Allen, top-ranking black Bush staffer, resigns

Claude Allen, a Jesse Helms protege and President Bush's chief domestic policy adviser, submitted a letter of resignation Wednesday. He was the president's highest-ranking African-American staffer.

Allen joined Bush's administration in 2001 as deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. He was named a year ago as Bush's domestic policy chief.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said in published reports that Allen's resignation came strictly for personal reasons.

In a statement, President Bush said Allen "has helped develop policies that will strengthen our nation's families, schools and communities. Claude is a good and compassionate man, and he has my deep respect and my gratitude."

Allen was Helms' spokesman during the former senator's 1984 re-election race against Jim Hunt. Allen criticized Hunt for his connections "with the queers."

The remark came up in 2003 when Bush nominated Allen for the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia. The nomination was blocked by Democrats.

Allen graduated from Raleigh's Sanderson High School, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University's law school.

He got his start in politics working in Bill Cobey's campaign for Congress in 1982.

Running for mystery seat

N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Eric Levinson is a candidate for the state Supreme Court, but he's being cagey about which seat he's seeking.

On Thursday, Levinson would say only that he's seeking an associate justice's spot. He refused to say whether he was running against Patricia Timmons-Goodson, who is rumored to be his chosen opponent; against Mark Martin; or for the seat to be vacated by George Wainwright's anticipated retirement.

Levinson said he will specify his opponent Monday, when candidates can begin filing to run for office.

Smart Start gets big gift

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has given the N.C. Partnership for Children, known as Smart Start, $5 million for development of local partnerships and outreach to other states. The grant, which is to be spent over five years, is the largest private donation in the program's history.

Marvin McKinney, program director at the foundation, said the state has been an innovator in early childhood development work.

"They have proven they can carry the mantle," he said. "It's worth the investment to see if they can get to the next level."

Half the money will be used to develop and diversify community leadership, create closer connections between child care and public schools, and increase parent support services, McKinney said. The other half is for Smart Start's National Technical Assistance Center, which helps other states start their own versions of Smart Start.

The assistance center has worked with about 17 states, helping export early childhood development ideas. The grant will help the center take on five to seven additional states.

Hearings hard on Black

Among those keeping an eye -- or an ear -- on the State Board of Elections hearing this week into the campaign activities of House Speaker Jim Black and former Rep. Michael Decker is Rep. Jim Crawford, an Oxford Democrat and business owner who said he has monitored the proceedings off and on via the Internet at his office in Henderson.

"I'm not as worried about Jim Black losing his job over this as I am his losing his health," said Crawford, a friend and ally of Black. "He doesn't look too good. Getting hammered day after day, it's hard to keep going. But I think he'll survive it all."

Crawford said former Black aide Meredith Norris, under investigation by state and federal officials probing whether she lobbied illegally, has received a bum rap.

"I think she's a good bit more innocent than people suppose," he said. " ... I think she was just trying to do whatever she could to help Jim Black and keep the Democrats together, and she gave no thought to whether she was lobbying."

Crawford said politicos are following the hearings closely -- including many of his colleagues.

"There aren't but 120 House members who want to be speaker," he said with a wry chuckle.