Board to probe donations

Inquiry focuses on campaign aid to Black, Decker

The State Board of Elections announced a formal inquiry Thursday into campaign committees that aided House Speaker Jim Black and a key ally who helped keep him in power, former Rep. Michael Decker.

The inquiry takes place Feb. 8-10. It follows an investigation election officials started after Democracy North Carolina, a campaign finance watchdog, filed a complaint in June 2004 over video poker contributions to Black in the previous election cycle.

The complaint reported that Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat who has led the House since 1999, had received more than $100,000 in contributions from people associated with the video poker industry. Some of those contributions came from people who either did not know they made them or acknowledged that they were either paid or reimbursed, the nonprofit said.

But the board's investigation has gone beyond the video poker industry. Besides examining the industry's political action committee, state elections director Gary Bartlett said Thursday the inquiry will also look at campaign filings for Black and Decker, as well as another fund-raising organization -- the N.C. State Optometric Society PAC -- that has contributed heavily to Black. Black is an optometrist.

Bartlett said he would not explain his staff's findings until the board meets to begin its inquiry. But the committees and organizations being looked at are connected by campaign activity that took place just as Decker was switching political parties in early 2003. Bob Hall, Democracy North Carolina's research director, recently reported that Decker received thousands of dollars from optometrists and people in the video poker industry during that period.

Decker, a longtime Republican House member from Forsyth County, became a Democrat just before the legislative session began. The switch left the House evenly split between the two parties, and paved the way for Black to remain speaker as part of a power-sharing agreement with Republican Rep. Richard Morgan of Moore County.

Decker and the video poker industry are "relevant parties" in a federal criminal investigation that is also looking into the creation of the new state lottery and the activities of Black's former political director, lobbyist Meredith Norris. Black has said he is not a target of the federal investigation, and his legislative counsel pointed out Thursday that Democracy North Carolina's original complaint was not against Black.

"We haven't been told what they are investigating, but the speaker's willing to cooperate," Dianna Jessup, Black's legislative counsel, said of the board.

Decker could not be reached for comment Thursday night.

Bartlett said the inquiry could lead to exoneration, a public rebuke, fines or a referral of criminal election law violations to the district attorney.

One board member, Charlotte attorney Bob Cordle, has recused himself from the case. His firm represents Black in the federal probe. That leaves the board at four members; two Democrat and two Republican. The board's counsel, Don Wright, said that no action can be taken in the event of a tie vote.