WEBVTT - 10-7-26: Problems w/ State Probe Into CMS 0:00:23.620 --> 0:00:26.990 Let's go! 0:00:27.590 --> 0:00:28.390 I-O! 0:00:29.110 --> 0:00:29.750 Let's go! 0:00:30.310 --> 0:00:31.110 I-O! 0:00:31.830 --> 0:00:32.890 Let's go! 0:00:32.930 --> 0:00:36.110 I-O! Let's go! Welcome back to Chelsea News Talk, 107.9 FM, WBT. 0:00:36.170 --> 0:00:39.910 Brett Jensen here with you on this beautiful Wednesday night 0:00:40.030 --> 0:00:41.570 edition of Breaking with Brett Jensen. 0:00:42.210 --> 0:00:45.010 As always, we are going up until 7 o'clock tonight, 704-570-1079. 0:00:49.310 --> 0:00:51.770 That is the WBT telephone number, but it's also the 0:00:51.970 --> 0:00:55.550 WBT text line driven by Keffer Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 0:00:55.990 --> 0:00:59.700 the family store. And boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, 0:01:00.340 --> 0:01:02.720 dogs and cats, you really need to be following me 0:01:02.900 --> 0:01:05.500 on X at Brett underscore Jensen for all the latest 0:01:05.540 --> 0:01:07.420 and breaking news in and around the Charlotte area. 0:01:08.640 --> 0:01:10.160 And, I mean, I think I've. 0:01:10.060 --> 0:01:11.780 Only been telling you that every single day for four 0:01:11.800 --> 0:01:14.820 years now. And I think I've proved why you should 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:17.850 be following me on X. But... If you do follow 0:01:17.870 --> 0:01:20.210 me on X, then you would realize one of the 0:01:20.250 --> 0:01:22.920 things that we're going to be talking about tonight. And 0:01:22.970 --> 0:01:25.000 I'm going to give you some information that you will 0:01:25.060 --> 0:01:31.280 not have seen or heard anywhere else about another investigation 0:01:31.319 --> 0:01:36.700 or about an investigation into CMS. So we're going to 0:01:36.740 --> 0:01:40.140 get into that and why it has the potential to 0:01:40.260 --> 0:01:46.030 really be a hotbed of hornets. Just a complete mess. 0:01:47.910 --> 0:01:53.610 In this investigation, in this particular investigation, not all investigations, 0:01:54.290 --> 0:01:58.490 but this particular investigation, because there are a lot of 0:01:58.550 --> 0:02:02.110 things that people do. There's two things that people are 0:02:02.130 --> 0:02:05.070 sort of aware of, but maybe not be aware of. 0:02:06.410 --> 0:02:08.730 And then there's one thing that I'm telling you that 0:02:08.790 --> 0:02:14.110 is like the big kicker that nobody knows about. And 0:02:14.290 --> 0:02:16.130 I'm not sure how many people up there in Raleigh 0:02:16.150 --> 0:02:18.850 even know about this. And a couple of people that 0:02:18.910 --> 0:02:22.290 I did speak to up in Raleigh, they're like, yeah, 0:02:22.330 --> 0:02:24.109 that is something we're definitely going to have to look 0:02:24.150 --> 0:02:28.810 into and maybe take some action on this. 0:02:29.169 --> 0:02:30.150 Like, that's how big this is. 0:02:31.310 --> 0:02:33.250 And you're not going to hear that anywhere else except 0:02:33.490 --> 0:02:37.690 right here on News Talk 107.9 FM WBT, Breaking with 0:02:37.730 --> 0:02:38.310 Brett Jensen. 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:41.840 But we're going to start tonight with. 0:02:43.060 --> 0:02:55.380 Gas tax. Now, I live In South Charlotte. And it's 0:02:55.490 --> 0:02:59.550 nothing for me to drive six miles. I've done the 0:02:59.590 --> 0:03:01.989 math and the calculations in my head. I've done all 0:03:02.030 --> 0:03:05.290 the math in my head, like all the numbers. I'll 0:03:05.310 --> 0:03:09.730 drive six or seven miles, cross the border into South Carolina. 0:03:10.770 --> 0:03:14.030 To go to a BP station, specifically a BP. 0:03:14.230 --> 0:03:14.530 Why? 0:03:14.970 --> 0:03:15.989 Harris Teeter fuel points. 0:03:17.410 --> 0:03:19.840 And it's 25 cents a gallon cheaper or 20 cents 0:03:19.880 --> 0:03:21.300 a gallon cheaper because it's South Carolina. 