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The issue arose last week after Easley ordered the firing of Debbie Crane, the chief spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Human Services. The agency has been under scrutiny for its failed effort to reform the state's mental health system.

After she was dismissed from her job, Crane said that communications directors for Easley had ordered public information officers at state agencies to delete e-mail messages to the governor's office.

Several public information officers still working for the state have declined to comment on Crane's allegation or have said it is not true.

On Wednesday, a lawyer for the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Mary P. Thompson, sent an e-mail message to Secretary Bill Ross and 34 other senior staffers and public information officers instructing them not to answer questions from reporters about e-mail messages they erase.

"Specifically, do not discuss e-mail policy, records retention schedules, or destruction/deletion of e-mail," Thompson wrote. "Instead, please say that you cannot comment on matters that are threatened to become the subject matter of litigation."

Martin, the press association lawyer, said a directive from the governor's staff for public information officers to destroy e-mail messages is a far cry from an employee making the independent determination that an e-mail message no longer has value.

"If Debbie Crane's allegations are correct," Martin said, "I believe the governor has directed public officials to violate the public records law, notwithstanding the policy that permits an individual to dispose of e-mails that no longer hold value."

For his part, Easley agreed this week to declare Thursday as "Sunshine Day" in North Carolina.

The annual event is intended to bring public attention to keeping the workings of government transparent.

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