Easley hearings: Recap of Day 2

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First day of Easley hearings wraps up

The State Board of Elections has closed the first day of hearings on the conduct of former Gov. Mike Easley and his campaign. Today's headlines: Campbell: Campaign paid $11,000 for Easley's house repairs Former confidant and pilot McQueen Campbell says former Gov. Mike Easley also got an insurance settlement after the repairs were done.

Bleecker: Easley lease wasn't normal The Red Springs car dealer provided an SUV for the Easley family.

Judge: Easley's lawyer does not have to testify Ruffin Poole, who was Gov. Mike Easley's general counsel, does not have to testify in the State Board of Elections hearings.

What Easley, associates may be facing

The State Board of Elections is expected to wrap up its inquiry into former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign committee and the N.C. Democratic Party today.

The board will likely decide whether to ask for charges related to four issues: a 2000 GMC Yukon SUV provided to Easley's campaign that did not appear in election reports; air travel provided by Easley fundraiser McQueen Campbell and others that did not appear in election reports; repairs to Easley's personal residence in Raleigh that were paid for by his campaign; and allegations that Easley donors were told to give to the N.C. Democratic Party, which would then turn over the money to Easley's campaigns.

Here's a look at each, and the potential charges against campaign officials, donors or Easley that the board could forward to the state for a criminal investigation:

Hearings will examine Easley campaign

Former Gov. Mike Easley will be the subject of public hearings later this month as part of an ongoing state elections board investigation into questionable activity by the Easley campaign and the state Democratic Party, according to the board's chairman, Larry Leake.

The hearings will begin Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. and could last a week, Leake told the News & Observer today.

Leake said the hearings will deal with evidence of alleged campaign law violations and that no one should assume there was any wrongdoing by Easley, the state party or his campaign just because hearings will be held.

Appeals Court: Easley aide must testify

The state Court of Appeals has blocked an attempt by Ruffin Poole to avoid testifying before the State Board of Elections.

On Wednesday, Poole, right-hand man for former Gov. Mike Easley, convinced a trial court judge to quash a subpeona seeking his testimony at an elections hearing investigating Easley's campaign finances. The judge kept the reason for his ruling secret.

The Court of Appeals put aside that order today.

State sets Easley hearing

Former Gov. Mike Easley, who is a former crime-fighting prosecutor and state attorney general, is expected to be called to testify under oath about possible violations of state elections laws tied to his campaigns for the state's highest office.

North Carolina's elections board Wednesday set a hearing for Oct. 26 to gather evidence about the Easley campaign and the state Democratic Party that the board said might indicate illegal contributions and inaccurate campaign finance reports.

Easley said through a spokesman previously that hearings were not needed. The spokesman would not comment Wednesday.