Perdue urged to sack former aide to Easley

A Democratic political consultant and state government watchdog is urging Gov. Bev Perdue to remove Ruffin Poole, who was a top aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, from the board that distributes millions in tobacco settlement money.

Joe Sinsheimer is asking Perdue to oust Poole from the Golden LEAF foundation because Poole refused to testify at last month's state Board of Elections hearing into Easley's campaign finances.

The hearing showed that Poole was involved in fundraising on behalf of Easley and the state Democratic Party while he held a position in Easley's administration handling appointments and regulatory issues.

Easley appointed Poole last year to the Golden LEAF board.

Poole, who works at the same McGuireWoods law firm as Easley, fought a subpoena that would have compelled his testimony before the elections board. The state Court of Appeals eventually ruled against Poole just as the Easley hearing wrapped up, and board members said they plan to reconvene and call Poole to testify.

Poole did not respond to an interview request.

Sinsheimer said the episode demands a strong response from Perdue, a Democrat.

"While Mr. Poole has a constitutional right against self-incrimination, it is disgraceful that a state appointee to a board as important as Golden LEAF would refuse to answer questions from another state board," Sinsheimer wrote.

A Perdue spokeswoman said the governor is reviewing the letter and did not comment in detail on Poole.

Reiff talks to grand jury

A longtime aide and former campaign manager for Easley did Wednesday what he didn't do last month: answer questions from authorities probing his old boss.

Jay Reiff, Easley's campaign manager in 2000 and 2004, was at the federal courthouse where a grand jury met as part of a probe of Easley.

Reiff emerged after a couple of hours inside, but did not speak to reporters. His lawyer, Michael Weisel, said Reiff, answered questions for several hours "regarding the Easley investigation."

Weisel said it would be inaccurate to say Reiff had not cooperated with last month's state elections board probe. Reiff did not appear, and elections board Chairman Larry Leake expressed frustration that the board's subpoena power did not extend to Virginia, where Reiff was working on a campaign.

Weisel said Reiff "made himself available to be called but, in fact, was not called."

The shrinking governor

Gov. Bev Perdue is not the woman she used to be - and she's proud of it.

Perdue got personal Wednesday morning when she gave a pep talk at the State Employees Wellness Fair at the State Fairgrounds.

"I want you to know that in 1992 I was twice the size I am today," Perdue said. "I believe if I had the nerve to weigh [myself] I might have tipped the scales at right near 180 to 190 pounds. I'm 5-foot-3 and a half."

Perdue said she decided to improve her health because of her two sons who depended on her as a single mother. Rather than having a bag of Doritos when she got back to New Bern after a week in the legislature, she might have half a bag.

She also stopped smoking in 2003 after she was afraid she was experiencing a stroke.

Perdue said she now takes care of herself and was up at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday to exercise.

Palin wanted Burr to go

Sarah Palin apparently didn't think U.S. Sen. Richard Burr made much of a carpool buddy when she was campaigning in North Carolina last year.

E-mail messages obtained by The Atlantic magazine show that Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee, didn't like having politicians or celebrities with her on her campaign bus in 2008.

On Oct. 26, after a long day of stumping in North Carolina, Palin issued an edict to her traveling staff.

"We were informed today that she no longer wishes to do TV or print interviews post-rally," wrote a senior Palin adviser, in an e-mail message to senior headquarters staff. "She's drained. We were informed of her displeasure that her host and US Senator Richard Burr was allowed to ride the [bus] with her."

Wicker won't run

Former Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker said Wednesday that he would not seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Burr next year.

Wicker said he received strong encouragement to take the plunge.

"The demands of raising the $15 to $20 million necessary to run a successful campaign are simply too much for someone with a relatively young family and a full-time law practice," Wicker said.

Two Democrats have announced their candidacies: Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Chapel Hill lawyer Kenneth Lewis. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has been trying to persuade former state Sen. Cal Cunningham, who decided not to run, to enter the race.

By staff writers Rob Christensen, J. Andrew Curliss and Benjamin Niolet

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