Bill would open ethics hearings

State Sen. Phil Berger wants state ethics charges and hearings opened to the public.

Berger, an Eden Republican, filed a bill this week to open to the public the meetings of the State Ethics Commission and the separate Legislative Ethics Committee. The commission oversees state government workers, while the legislative committee polices lawmakers.

Berger's bill also would bar lobbyists from contributing to or raising campaign money for political candidates. And it would prohibit government officials and candidates from asking lobbyists for campaign money.

When lawmakers passed ethics and lobbying reforms last year, they made misconduct charges and ethics hearings secret.

Gov. Mike Easley, the Ethics Commission's chairman and openness advocates have urged the legislature to revise the ethics law to open proceedings to the public once misconduct complaints are substantiated and formal charges are filed, but before hearings.

Berger's proposal faces uncertain prospects in the legislature, where Democrats dominate both chambers.

"It would send a strong message that lobbyists shouldn't purchase influence and that ethics proceedings should be open," said Louisa Warren, director of the N.C. Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform.

Smith starts TV campaign

State Sen. Fred Smith of Clayton this morning became the first gubernatorial candidate to begin his TV advertising campaign, more than 13 months before the GOP primary.

Smith began running a biographical TV ad introducing himself to voters: growing up the son of a coach at Raleigh's Methodist Orphanage, winning a football scholarship at Wake Forest University, serving as an Army lawyer and becoming a homebuilder.

The ad touts Smith as a friend of the taxpayer, someone interested in protecting private property rights and someone who wants to promote job growth.

The ad was produced by Stevens, Reed Curcio & Potholm, a Virginia firm that has worked for 13 U.S. Senate campaigns, including that of Sen. Richard Burr, six governor's races and three presidential campaigns. The firm did the Swift Boat Veterans ads that questioned the Vietnam War record of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.

Karen Rotterman, Smith's general consultant, said the ad campaign was timed to coincide with Smith's announcement of his candidacy last week. She declined to discuss the cost or duration of the ad campaign.

While Smith is the first gubernatorial campaign to run TV ads, one of his GOP competitors, Bill Graham, a Salisbury attorney, has spent about $2 million on ads opposing a gasoline tax increase and illegal immigration.

Huckabee takes N.C. swing

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was in North Carolina Tuesday raising money for his GOP presidential campaign.

Huckabee met with lawmakers at a Raleigh breakfast, attended a luncheon in New Bern, and finished the day with an event in Wilmington.

Edwards endorsed

U.S. Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, on Tuesday endorsed John Edwards for president.

"When John Edwards talks about tackling the problems that matter most to America's working class families -- things like affordable health care, access to quality education and strengthening retirement security -- I believe that he really means it," Obey said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Edwards returned the kind words of Bush spokesman Tony Snow, who had said last week that Elizabeth Edwards was in his prayers after she learned she had incurable cancer.

"Tony has been an incredible example for people living with cancer and cancer survivors -- he lives every day to the fullest and faces every challenge with courage and determination," Edwards said Tuesday.

OLF hearing set in Charlotte

The U.S. Navy has added a public hearing location in Charlotte to hear comments about its proposed outlying landing field in Eastern North Carolina.

The hearing, on April 17, was requested by Sen. Elizabeth Dole.