- Home
- About Us
- Contributors
- Departments
- Topics
- Back Issues
- Weekly Archives
- AmSpecBlog
- Subscribe
- Newsletter
- Advertise
- Donate
- Contact Us
- Daily Digest
- Templeton Essays
search
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Special Report
Governors Behind Bars
By now America is familiar with the epidemic of troubling behavior that's swept the nation's governorships, in recent years with John Rowland in Connecticut and George Ryan in Illinois for the Republicans; Don Siegelman in Alabama, Eliot Spitzer in New York and Rod Blagojevich in Illinois for the Democrats.
It may be time to add to that list.
Here in North Carolina recently replaced (thanks to term limits) Gov. Mike Easley, a Democrat, is under investigation by federal authorities, and by the State Board of Elections. The number of charges against him could surpass those of his above-mentioned colleagues, and the issues under investigation stress the word-limit of your average opinion column. Local media have focused on four major areas:
Land
The revelations began with stories published in 2006 by Carolina Journal, the monthly publication of the conservative/libertarian John Locke Foundation. Reporter (and my former co-worker) Don Carrington discovered that Easley purchased one of the most attractive properties in a proposed 525-lot luxury coastal community called Cannonsgate, in North Carolina’s Carteret County. Land records show the former governor paid $549,880, or 3 percent above the assessed tax value, in December 2005. Other lots in the development sold anywhere from 17 percent to 37 percent above the tax-assessed value, and a year after Easley’s purchase his tax assessors appraised the value of his land at $1.2 million. Was it a half-price special?
Belying the simple “sweet deal” nature of the transaction was that four of the governor’s campaign contributors (who are also major donors to the state Democrat Party) nursed the sale along. Of those four, Easley appointed three of them to key state board appointments.
Air
During his tenure both Carolina Journal and The News & Observer of Raleigh published occasional reports about Easley’s weekend use of state-owned aircraft to shuttle him from Raleigh to his coastal home in Southport, N.C., usually with a ribbon-cutting or jobs announcement stop in between so as to write the flights off as part of his public duties. But it turns out those weren’t the only aviation freebies he received.
On May 9 and 10 The N&O produced a two-part series about the former governor’s dependence on a few influential state businessmen for "his own private air service." The newspaper detailed how a handful of Easley pals -- also campaign donors and appointees to various state boards or positions – provided him with free jaunts around the state and to places like Atlanta and Florida. Some of the trips were not reported, as required by state ethics disclosure requirements or campaign finance laws. Many of the campaign-related air travel gifts would have exceeded the individual contribution limits of $4,000 per election cycle had they been reported.
In addition many records of Easley's travel –- especially those under the custody of his security detail, the N.C. Highway Patrol -- are missing. This fits with the practice of the former governor's eight years in office, in which his staff routinely destroyed email communications in violation of state law. Several news organizations sued Easley last year over the missing records.
Auto
Last month The N&O also reported how both Easley’s wife, Mary, and his son, Michael Jr., received free use of vehicles owned by prominent auto dealers in the state. One, NASCAR kingpin Rick Hendrick, allowed Mrs. Easley for weeks to drive a 2009 Honda Accord that his dealership had purchased during the last week of the governor's administration. Another dealer in the Fayetteville area has owned a 2000 GMC Yukon that the junior Easley has operated for some time.
The governor originally explained that the Honda was "a loaner" until Mrs. Easley’s “car came in,” but documents obtained by The N&O show that the car she ended up with – another Accord not purchased until after the paper started asking questions – was anything but a custom model built to her specs. Instead it was found at a dealership in nearby Anderson, S.C., where it had sat since October 2008. As for the Yukon, Easley originally explained that it was being leased, but DMV records showed otherwise. A few weeks after the story he filed revised reports with the State Board of Elections, claiming the SUV was a "campaign vehicle" from 2003 through part of 2005, after which it was converted to personal use. But neither Easley nor his campaign paid anything for the Yukon until last month.
Job
Last under suspicion is a job created at N.C. State University for Mrs. Easley, in which she would manage a speaker series and teach a few classes. The position was developed by Larry Nielson, who was to serve only on an interim basis as University Provost and was about to be replaced. But he lasted long enough to employ the governor's wife, who eventually ended up with a five-year, $850,000 contract. Under odd circumstances Nielson’s position then became permanent, after Mrs. Easley’s hire.
