First day of Easley hearings wraps up

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One more witness remains

The State Board of Elections adjourned its hearing for the day at 4 p.m. and intends to call only one more witness former N.C. Democratic Party chairman Scott Falmlen.

After former Gov. Mike Easley testified, two witnesses testified that they had little or no involvement or recollection of anything relevant to the hearing. It wouldn't have mattered if they did, because Easley's testimony was the story of the day. Some highlights:

Easley directly contradicted the story told by McQueen Campbell that Easley wanted Campbell to pay for repairs to his home with falsified invoices for flights. Both men can't be telling the truth. It's helpful to Campbell, then, that a campaign volunteer recalls Easley urging her to pay the invoice. Easley says he thought the invoice was for future flights.

Former N.C. Gov. Easley contradicts friend's testimony during hearing

Former Gov. Mike Easley gave sworn testimony Wednesday about free flights, the use of a vehicle and campaign-funded repairs to his home that directly contradicted earlier statements in a state Board of Elections hearing.

Easley, a two-term Democratic governor who left office in January, said he never instructed supporter McQueen Campbell to submit false invoices that led to his campaign's paying $11,000 for repairs to Easley's Raleigh home. He said he believed that Campbell had been properly reimbursed for dozens of times he flew Easley on campaign and personal trips.

Easley's five-hour appearance on the third day of the board's hearings was a rare sight: a former governor being questioned about possible crime by five members of a state board, three of whom he appointed.

Former state auditor, car dealer subpoenaed in Easley hearing

Former state auditor Ralph Campbell Jr. is one of three more people who have been served with a subpoena and could be called to testify in this week's state Board of Elections hearing, which is gathering information on possible campaign violations by former Gov. Mike Easley and the state Democratic Party.

Campbell, a Democrat who was state auditor from 1992 to 2004, could not immediately be reached.

Campbell was the state party's treasurer who signed campaign finance filings in the year 2005, one in which many of the controversies surrounding Easley took place.

Crusader wears tarnished armor

After having spent much of his life as the hunter, former Gov. Mike Easley is the prey.

Easley rose in politics as corruption-busting district attorney and a consumer-oriented attorney general, then as an outsider governor who didn't like good ol' boy politics.

That image is a distant memory.

Probe of ex-N.C. Gov. Easley will take more time

The special state prosecutor who is overseeing a major part of the investigation of former Gov. Mike Easley says he is consulting federal authorities and expects it will take many months before he reaches any conclusion on the case.

Bill Kenerly, the district attorney in Rowan County, indicated earlier this month that he hoped to decide about a prosecution by February. But after meeting with other officials on the case, he said it would be longer. It likely means that Easley, a two-term Democratic governor and now a lawyer for the McGuireWoods law firm in Raleigh, will remain under a cloud well into next year.

"It was probably optimistic, if not wildly optimistic, that I would be in a position to make a decision by February," Kenerly said in an interview. "With information I have received since then, it is going to take more time and study than that."