Easley: Scandal damages state

But he stops short of judging Black

Gov. Mike Easley said Wednesday that the fundraising scandal swirling around House Speaker Jim Black, a key Democratic ally, has become "a blight on the state."

But Easley sidestepped questions about whether Black should step down, saying that all the facts in the case were not known and that the legal process should be given time to work.

The questions arose a day after former Republican state Rep. Michael Decker pleaded guilty to corruption charges of accepting $50,000 in exchange for switching his party registration to help keep Black speaker in 2003.

The plea agreement did not say who gave Decker the money. But attention has focused on Black, who met privately with Decker to try to secure his vote.

Although Black has acknowledged raising campaign funds for Decker -- as he does for many political allies -- he has strongly denied any quid pro quo.

Black's troubles pose a ticklish political problem for Easley.

Easley, who rose in politics as a corruption-busting district attorney, has relied heavily on Black, the influential four-term speaker, to push his agenda through the legislature.

At a news conference on Fidelity Investments' plans to expand Triangle operations, Easley seemed reluctant to judge Black.

"The people involved know the facts," he said. "We don't. I think we should continue to let this process work its course right now."

But Easley expressed displeasure with the revelations that emerged from the federal grand jury investigation.

"It's a blight on the state," he said. "There's no need to pretend that it's not. I commend the prosecutors for moving aggressively, moving rapidly.

"I hope more information comes out sooner rather than later, and we get to the bottom of it and the truth comes out."

In 2003, Easley angered some Democrats when he called for the resignation of Democratic Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps. At the time, two of Phipps' close aides had pleaded guilty to extorting money from companies seeking work at the State Fair. Phipps rejected Easley's advice at the time, but she resigned a month later. She later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison for her role in a money-raising scandal.

On Wednesday, Democrats were still reeling from the Decker plea agreement.

State Rep. Bill Faison of Orange County, a possible Democratic candidate for governor in 2008, said that he is withholding judgment about Black's role but that he was "profoundly distressed" by the Decker revelations.

"I think Decker's plea makes it more probable that Jim Black will be indicted," Faison said. "Because if you believe Decker's statement, the logical extension of that is that Black was involved. I hope that is not true. Black has done some great things in this state."

Republicans, meanwhile, called on Democrats to take action against "the culture of corruption" in the state House.

"The ongoing scandals surrounding the Speaker's office undermine the public's confidence in our elected officials," state GOP Chairman Ferrell Blount wrote in a letter to House Majority Leader Joe Hackney of Orange County. "Your Party's ongoing silence further proves your support for this immoral and dishonest government."

Black has not been notified that he is a target of the federal investigation, said Julia Robinson, Black's spokeswoman. Although Black was unavailable for comment Wednesday, she noted that Black had testified under oath in February that he had not tried to buy Decker's vote.

"I have been accused publicly of giving Michael Decker something to get him to change parties or vote for me for speaker," Black said in February during a State Board of Elections hearing. "And I want to right now tell you that I never gave Michael Decker anything to change parties or to vote for me or for any other political purpose."