”

North Carolina’s Commissioner of Insurance and the Department of Insurance employ 20 sworn law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating claims of insurance fraud. So far in 2010, these criminal investigators have seen more than 268 cases successfully closed with more than $18.5 million in restitution and recoveries, 54 criminal convictions and 89 arrests.

An estimated 10 cents of every dollar paid in premiums goes toward the payment of fraudulent claims. To report suspected fraud, contact the Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840. Callers may remain anonymous. Information is also available at www.ncdoi.com.

Accordingly, the battle for justice and public security is never-ending. To do his part, it may be comforting to note that Insurance Commissioner Goodwin has already been described by an "Under the Dome" blogger for the Raleigh News & Observer in October 2009 as

"apparently an action hero, by elected-official standards."

And as every good action hero knows, it is a 24-7 job.

Insurance Commissioner Goodwin Criss-Crosses North Carolina

Though Not on Ballot in 2010, Statewide Elected Official Barnstorms All Over

Wayne Goodwin says he doesn't just meet consumers and voters during his election year, but each and every day.

To that end, he has picked up the pace of criss-crossing North Carolina from east to west, back and forth over the last several months.

Sometimes he's speaking to a group of 15 members of a civic club.

Another day he's bringing down the house in front of 1,000 senior citizens or small business owners at a conference.

Then there are the political events where he gets hundreds of people to respond back and engage with him as if they were in church.

And all in-between Goodwin informs, implores, cajoles, and makes his audiences laugh while proving each time that what makes him tick is good government, common sense leadership, consumer protection, transparency, doing what's right, and 21st century populism.

In the months of September and October alone, some of the Tar Heel places Insurance Commissioner Goodwin will have visited are:

*Carteret County Underwriters, Morehead City
*IIANC of Charlotte/Mecklenburg
*Roanoke Rapids Valley Chamber of Commerce
*Southeast Raleigh
*Anson County Democratic Party, Wadesboro
*Piedmont Triad 2010 Aging Conference, Greensboro
*Pharmacy Leaders' Forum, Greensboro
*Ashe Co. Democratic Party, West Jefferson
*Ashe County Homebuilders Association, Jefferson
*Gibson Fire Dept, Scotland County
*Employee Benefits Brokers Seminar, Charlotte
*NC Retail Pharmacists Annual Mtg, Raleigh
*Statewide Fire Drill/Fire Prevention Month, Cleveland Co. Fair, Shelby
*Tri-Community Fire Dept., New Bern
*Independent Insurance Agents of NC (IIANC) Annual Convention, Asheville
*Western NC Fire Training Center, Woodfin
*NC Assn of Health Underwriters - WNC (NCAHU), Asheville
*Governor's Aging Conference, Research Triangle Park
*NC State Fair (multiple times)
*Morrison-Deane-Goodman Annual Dinner, Hamlet
*East Carolina University (ECU), Greenville

Even more appearances and opportunities for citizens to meet him are slated in the coming months for coastal and eastern Carolina, as well as throughout the state.

And then there is all the activity he does actually in his office: ordering hundreds of millions of dollars in insurance refunds and rate reductions, fighting insurance fraud, protecting consumers, penalizing insurance companies for violations of the law, being a watchdog for insurance company solvency, approving and delivering grant funds to fire departments, keeping North Carolina ahead of the curve in many ways, and generally keeping a close eye on the work of his administration.

Suffice it to say, this state insurance commissioner - heralded as the best insurance commissioner in the country in Hamlet last night by Lt. Governor Walter Dalton and one of the best state insurance regulators in the nation by the President of the United States last month - is one of the hardest working, most accessible, highest octane state officials you'll ever find.

Triad Area (Greensboro/Winston-Salem) Fundraiser for NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin

NC Senator and Mrs. Don Vaughan
cordially invite you
to the


TRIAD AREA FUNDRAISER RECEPTION

for NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin
September 23, 2010 (Thursday)

5:30-7:30 pm

902 Sunset Drive, Greensboro

Sponsorship Levels: $1000 - $500 - $250

Suggested Donation: $100/person

Please make your personal or PAC check out to
"The Goodwin Committee"
and mail to P.O. Box 27841, Raleigh NC 27611;

OR, go online to this link or via www.waynegoodwin.org to make your
secure contribution.

All Sponsors will be recognized at the reception.

For more information, email info@waynegoodwin.org or mberaleigh@gmail.com.

Provided solely by The Goodwin Committee. No government resources were used in this communication or the fundraising reception.

Sanford-Hunt Legacy Drives Future of Tar Heel Democrats

Sanford-Hunt Legacy Drives the Future of Tar Heel Democrats
By Wayne Goodwin, 26 Aug 2007

The State Executive Committee meeting yesterday in Greensboro was, once again, a celebration of what the North Carolina Democratic Party is about.

In addition to considering each of the recommended resolutions and action items (passing some, referring others back to committee, opposing others), Democrats from all across the Tar Heel State made much from their pilgrimage to Guilford County.



There we gathered, organized, rejoiced, reflected, and inspired.

We shared how our religious faith and values guide us in doing what we believe is right for North Carolina.

We learned about the growing intricacies of election laws, and witnessed what is driving our various candidates for 2008 to offer themselves up for public service.

And - as at last year’s Sanford-Hunt gala - many Democrats hoped to hear Governor Jim Hunt proclaim that he, once again, would be a candidate.

Alas, that last part was not meant to be.

Governor Hunt – personally and through the legacy of his leadership in education and emerging issues - has mentored a growing farm team for our State’s Democrats. Both that Hunt farm team and its accomplishments will expand as its candidates successfully seek the Governor’s Mansion and other Council of State positions next year, not to mention U.S. Senate and Congress, and inspire yet more folks to walk firmly in the footsteps of great leaders such as Terry Sanford.


Yes, our political party has many accomplishments of
which to be proud.

Those achievements will replicate as the Sanford-Hunt farm team continues to step up to the plate.

And, the home runs we Democrats will hit will far outlast those of Barry Bonds.

Truly, our best years are still to come.