Published Fri, Oct 30, 2009 11:28 AM
Modified Fri, Oct 30, 2009 04:20 PM

Easley and others referred to Wake County DA

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Staff photo by Shawn Rocco

Former Gov. Mike Easley grits his teeth while answering questions about the trustworthiness of McQueen Campbell. This was soon after looking over a copy of an invoice for flights billed to his campaign by Campbell. Easley says he never asked McQueen Campbell to use campaign money to pay for repairs to his house. Easley's testimony contradicts the account given by Campbell, an Easley supporter and family friend, who said Easley told Campbell to make up a bill for flights on Campbell's private plane. Campbell coordinated repairs to Easley's Raleigh home. Easley was testifying during the state Board of Elections hearing on Wednesday, October 28, 2009.

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Staff Reports

The State Board of Elections ordered former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign to pay $100,000 for failing to report campaign flights and sent Easley's case to the Wake County District Attorney's Office for a criminal review.

Board chairman Larry Leake said the board had received evidence that suggests Easley or others may have committed a crime.

"This board has received evidence which, if believed, would tend to indicate that criminal violations of our election laws and campaign finance laws have occurred on the part of Mike Easley and perhaps others," Leake said.

Easley supporter and friend McQueen Campbell testified that Easley told him to file a false invoice for campaign flights to pay for repairs done to Easley's Raleigh home. Easley said the allegation is false.

The board also found that the Easley campaign solicited $9,000 in contributions by telling the contributors that the money would be earmarked for Easley's campaign, a violation of state law. The board ordered the N.C. Democratic Party to surrender $9,000. The board decided that there was no evidence of other crimes committed by the party.

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Former Gov. Mike Easley's lawyer Thomas Hicks, right, shakes board member Robert Cordle's hand after the State Board of Elections ordered former Easley's campaign to pay $100,000 for failing to report campaign flights and sent Easley's case to the Wake County District Attorney's Office for a criminal review on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009.

Staff photo by Shawn Rocco
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The State Board of Elections ordered former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign to pay $100,000 for failing to report campaign flights and sent Easley's case to the Wake County District Attorney's Office for a criminal review at the conclusion of a weeklong hearing on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009.

Staff photo by Shawn Rocco