A common thread through three of the areas under investigation is an Easley friend: McQueen Campbell. This real estate broker and private pilot helped the governor with his coastal land deal; piloted several of his free flights; and, as an Easley appointee (twice) to the N.C. State University Board of Trustees, apparently influenced Nielson into hiring Mrs. Easley. Both Campbell and Nielson originally denied any special treatment for the governor’s wife but now Campbell has changed his story. Nielson resigned under pressure last week and UNC system President Erskine Bowles has asked Campbell to resign his position on the N.C. State board, which he did on Friday.
One of the auto dealers and a broker of Easley's land deal have acknowledged to The N&O that they were questioned by federal authorities. The U.S. Attorney and the State Board of Elections have launched investigations into the governor's campaign reports and has requested all travel records from the Highway Patrol. It’s hard to imagine that the U.S. Attorney won’t be able to harvest indictments out of this rich soil of patronage Easley has seeded.
Comments
Leave a Comment
Related Articles
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Melvin| 5.18.09 @ 7:11AM
Mike Easley presided over the most corrupt administration in North Carolina history. Former Agriculture Secretary Meg Scott Phips, was charged and convicted in October 2003, Phipps was tried and was found guilty in state court on perjury and obstruction of justice charges; soon afterwards, she pleaded guilty to five of the original 30 federal charges against her, including fraud, conspiracy, and witness tampering. In March 2004, she was sentenced to four years in federal prison and served her sentence at Alderson Federal Prison Camp in West Virginia. Then former NC legislature Micheal Decker in August 2006, Decker pleaded guilty in federal court to receiving $50,000 in cash and checks as well as a legislative job for his son, all in exchange for supporting Democrat Jim Black for the Speaker of the House position.
Corruption went to the highest offices when former disgraced House Speaker Jim Black Black pleaded guilty to a federal charge of public corruption on February 15, 2007, a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.[6] He admitted to accepting funds from chiropractors while their professional group had legislation pending in the NC General Assembly. As a result, he resigned from the General Assembly on February 14, 2007.
Mike Easley's actions are exactly why the general public view lawyers who turn politicians as lower than whale crap. Now the citizens are stuck with Beverly Perdue Easley's protege who was elected by the large liberal population centers of Raleigh-Durham, and Charlotte.
Before Bob Jindal cleaned up Louisiana. we thought Louisiana politics was the most corrupt, not so North Carolina is the poster child for corruption politicians and this corruption extends into the counties and cities of North Carolina.
But there is one aspect of cleaning up politics that does work and that is term limits. Term limits do work because if it wasn't for term limits Mike Easley would still be governor and still be stealing favors and money from the tax payers of North Carolina.
Wes| 5.18.09 @ 7:35AM
Charges and prosecution need to be moved along quickly before Congress passes The Amnesty for Corrupt Politicians, Lawyers, and Whale Poop Act. Now, if this sounds far fetched, I have several bridges I'll let go real cheap for only $19.95. Operators are standing by.
jim rice| 5.18.09 @ 7:53AM
The ONLY choice North Carolinians had for Governor during these past elections was Mike Munger. McCrory has no place in the Governor's mansion, and Bev Perdue is only slightly more qualified. Anyone watching the debates would have seen that only Munger had a clear vision for the future of our great state. Purdue and McCrory were so busy posturing and nitpicking at each other that neither had more than a small handful of real answers to any of the questions posed to them.
It's time for North Carolina to go truly conservative. I'll guess will see if Bev can rise about the pettiness of politics and maybe next year we'll get the vote right. Or, heck, maybe the Republicans can put up a candidate on whom it's worth spending my vote.
Ryan| 5.18.09 @ 7:59AM
Meh, another Dem pol who wishes he was Edwin Edwards.
The Big E| 5.18.09 @ 9:04AM
Things like this would happen less often in my home State if its pathetic excuse for a Republican Party (of which I have been a member my whole adult life) could muster a candidate for governor other than a current or former Mayor of Charlotte (Pat McCrory, Richard Vintroot).
jim rice| 5.18.09 @ 9:40AM
@The Big E:
Or if Charlotte could just get a mayor that doesn't suck! :) (I'm looking at you, Sue Myrick)
loulou| 5.18.09 @ 10:14AM
This is what happens when Democrats are in control. NC used to be a great state.