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:25.100 So like right now. 0:03:26.540 --> 0:03:28.760 On my Harris Teeter fuel points, which I need to 0:03:28.780 --> 0:03:31.679 fill up because I'm down to 50 miles left in 0:03:31.700 --> 0:03:35.380 my gas tank. And I'll probably fill up after the 0:03:35.430 --> 0:03:40.610 show tonight. That is a dollar per gallon that I'm 0:03:40.730 --> 0:03:44.350 saving from Harris Teeter. And my gas tank holds 21 gallons. 0:03:46.060 --> 0:03:49.160 So that's $ 20 that I'm saving right there. Then you 0:03:49.180 --> 0:03:52.260 would add the 25 cents because it's South Carolina that 0:03:52.280 --> 0:03:52.740 I'm saving. 0:03:53.100 --> 0:03:55.300 So that's another $ 5. 0:03:54.540 --> 0:03:57.630 So that's $ 25 that I'm saving by driving to the 0:03:57.670 --> 0:04:03.970 BP station in South Carolina. Well, the state legislature today 0:04:04.170 --> 0:04:07.510 and the state Senate each voted to do away with 0:04:07.550 --> 0:04:08.050 the North. 0:04:07.890 --> 0:04:12.240 Carolina gas tax temporarily. What does that mean? 0:04:13.310 --> 0:04:17.020 That means your gas prices in North Carolina are about 0:04:17.060 --> 0:04:21.020 to go down temporarily a month, six weeks, two months, 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:25.789 three weeks, whatever it is, 41 cents a gallon. 0:04:28.010 --> 0:04:28.330 Okay? 0:04:29.110 --> 0:04:32.150 So now we are going to be cheaper than South 0:04:32.190 --> 0:04:35.680 Carolina in the short term, six weeks, like I said, 0:04:35.710 --> 0:04:38.200 three weeks, four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, who knows? 0:04:39.020 --> 0:04:39.420 Short term. 0:04:40.220 --> 0:04:42.359 Well, we're going to be cheaper than South Carolina, so 0:04:42.380 --> 0:04:44.610 there's no need to drive to South Carolina to get 0:04:44.650 --> 0:04:47.830 your gas if you live anywhere near the border or 0:04:47.870 --> 0:04:56.370 anything like that. So, again, now that's 41 cents that 0:04:56.410 --> 0:04:59.870 we are going to be saving. Now, when do you 0:04:59.930 --> 0:05:05.240 start saving that 41 cents a gallon? The House passed 0:05:05.300 --> 0:05:09.450 it today. The Senate passed it late this afternoon. Up 0:05:09.510 --> 0:05:13.790 next is Josh Stein, the governor. He has to sign it. 0:05:13.910 --> 0:05:17.750 He's got three options. Sign the bill tomorrow morning, which 0:05:18.310 --> 0:05:26.940 he probably should and probably will. Wait and don't sign it. Just, like, 0:05:27.000 --> 0:05:29.200 don't sign it. And if you don't sign it within 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:32.430 10 days, it automatically becomes law. If you don't veto it, 0:05:32.480 --> 0:05:34.359 you don't sign it. If you wait 10 days, it 0:05:34.440 --> 0:05:36.779 automatically becomes law. But there's no reason to wait 10 days. 0:05:38.560 --> 0:05:43.200 And then, Veto it. He's not going to veto it. 0:05:43.750 --> 0:05:51.360 It would crush him at the next election. So Josh 0:05:51.380 --> 0:05:53.900 Stein will probably sign the bill tomorrow. So what does 0:05:53.920 --> 0:05:57.320 that mean? Okay, if Josh Stein signs the bill tomorrow, 0:05:57.420 --> 0:05:59.320 what does that mean in terms of you saving money 0:05:59.400 --> 0:06:05.140 at the gas pumps? Hopefully by this weekend, you'll start 0:06:05.200 --> 0:06:11.169 saving money. Because all the gas people that own the 0:06:11.210 --> 0:06:14.750 gas stations, what's in the ground right now in their 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:19.100 gas tanks, they've already paid the state tax on. And 0:06:19.140 --> 0:06:21.820 that's a lot of money that they would lose, like 0:06:22.020 --> 0:06:25.380 thousands and thousands of dollars if they immediately cut it 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:29.380 to 41 cents. So whatever's in their ground, their gas 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:32.630 tanks right now at the gas stations, it's going to stay. 0:06:32.490 --> 0:06:32.970 Where it's at. 0:06:34.230 --> 0:06:38.230 But Once they do their refill, we've all seen gas 0:06:38.290 --> 0:06:41.630 trucks at gas stations pumping in gas at the tanks, right? 