The charge

Beginning the year 2000 and continuing through 2005, JAMES BOYCE BLACK, a/k/a Jim Black, defendant herein, being an agent of a State government, and under the circumstance described in Paragraph 2 above, did corruptly, knowingly, and willfully solicit for his own benefit, and did accept and agree to accept, things of value, that is, money in the form of U.S. currency, from several persons, specifically, members of the chiropractic profession, intending to be rewarded in connection with business of said State government involving things of value of more than $5,000.

FROM THE BASIS FOR THE CHARGE:

* Between 2000 and February of 2002, Speaker Black approached two chiropractors and informed them that cash payments would be more helpful than campaign contributions made by check. The two chiropractors agreed to provide Speaker Black with cash payments and ultimately recruited a third chiropractor to provide cash payments to Speaker Black.

* During the period from February, 2002, through December, 2005, the three chiropractors planned fund-raisers for Speaker Black, met with Speaker Black to discuss legislation relevant to their practice, made in-kind payments for the benefit of Speaker Black which were not reported by Speaker Black to the North Carolina Board of Elections, and delivered cash payments totaling at least $25,000 to Speaker Black.

* In February of 2002, the chiropractors met Speaker Black at a private dining club in Charlotte and delivered $8,000 in cash to Speaker Black. In December to 2002, the chiropractors again met with Speaker Black at a private dining club in Charlotte and delivered approximately $10,000 in cash to Speaker Black. On or about February 14, 2004, approximately 15 members of the North Carolina chiropractic Association held a fund-raiser for Speaker Black at a restaurant in Concord, North Carolina. During this event, two of the chiropractors met Speaker Black in a restroom for the purpose of secretly delivering cash payments totaling at least $4,000. At the same event, a third chiropractor provided Speaker Black with a check, in the amount of $4,000, made payable simply to "Jim Black." Speaker Black deposited this check into his personal bank account.

* On December 3, 2005, a fund-raiser for Speaker Black was held by a group of chiropractors at the Capital Grille in Charlotte, North Carolina. During the fund-raiser, a chiropractor met Speaker Black in a restroom in order to secretly deliver to Speaker Black a $3,000 cash payment. When a restaurant employee entered the restroom, the chiropractor and Speaker Black stepped just outside the restroom and completed the delivery. Upon receiving the $3,000 in cash, Speaker Black stated to the chiropractor, "This is just between me and you. Don't you ever tell anybody about this."

* The three chiropractors who made cash payments to Speaker Black each received a Grand Jury subpoena requiring their appearance before a Federal Grand Jury in Raleigh, on August 16, 2006. On August 15, 2006, Speaker Black personally visited one of the chiropractors. Indicating that he aware of the subpoenas, Speaker Black suggested that the three chiropractors should tell the Grand Jury that the cash payments to Speaker Black consisted of "a little bit of money to help [Black] with expenses along the road while [Black] was out running around the country."

The plea agreement

Whenever called upon to do so by the United States, (1) to disclose fully and truthfully in interviews with Government agents information concerning all conduct related to the Criminal Information and any other crimes of which the Defendant has knowledge, and (2) to testify fully and truthfully in any proceeding. These obligations are continuing ones. The Defendant agrees that all of these statements can be used against the Defendant at trial if the Defendant is allowed to withdraw the guilty plea.