Eric Damon| 5.18.09 @ 10:17AM
Jim Rice,
I watched the debates between McCrory and Munger on UNC-TV and in most instances they were in agreement on many major issue, which was not a big surprise to me. Libertarians and Republicans often share a great deal of common ground, and I would have been very happy to have had either McCrory or Munger over Bev Perdue. She is just another in a long line of Democratic governors in the state that has spent the state into financial distress, and now seeks to latch onto the Washington teat to get us out of trouble.
What has always amazed me is how often the state goes for conservatives or Republicans in national elections for President and in the races for Senate, but always goes for Democrats for Governor. In my 37 years on this earth, I can only remember one Republican Governor...Jim Martin. We have seen Jim Hunt (over and over), "Tax Hike" Mike Easley, and now Bev Perdue...and we have seen them spend money like it' s going out of style! It seems that at some point the state would get wise and stop electing these clowns, but I guess Raleigh-Durham-Charlotte-Wilmington rules in the state political scene.
jim rice| 5.18.09 @ 10:23AM
Eric - they were in agreement on a lot... but not all. McCrory always seemed like he was hiding something tho. He rarely took a strong stance on anything... Specifically, I am recalling the questions about what to do with the overcrowded jails and problems of repeat offenders. McCrory (like Perdue) had nothing but talking points.
I see NC's local vs national voting record as really nothing more than a referendum on States' rights. We North Carolinians seem to like a more liberal government, but we certainly down want it being pushed down on us from the Federal level.
Son Of Sam| 5.18.09 @ 10:47AM
No matter how bad NC is, be thankful you're not stuck in the godawful bluestate gulag where I'm currently residing (joint custody: I got the kids, I cannot leave until they are of age). If you want to know how bad it is here, picture a place with all the worst features of Pelosi's San Francisco, Obama's Chicago and that place on the river where you yell "paddle faster, I hear banjos!"
Just thought I'd give you a little perspective
stay strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam
http://www.samadamssos.bravehost.com
Michael Tomlinson| 5.18.09 @ 11:31AM
The culture of corruption continues to reign supreme in the Democrat party. Democrat politician is synonymous for corrupt politician.
What did current Democrat oligarch/governor Bev Perdue know about her friends corruption. As his "henchman" she need to be investigated too.
North Carolina is a blue state. Thanks to Democrats it is a high tax state with 11% unemployment where state employees are being forced to take pay cuts and mandatory days off without pay to try and pay for the Democrat's deficits and inflation.
What Bo is doing for the country Bev Perdue is doing for North Carolina.
Bart Conchin| 1.31.10 @ 9:38PM
Someone once said that little Democrats at the local level are nits who become and/or vote for the lice at the upper levels. Another has said that the Democratic party in North Carolina, as in most states, is nothing more than an ongoing criminal enterprise. Fortunately for the people of North Carolina, Beverly Perdue doesn't appear smart enough to be as crooked as Mike "Weasley." We can only hope that both end up in Federal prison!
And?| 5.18.09 @ 11:43AM
Give me a break. Easley is a Democrat. Everyone knows that they don't break the law. This is obviously a partisan witchhunt designed to punish the most successful governor in the history of North Carolina. Next thing you know these people are going to want to snoop in your bedroom and throw you in jail. Where's our privacy rights? Doesn't Gov. Easley have the right to travel on a plane without people asking irrelevant questions like whose plane is it and who paid for it? The guy knows what quid pro quo means and you philistines are trying to crucify him for having had an education. Bush blows trillions of our wealth and you are haggling over a Honda Accord. This is obviously an anti-family, anti-education, anti-privacy, and anti-good government partisan witch hunt. Oh, and I forgot racist, bigoted, and misogynistic.
Melvin| 5.18.09 @ 3:44PM
So kind of,"And?" to note that Easley was a Democrat I thought the prison sentence's of his cohorts brought that point out.
I guess a person could say that Easley was the most successful governor being that that fact was gauged by how many Democrats were convicted of corruption.
jim rice| 5.18.09 @ 4:19PM
and how many Republicans too. It's a commentary on the state of politics on this country. Drawing party lines down this issue is ridiculous.