0:06:42.390 --> 0:06:42.810 Underground. 0:06:44.380 --> 0:06:48.220 Their next reload, that's where we're going to save the 0:06:48.220 --> 0:06:52.720 41 cents. So not all gas stations are going to 0:06:52.760 --> 0:06:56.660 be the same because not every gas station gets regassed 0:06:57.400 --> 0:07:00.520 at the exact same time. Some do it on Monday, 0:07:00.580 --> 0:07:02.440 some do it on Wednesday, some do it this week, 0:07:02.460 --> 0:07:06.029 some do it next week. But when gas stations buy 0:07:06.070 --> 0:07:09.430 their next tank of gas, their load of gas for 0:07:09.450 --> 0:07:13.090 their gas tanks, that's when you'll see the price difference 0:07:13.150 --> 0:07:16.240 drop 41 cents a gallon at those gas stations. 0:07:17.250 --> 0:07:19.420 Not immediately tomorrow. 0:07:20.820 --> 0:07:22.900 The only way that happens is if you happen to 0:07:22.920 --> 0:07:26.920 go to a gas station that, after the governor signs 0:07:26.980 --> 0:07:31.760 the bill, loads up on gas, let's say, today's Wednesday, 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:35.320 so let's say Friday, The governor signs it tomorrow. And 0:07:35.380 --> 0:07:38.520 on Friday, a gas station gets new gas because it's 0:07:38.600 --> 0:07:39.320 running out of gas. 0:07:39.380 --> 0:07:39.950 It loads up. 0:07:40.670 --> 0:07:44.870 That's when you'll see the 41 cents drop. So it 0:07:44.910 --> 0:07:47.630 just depends on the next time the gas station that 0:07:47.690 --> 0:07:51.570 you use gets a refill of gas. Because what's in 0:07:51.610 --> 0:07:53.570 the ground right now will stay where it's at because 0:07:53.590 --> 0:07:56.490 they've already paid all that 41 cents a gallon. And 0:07:56.530 --> 0:07:59.570 think of the tens of thousands of gallons that they 0:07:59.600 --> 0:08:02.320 have there. Like they're not just going to give away 0:08:02.320 --> 0:08:03.280 41 cents a gallon. 0:08:03.590 --> 0:08:04.170 Nor should they. 0:08:05.430 --> 0:08:08.030 So you'll pay for what they've already paid for, and 0:08:08.050 --> 0:08:10.840 then when they refill, it'll be 41 cents a gallon 0:08:10.860 --> 0:08:13.400 cheaper for them, which means it'll be 41 cents a 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:17.180 gallon cheaper for you. So that's how the gas tax 0:08:17.240 --> 0:08:22.070 is going to work. So hopefully by this weekend, you'll 0:08:22.430 --> 0:08:27.630 be able to see a major price difference. Like, I'd 0:08:27.710 --> 0:08:30.250 like to hold out refilling my gas tank. 0:08:31.690 --> 0:08:32.170 To see if. 0:08:33.220 --> 0:08:37.420 to stretch that 53 miles to try and get it. Because, 0:08:37.450 --> 0:08:39.330 you know, I'd like to see that get a little bit, 0:08:39.400 --> 0:08:41.850 you know, I'd like to take advantage of a 41 0:08:41.850 --> 0:08:44.690 cent price difference as opposed to driving to South Carolina 0:08:44.710 --> 0:08:50.370 and only getting a 25 cent price difference. So anyways, 0:08:50.650 --> 0:08:52.610 so that's what's going on with the gas tax and 0:08:52.650 --> 0:08:55.730 when it'll go into effect, hopefully by this weekend. But again, 0:08:55.770 --> 0:08:58.610 it won't happen until the place that you get your 0:08:58.650 --> 0:09:07.060 gas read, uh, replenishes the gas with the new gas truck. 0:09:07.960 --> 0:09:08.840 And the new price comes out. 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:21.400 Welcome back to Breaking with Brett Jensen here on this 0:09:21.460 --> 0:09:24.940 Wednesday night, going up until 7 o'clock tonight. 