Newspaper has the goods on governor's travels

On Saturday and today, the News & Observer raised serious questions about former Gov. Mike Easley's governance, ethics and compliance with campaign reporting law. Part of the dark shadows had been illuminated already in earlier N&O reports about Easley's free use of vehicles from dealerships, his and his wife's taxpayer-paid excursions to Europe and his wife's exceptional hiring and promotion at N.C. State University.

Saturday's story revolves around Easley's use of aircraft owned by political supporters in apparent violation of campaign reporting laws and of common ethics. Interestingly, N&O reporters had pursued this story earlier, when Easley was in office, but they were stymied by his administration's ruling that release of travel logs would jeopardize the governor's security, even long after the trips were completed. Gov. Bev Perdue, to her credit, found no justification for withholding the information and released Easley's travel records.

It's hard not to think Easley had plenty to hide. The N&O uncovered a history of special treatment for the governor from owners of private and corporate aircraft. It also exposes the long-rumored accusation that Easley spent most weekends in Southport, where he owns a home. A sidebar story revealed that the state spent $72,000 on rent for a house in Southport for Easley's security detail. He was there so often, the house had to be rented full-time, and troopers racked up additional costs as a result. Check this story for one of the more revealing quotes, from Easley. Reporters at an April 10, 2008, press conference asked the governor if it were true that he was spending every weekend at Southport. "I don't get to Southport nearly as much as you made it appear that I do," Easley said. "I do try to go down at least every other weekend, at least for Friday and Saturday night. ... I just want to disabuse you of the notion that I go to Southport every weekend." But the N&O now has records showing he was at Southport for six consecutive weekends prior to his making those comments.

Today's story is about the special relationship between the Easley family and McQueen Campbell, who was appointed by Easley to the N.C. State Board of Trustees. The article implies that Campbell might have had some influence over the decision to hire Mary Easley for a plum job at State, but there is no smoking gun.

The interesting element in all of these stories is how many of the principals decline to speak to the N&O.

As you read these stories and remember the sordid history of former Speaker of the House Jim Black, former U.S. Rep. Frank Ballance and former Agriculture Commissioner Meg Scott Phipps, try to remember that North Carolina once had a reputation for clean politics. It really did.