And?| 5.18.09 @ 4:20PM
Maybe Easley is an informant. Yeah, that's it.
Bille Baty| 5.18.09 @ 11:16PM
Isn't this really just politics as usual? The real news story will be if any one is prosecuted. I expect to hear all the sorry Spin Doctors spewing their usual sophistry on the Sunday shows if not sooner.
Keep Believing...
Bille Baty
tom| 5.19.09 @ 8:43AM
Born and grew up in NC, had the good sense to move to SC(better standard of living!)...and never looked back.
chagrined!| 5.20.09 @ 1:38AM
We must also remember that Easley allowed one of the decades most hideous travesties of justice to unfold in his state when he failed to leash a fellow democorrupt, Nifong when he set our to snatch electoral victory from the jaws of defeat by playing the democrats favorite ploy the race card with Nifong's unwarranted prosecution of three innocent white Duke students . Worse yet n after looking the other way at one of the most heinous prosecutorail miscarriages of jurisprudence in the last 25 years Easley let another of his democrat cohorts in corruption Nifong escape punishment for his conspiracies, the violation of the civil rights of three young men, prosecutorial misconduct, silencing and threatening with legal actions those who knew of the innocence of those falsely accused in order to secure his election to another term.
It is indeed time to cleanse the Augean Stables of our political system by ending the reign of every incumbent in the country.
Cecilia Thiel| 5.20.09 @ 9:55AM
'Moved here several years ago when hurricanes were coming through like freight trains. Where was guidance from the Gov. or local officials? I researched the Gov and realized he was looking out for himself and friends.
"chagrined" reminded me of the disgrace of the "Duke Case" and Mike Nifong.
And then, Bev Perdue was elected Gov. I couldn't believe that the people of N.C. were still asleep.
Where is the justice for the hard working, play by the rules, citizen. Let's work within our parties, and search and elect outstanding candidates. We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to those who are serving in the armed forces around the world.
Steve| 6.4.09 @ 1:01AM
First I want to say those of you who have moved to NC, Welcome! Second, if you do not know Easley's carrer path, he was the attorney general before Governor who got every voters head to swell by thinking he protect the little man when he was AG. Which leads to Third, I have NOT ONLY learned that NC's political views are conservitive with liberal ideas, (translation in a nutshell Don't do as I do do as I say) But We forgot to give Easley an Ata-boy, remind ourselves it was NC' s fore fathers and NOT Easley who made the AG laws, and last ask Easley, (no I take that back) MAKE Easley PRODUCE RECORDS he can balance his own personal budget before having eight years of jolly in my state!
Just My 2 Cents
nan| 6.10.09 @ 3:16PM
I agree with someone else here. It's time to clean house from top to bottom. Vote against all incumbants, no matter who they are. Start fresh with new people and keep kiciking them out until someone gets the message that We The People are tired of paying for the misappropriaton of funds and over spending. Give these clowns a calculator!\
miffi williams| 6.18.09 @ 12:23PM
certainly hope there is an honest effort to find out the truth on the southport marina along with all this other stuff.
Wholesale Lingerie| 9.5.09 @ 9:48PM
sexy lingerie lingerie
Wedding Dresses| 9.9.09 @ 11:05PM
Ah wellWedding Dresses
Designer Wedding Gowns
laptop ac adapter| 9.28.09 @ 4:37AM
You can find many kinds of laptop ac adapter, laptop car charger here: HP Pavilion DV6000 AC Adapter(Output: DC19V 4.74A;Power: 90W)
Dell PA-9 AC Adapter(Output: DC20V 4.5A;Power: 90W )
Pingback| 10.26.09 @ 9:58PM
Good ‘ol Boy Politics gone bad « 2:10 Ministries links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
laptop keyboards| 11.24.09 @ 8:05PM
great info, [url=http://www.hootoo.com/laptop-keyboards-laptop-keyboards-for-compaq-c-68_86.html]compaq laptop keyboards[/url]
[url=http://www.hootoo.com/laptop-keyboards-laptop-keyboards-for-acer-c-68_84.html]acer laptop keyboards[/url], thanks for sharing with us, really nice of you.
Trackback| 12.1.09 @ 5:42PM
ct credit repair, on ct credit repair, links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
mimi| 12.14.09 @ 10:16PM
wholesale shoes