0:09:25.820 --> 0:09:26.300 Okay. 0:09:28.080 --> 0:09:32.220 So I broke the story today that North Carolina State 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:35.260 Auditor Dave Bullock was in town today. 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:39.800 I can only assume, and I know what. 0:09:39.720 --> 0:09:42.079 Happens when you assume, but I can only assume it 0:09:42.120 --> 0:09:46.990 was because of CMS stuff. He's coming back next week 0:09:47.000 --> 0:09:49.370 to meet with the county manager. We already know that. 0:09:50.750 --> 0:09:54.429 But this was a visit. I was told that he 0:09:54.470 --> 0:09:59.929 was in town today. So I was like, okay. Actually confirmed. 0:10:01.050 --> 0:10:03.230 By many that he was in town today. Okay. 0:10:05.429 --> 0:10:11.200 So this isn't about the investigation by the North Carolina 0:10:11.220 --> 0:10:16.579 State Auditor's Office into CMS. This isn't about the investigation 0:10:16.640 --> 0:10:19.840 by the SBI, State Bureau of Investigation, into CMS. Yes. 0:10:21.140 --> 0:10:24.760 This isn't about the Department of Justice's investigation into CMS, 0:10:25.179 --> 0:10:28.660 and this is not about the FBI's investigation into CMS. 0:10:30.740 --> 0:10:35.640 This is about the NCDPI, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 0:10:36.020 --> 0:10:39.220 which is basically the superintendent's office, the state superintendent's office, 0:10:40.059 --> 0:10:46.230 and the state school board. It's about their investigation into 0:10:46.280 --> 0:10:50.050 CMS that is going to be a major, major issue. 0:10:51.610 --> 0:10:52.290 Major issue. 0:10:53.550 --> 0:10:58.750 So much so that state lawmakers are thinking about, like, 0:10:59.700 --> 0:11:04.180 we're going to have to do something. Because I've called 0:11:04.220 --> 0:11:06.760 some people asking for comment, going, well, what about this? 0:11:07.380 --> 0:11:08.420 This is jacked up. 0:11:10.020 --> 0:11:12.670 And even if it's not jacked up, the presentation of 0:11:12.730 --> 0:11:14.830 it is going to be jacked up, and you're going 0:11:14.850 --> 0:11:17.490 to have people from both sides losing their minds. 0:11:18.010 --> 0:11:21.110 People in support of the people. 0:11:21.760 --> 0:11:27.140 In the storm's eye, Stephanie Sneed, Reiki McGregor, maybe Kelly Klutz, 0:11:27.780 --> 0:11:32.360 Crystal Hill, the law firm Pointer Spruill. 0:11:33.520 --> 0:11:35.319 Like, there's a lot of people in the eye of 0:11:35.340 --> 0:11:39.839 the storm. Or the people. 0:11:39.760 --> 0:11:43.730 Against CMS that want CMS to explode and never come 0:11:43.750 --> 0:11:45.530 back together the same. They want it to be humpty-dumpty 0:11:45.910 --> 0:11:47.630 and not be able to put the pieces back together again. 0:11:47.770 --> 0:11:50.950 They want it broken up into three sections or four sections, districts. 0:11:53.190 --> 0:11:57.010 Here's the problem that they have. I'm going to give 0:11:57.030 --> 0:12:00.109 you the two simple problems that some people know. 0:12:00.809 --> 0:12:01.350 Some people know. 0:12:02.170 --> 0:12:07.460 Your North Carolina state superintendent is a man by the 0:12:07.500 --> 0:12:10.580 name of Maurice Moe Green. 0:12:11.660 --> 0:12:11.939 Okay? 0:12:15.920 --> 0:12:19.360 He, along with Eric Davis, who is the state school 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:21.340 board chair. So you've got the state superintendent and the 0:12:21.380 --> 0:12:24.730 state school board chair. Eric Davis is the school board chair. 0:12:25.270 --> 0:12:28.870 Mo Green is the state superintendent. 0:12:29.870 --> 0:12:38.250 Both men, good reputations, okay? Good reputations. Here's part of 0:12:38.270 --> 0:12:38.730 the problem. 0:12:40.670 --> 0:12:45.710 Mo Green worked for CMS from 2001 to 2008, serving 0:12:45.890 --> 0:12:51.750 as the general counsel, chief operating officer, and deputy superintendent. 0:12:53.270 --> 0:12:56.110 So he was the number two person in charge as 0:12:56.210 --> 0:13:01.850 deputy superintendent. He was chief operations officer for CMS, COO. 0:13:04.170 --> 0:13:09.300 And he also served as the general counsel for CMS 0:13:10.160 --> 0:13:14.360 as the lawyer. You think he's got ties to CMS? 0:13:15.760 --> 0:13:20.839 So can you do an accurate investigation into CMS with 0:13:20.960 --> 0:13:22.980 all those ties and all your buddies? Yes. 0:13:25.000 --> 0:13:29.130 Can you? Eric Davis. Let's talk about Eric Davis. 0:13:30.350 --> 0:13:34.610 Eric Davis, who is the school board chair of the 0:13:34.650 --> 0:13:38.890 state school board. He's the chair of the state school board. 0:13:40.610 --> 0:13:41.250 Eric Davis. 0:13:43.670 --> 0:13:50.740 Well, Eric Davis was first elected to the CMS school board. 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:55.000 He's a former school board member of CMS. So you 0:13:55.020 --> 0:13:57.380 have a former school board member of CMS, which is 0:13:57.420 --> 0:14:01.280 now the head of the state school board, and the 0:14:01.350 --> 0:14:03.349 number two in charge and the legal counsel and the 0:14:03.390 --> 0:14:07.710 COO of CMS, that's now the state superintendent. You don't 0:14:07.730 --> 0:14:11.710 think that's a conflict of interest? Well, Brett, they can 0:14:11.750 --> 0:14:16.750 recuse themselves, really. And I'm not saying they're doing anything dirty, 0:14:17.090 --> 0:14:20.290 and I would never say that unless proven otherwise. 0:14:20.730 --> 0:14:22.770 And I'm not even remotely alluding to that. 0:14:25.180 --> 0:14:30.310 But what's the old Andre Agassi commercial from the cameras 0:14:30.390 --> 0:14:34.550 in the 80s and 90s? Image is everything, right? Image 0:14:34.710 --> 0:14:36.770 is everything. And I know people younger than 25 have 0:14:36.810 --> 0:14:40.680 no clue what I'm talking about. But he was a 0:14:40.700 --> 0:14:45.280 professional tennis player and he said, image is everything. Or, 0:14:45.580 --> 0:14:50.660 better way to put it, perception is reality. If there's 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:55.280 even a slight hint or belief that you could have 0:14:55.320 --> 0:14:59.070 impacted the investigation into CMS where your buddies still work, 0:15:00.430 --> 0:15:03.890 where your friends still work, that you used to be 0:15:03.910 --> 0:15:08.650 an employee of and a school board member of. Even 0:15:08.670 --> 0:15:11.660 if you accuse yourself, you think those people still doing 0:15:11.680 --> 0:15:13.760 the investigation would want to hurt your close friends? 0:15:16.920 --> 0:15:17.640 Like, think about that. 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:22.220 If Lonnie and Travis, or Travers rather, if Lonnie and 0:15:22.240 --> 0:15:28.370 Travers decided to do an investigation into my brother, do 0:15:28.390 --> 0:15:30.630 you think they'd come up with some big stuff against 0:15:30.670 --> 0:15:33.510 my brother? Because it's my brother, and they're friends with me. 0:15:33.850 --> 0:15:35.950 They don't want to hurt me because he's my brother. 0:15:40.030 --> 0:15:40.950 If that were bad. 0:15:40.790 --> 0:15:43.470 Enough, oh, it's not. 0:15:44.330 --> 0:15:48.100 I've got one that's going to hit you, that's going 0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:49.900 to make you go, I'm sorry, what? 0:15:51.500 --> 0:15:53.800 What's that connection? Oh, yeah. 0:15:55.100 --> 0:15:56.880 Wait till you hear this when we return, because I'm 0:15:56.900 --> 0:15:59.620 telling you, it's a doozy. And you will not hear 0:15:59.640 --> 0:16:03.660 this anywhere else except on 107.9 FM WBT, Breaking with 0:16:03.680 --> 0:16:13.670 Brett Jensen. Welcome back to Breaking with Brett Jensen here 0:16:14.030 --> 0:16:18.430 on this Wednesday night. So we're talking about the investigation 0:16:18.510 --> 0:16:21.170 into CMS, information that you're not going to hear anywhere else. 0:16:22.050 --> 0:16:24.670 So I've already told you about two major conflicts of interest. 0:16:25.570 --> 0:16:29.970 the state superintendent, and the chair of the state school 0:16:30.010 --> 0:16:34.430 board each have long histories and basically employment with CMS. 0:16:34.590 --> 0:16:37.110 One is a school board member and the other one 0:16:37.170 --> 0:16:42.520 working several years as general counsel, COO, and deputy superintendent, 0:16:42.540 --> 0:16:43.740 which means number two in charge. 0:16:44.920 --> 0:16:47.840 Okay? That's a major issue, but yet they're going to 0:16:47.860 --> 0:16:48.460 be investigating. 0:16:48.500 --> 0:16:50.300 You tell me they don't have friends that work for CMS, 0:16:51.300 --> 0:16:55.860 I would call you a massive, liar if you actually 0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:57.620 said that. If you told me that, that they don't 0:16:57.640 --> 0:16:59.850 have any friends there, there's no way I would believe that. 0:17:01.230 --> 0:17:04.130 No way I would believe that. Because people have worked 0:17:04.170 --> 0:17:10.750 at CMS for 25, 30 years. Now, granted, most of 0:17:10.770 --> 0:17:13.920 the people they know are probably gone, but still, there's 0:17:13.940 --> 0:17:21.580 still the connections. But here's the coup de grace. 0:17:22.359 --> 0:17:23.220 Here's the bow on top. 0:17:26.460 --> 0:17:34.580 The previous number two at CMS, deputy superintendent, is a 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:40.890 woman that goes by the name Melissa Bognight. Because she 0:17:40.970 --> 0:17:45.929 was number two, she was the acting superintendent when Crystal 0:17:45.970 --> 0:17:50.280 Hill was suspended, right? Then they bring Crystal Hill back, 0:17:51.180 --> 0:17:53.080 and then she goes back to her role as number two. 0:17:56.150 --> 0:18:00.510 And then she was like, from everything that I heard, 0:18:00.770 --> 0:18:02.710 or I can't hear, I don't think I reported this. 0:18:02.910 --> 0:18:04.750 I could be wrong. I just lose track. 0:18:06.390 --> 0:18:09.330 Was like turning in her resignation or was getting ready 0:18:09.369 --> 0:18:11.600 to retire. I'm not sure. 0:18:11.650 --> 0:18:13.389 I can't remember if she did or not. But she was, 0:18:14.040 --> 0:18:16.919 from everything I've been told, she was basically going to. 0:18:19.420 --> 0:18:25.550 But then Melissa, then Crystal Hill gets fired. And Melissa Balknight, 0:18:25.690 --> 0:18:28.889 being number two, once again ascends to the role of 0:18:29.190 --> 0:18:34.610 acting superintendent until the school board can find an interim superintendent. 0:18:34.970 --> 0:18:37.720 And then when they have the interim superintendent, they will 0:18:37.760 --> 0:18:44.980 try and find a new superintendent. Well, Melissa Balknight is 0:18:45.040 --> 0:18:50.290 now the acting superintendent. And there's a very high probability, 0:18:50.850 --> 0:18:53.960 nothing's guaranteed, but a very high probability that she's going 0:18:53.980 --> 0:18:57.880 to be named the interim superintendent. Just try and finish 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:01.419 out the year, right? It's been such a cluster with 0:19:01.440 --> 0:19:06.400 CMS for so long. Let's just minimize the damage. Let's 0:19:06.500 --> 0:19:08.960 not have Melissa come in and then another person come 0:19:09.050 --> 0:19:14.090 in as interim. Let's just ride Melissa into this final 0:19:14.130 --> 0:19:18.090 school year. So odds are she's going to be named interim. 0:19:18.130 --> 0:19:20.310 I don't know that for a fact, but I think 0:19:20.390 --> 0:19:24.730 odds are pretty good. Here's the problem with Melissa Balknight. 0:19:28.670 --> 0:19:33.540 From the research that I've done, as someone tipped me 0:19:33.600 --> 0:19:37.720 off to this, and I've tried to do my independent verification, 0:19:39.840 --> 0:19:43.719 and from what I have found, and I believe to 0:19:43.760 --> 0:19:47.350 be 100% accurate, and if I am wrong, I will 0:19:47.390 --> 0:19:52.560 be on this radio station tomorrow, telling everyone that I 0:19:52.600 --> 0:19:54.900 was wrong and doing a mea culpa, but I don't 0:19:54.960 --> 0:19:55.660 believe I'm wrong. 0:19:56.680 --> 0:19:58.460 I believe that I'm right, or otherwise I wouldn't be 0:19:58.500 --> 0:19:58.920 saying this. 0:20:01.880 --> 0:20:07.649 Melissa Balknight, the acting superintendent and most likely to be 0:20:07.710 --> 0:20:11.670 named interim superintendent, the odds-on favorite to be named interim superintendent. 0:20:14.030 --> 0:20:21.980 Her sister, Melissa Bognight's sister, Stacy Wilson Norman, is the 0:20:22.040 --> 0:20:28.440 chief academic officer for NCDPI, the North Carolina Department of 0:20:28.460 --> 0:20:36.869 Public Instruction, which means she works directly under the state superintendent. 0:20:38.530 --> 0:20:41.890 So you have the state superintendent, Mo Green, who used 0:20:41.910 --> 0:20:45.790 to work for CMS, the person directly. 0:20:45.470 --> 0:20:48.180 Underneath him who's in charge. 0:20:49.640 --> 0:20:55.840 Of, who's the chief academic officer for North Carolina, her 0:20:55.900 --> 0:21:00.660 sister's running CMS. And then the head of the state 0:21:00.700 --> 0:21:03.770 school board chair used to be on the CMS school board. 0:21:04.770 --> 0:21:09.219 So do you think You could actually get an unbiased 0:21:09.260 --> 0:21:11.550 investigation by this group into CMS. 0:21:14.470 --> 0:21:16.010 Well, Brett, they'll recuse themselves. 0:21:16.530 --> 0:21:19.609 Okay, I'm going to use a sports analogy, and I 0:21:19.650 --> 0:21:21.650 know we're up against the break, and I've got to, 0:21:22.750 --> 0:21:24.250 and I want to make this as simple for you. 0:21:25.390 --> 0:21:30.020 Everyone knows of March Madness, the NCAA basketball tournament. Every year, 0:21:30.140 --> 0:21:32.119 NCAA basketball tournament every year in March. They call it 0:21:32.140 --> 0:21:35.840 March Madness, right? Final Four, all that. When they're selecting 0:21:35.859 --> 0:21:38.859 the 64 teams and they're deciding what 64 teams go in, 0:21:40.520 --> 0:21:44.470 when it comes to picking the teams, it's always these 0:21:44.590 --> 0:21:46.330 athletic directors in the room that are picking the teams. 0:21:47.330 --> 0:21:50.170 Let's say Travers is the athletic director for Appalachian State 0:21:50.190 --> 0:21:50.930 where he went to school. 0:21:52.310 --> 0:21:54.420 When it comes time, and Appalachian State's in the bubble. 0:21:54.460 --> 0:21:55.520 They might get in, they might not. 0:21:56.780 --> 0:21:59.659 When it comes time for them to decide on Appalachian State, 0:22:00.880 --> 0:22:02.480 Travers leaves the room. 0:22:03.510 --> 0:22:04.810 The athletic director will leave. 0:22:04.670 --> 0:22:08.449 The room, and then the remaining people will vote as 0:22:08.510 --> 0:22:11.149 to whether or not to put Appalachian State in the tournament. 0:22:11.570 --> 0:22:12.230 Well, guess what? 0:22:12.750 --> 0:22:15.909 About 99 times out of 100, they put that team 0:22:16.490 --> 0:22:20.340 into the tournament because even though Travers left while they 0:22:20.359 --> 0:22:22.680 did the vote, he's still walking back into that room 0:22:22.740 --> 0:22:23.660 to do the other votes. 0:22:24.859 --> 0:22:26.800 They're going to take care of their buddies. 0:22:30.300 --> 0:22:32.960 And so do you think an investigation would happen to 0:22:33.220 --> 0:22:36.149 take out or go after people at CMS that have relationships, 0:22:36.450 --> 0:22:41.670 including the sister of who's running CMS? You think the 0:22:41.910 --> 0:22:45.470 other board members would do anything to hurt those people? 0:22:46.190 --> 0:22:46.930 Of course not. 0:22:48.510 --> 0:22:51.350 Even though it may not be directly said, there is 0:22:51.410 --> 0:22:55.290 still an influence. Oh man, I don't want to, I 0:22:55.310 --> 0:22:59.869 don't want to really go after, um, Stacey Wilson-Norman's sister, 0:22:59.910 --> 0:23:03.930 who's the acting superintendent, or any of their friends. I'd 0:23:03.970 --> 0:23:06.389 feel bad going after their close personal friends or their 0:23:06.430 --> 0:23:11.910 family friend or their sister. I've told lawmakers, I've asked 0:23:11.930 --> 0:23:15.030 lawmakers about this, and they said, yeah, we're going to 0:23:15.050 --> 0:23:18.449 have to get an independent third party to do the investigation. 0:23:19.030 --> 0:23:21.889 NCDPI and the state school board, NCDPI is basically the 0:23:21.910 --> 0:23:24.629 superintendent's office, and then the school board, the two separate entities. 0:23:26.000 --> 0:23:28.100 we can't have them because even if they do it 0:23:28.140 --> 0:23:30.600 on the up and up, there still could be possibly influence. 0:23:30.859 --> 0:23:33.840 And oh, by the way, it just looks horrible. So 0:23:36.160 --> 0:23:39.230 you're going to have to have an independent investigation. NCDPI 0:23:39.270 --> 0:23:43.230 cannot do an investigation with the state school board. 0:23:43.250 --> 0:23:46.610 They just can't. They're way too compromised in this. 0:23:47.710 --> 0:23:50.150 And by the way, you're not hearing this anywhere else 0:23:50.270 --> 0:23:51.149 in the city of Charlotte. 0:23:51.230 --> 0:24:02.460 I promise you that. No one else had this. Welcome 0:24:02.480 --> 0:24:04.159 back to Breaking with Brett Jensen for a few more 0:24:04.200 --> 0:24:08.380 minutes before T.J. Ritchie takes over from 7 to 9. 0:24:08.380 --> 0:24:11.899 By the way, boys and girls, make sure you call 0:24:11.940 --> 0:24:14.060 the neighbors and wake the children on Saturday. 0:24:16.940 --> 0:24:19.710 Ever wondered what the WBT team does on the weekends? 0:24:21.550 --> 0:24:24.169 Probably not. You probably don't want to know what the 0:24:24.210 --> 0:24:27.129 hell I do on the weekends. It might scar you 0:24:27.150 --> 0:24:30.850 for life. But it's time to find out, for better 0:24:30.869 --> 0:24:31.840 or for worse.... 0:24:35.600 --> 0:24:36.560 We're going to have to get a lot of these 0:24:36.600 --> 0:24:38.320 people out of church and keep them home from church 0:24:38.359 --> 0:24:39.660 on that night, on a Saturday night. 0:24:42.300 --> 0:24:44.640 Because they're all super nice people here. That's why I'm 0:24:44.700 --> 0:24:45.780 saying that. It's not a dig. 0:24:45.800 --> 0:24:48.840 They're just super, super nice. And then here comes Brett, 0:24:48.880 --> 0:24:52.490 the heathen of the group. Not Winnable, Jensen, the heathen. 0:24:53.910 --> 0:24:56.149 But WBT's Talktoberfest is back. 0:24:56.310 --> 0:24:59.189 Join WBT on our Facebook live feed every Saturday and 0:24:59.270 --> 0:25:00.350 Sunday in Talktober. 0:25:00.950 --> 0:25:03.800 At 6 p.m. for an hour of unscripted conversations. 0:25:03.859 --> 0:25:06.359 Now, I know most people like to eat dinner at 0:25:06.420 --> 0:25:10.260 six o'clock on a Saturday, either at a restaurant or 0:25:10.320 --> 0:25:10.980 at home. 0:25:11.700 --> 0:25:15.920 I get it. I get it. Six o'clock on a Saturday? Yeah, 0:25:15.940 --> 0:25:17.399 that could be a pain in the rear end to 0:25:17.420 --> 0:25:18.560 try and watch. I get it. 0:25:19.609 --> 0:25:23.910 But that's why God invented mobile phones. And that's also 0:25:23.950 --> 0:25:28.250 why God invented earbuds or headphones. You could literally sit 0:25:28.330 --> 0:25:31.889 at a restaurant Ignore your wife or ignore your husband 0:25:32.190 --> 0:25:34.290 or ignore your children, and you can listen to us 0:25:34.869 --> 0:25:36.750 on your phone and watch us live stream. 0:25:40.310 --> 0:25:42.770 Here's the best part, though. These conversations are going to 0:25:42.790 --> 0:25:46.790 be unscripted, and you can ask us anything. Here's the thing. 0:25:46.890 --> 0:25:50.409 Here's the way I've always treated things. People ask me questions. Oh, 0:25:50.430 --> 0:25:51.609