and Get Outta Here.

Quote :

"Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina State University Chancellor James Oblinger on Monday asked for the wife of former Gov. Mike Easley to leave her university post."

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5166255/

I did not have a problem with the Easleys until I started hearing about how they abused their power in office. The investigation is still ongoing, but for the good of the univ, she needs to "kick rocks" (as my lovely lady says).

5/18/2009 12:11:10 PM

Sweet, that'll free up some funds and put all that drama to rest.

That is, if nobody decides to investigate allegations of corruption and press charges.

5/18/2009 12:12:49 PM

I expected this would happen.

Quote :

"Campus NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY Total Salary $170,000 First Name MARY P Last Name EASLEY Middle Initial P Department PROVOSTS OFFICE Position EXECUTIVE-IN-RESIDENCE Status CURRENTLY EMPLOYED FTE Percentage 100"

http://tinyurl.com/rxr396

[Edited on May 18, 2009 at 12:34 PM. Reason : FYI.]

5/18/2009 12:18:04 PM

crooked NC dems at it again.

5/18/2009 1:40:12 PM

Make like a tree?

5/18/2009 1:43:39 PM

Back to the Future reference

5/18/2009 1:45:32 PM

Does anyone even know what her job was, or was she just here to collect money?

5/18/2009 2:06:49 PM

on the board due to influence, but mostly she just collects money.

5/18/2009 2:09:25 PM

couldn't Oblinger just fire her instead of politely asking her to step down?

5/18/2009 2:59:50 PM

^^^ she headed up the Millennium Speakers series, taught some classes, and was I guess founding/running a new program dealing with Public Safety (don't know too much about that)

5/18/2009 3:10:44 PM

^^Since there's a contract involved, I think she would actually have to make the decision to leave.

5/18/2009 3:42:00 PM

Quote :

"Easley was in charge of the University's Millenium Seminar Series and was also working toward the creation of a dual-degree program with Campbell University, which is moving its law school to Raleigh."

I for one, think a dual-degree program with Campbell would have been awesome. O well.

http://www.technicianonline.com/news/easley-met-on-campus-this-morning-1.1751664

[Edited on May 18, 2009 at 8:50 PM. Reason : from technician]

5/18/2009 8:49:47 PM

5/18/2009 9:34:14 PM

Quote :

"I for one, think a dual-degree program with Campbell would have been awesome. O well."

Hey, just because she's done doesn't mean there's not somebody else who can pick up the slack.

5/19/2009 2:59:26 AM

^ well that is true.

You know who would be perfect? An experienced lawyer who also has also taught law, and who has experience within State government, and lots of legal and political connections around the state.

Now where could we find someone like that....

5/19/2009 8:51:44 AM

http://www.lawcrossing.com/

5/19/2009 9:00:51 AM

^^ If she was actually properly concerned with legal procedure and ethics violations she wouldn't have signed onto that contract which gave her stupid amounts of money each year and violated university policy. She made a mistake, the university made a mistake, and now it's time for them to part ways and for the university to find somebody else suitable for the job.

5/19/2009 5:39:10 PM

somebody had to have known that shit would raise red flags. if you all really want to get pissed, journey to the faculty senate in DH Hill and see what you're paying some of these people.

5/19/2009 9:10:44 PM

for reference message_topic.aspx?topic=530510

also Easley's lawyers are saying she won't resign...great... (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/597/story/737382.html)

5/21/2009 1:46:31 PM

Shit just got real.

5/21/2009 1:57:56 PM

I guess she'll resign when they throw her ass in jail.

5/22/2009 12:44:40 AM

There was really no good reason to ask her to resign besides to save her the embarrassment of being fired. She declined, so just fire her.

And on an unrelated note, fire Lee Fowler.

5/22/2009 12:51:37 AM

Somehow I believe in their infinite wisdom, they signed her to a five year contract. If they terminate her without justification or charges being brought, they would likely have to buy out her contract, which is in the $800k range (and pay her for doing nothing).

5/22/2009 1:44:17 AM

Is it common for someone in her type of position to be hired on a contractual basis? Other than coaches, is this common for other university officials?

5/22/2009 7:33:04 AM

Looks like Mary has Oblinger by the balls

5/22/2009 8:03:22 AM

Quote :

"If they terminate her without justification or charges being brought, they would likely have to buy out her contract"

Maybe they can appeal to pres. Obama to nullify her contract as well.

... or peruse her contract to see if they can assign her a nastier job in the hopes that she'll quit.

And why aren't some Highway Patrol people getting canned for losing all of Easley's 2005 travel records? I'd investigate that some more.

5/22/2009 10:11:58 AM

This is rather interesting because you would assume if Mary was truly guilty she would have resigned already, especially since the pressure has increased drastically. She is fighting it though, which will probably sway some people into thinking that she did not do anything wrong in the first place. *popcorn*

5/22/2009 11:01:20 AM

Quote :

"you would assume if Mary was truly guilty she would have resigned already"

no, because if she resigned it would make her look even more guilty.

5/22/2009 12:43:48 PM

She is either guilty, but knows no one can prove it, so she's fighting back; or she is guilty, doesn't know if someone can prove it or not, and is taking a really stupid risk by fighting back; or she's not guilty, knows no one can prove that she is guilty, so she's fighting back. Fighting back, without being absolutely certain that the truth will not be revealed, is completely mental. This seems unlikely, but you never know, maybe her lawyers are stupid too. So this means that Mary is either completely innocent, is completely stupid and guilty, or is guilty and one smooooooooth operator.

[Edited on May 22, 2009 at 1:30 PM. Reason : -]

5/22/2009 1:24:14 PM

no, if she resigned she would not get the portion that is guaranteed on the 5 year contract.....if she gets fired, she will get something similiar to a golden parachute.

5/23/2009 10:32:41 PM

Quote :

"no, because if she resigned it would make her look even more guilty."

You mean, like the others who have already resigned?

5/25/2009 9:00:17 AM

At this point, it makes less sense for NCSU to fire Mary, because then the taxpayers will be even more pissed off at the Administration, because we will be paying her for doing nothing. I think they should bite the bullet on this one and watch her like a hawk. The alternative is that the university saves a little face by firing Mary, but then the taxpayers will be even more upset with the administration and the crisis will simply be re-directed at the Administration next. Basically, someone is going to look really bad here no matter what. Your choices are as follows: continue on with your course of action and fire Mary and make the administration look rotten and unorganized which will undoubtedly lead to further unavoidable ramifications; have Oblinger resign and fire Mary at the same time but still leave taxpayers pissed; have Oblinger resign but keep Mary and watch her closely which will slightly diffuse the situation from the Administration standpoint by controlling taxpayer's outrage by not firing Mary and wasting all that money; or simply do nothing and keep Mary as a black sheep distraction to the public and watch Mary under a electron microscope for a few years. If the Administration is interested in damage control, it would make the most sense to allow Mary to endure the heat instead of re-directing that ire back onto themselves two-fold by paying her off with our money. Ultimately this whole crisis is about money, and the taxpayers are watching the bottom line more than anything right now. The choice is yours, but I feel the wisest decision is to simply wait for the black sheep to quit after enduring too much from the wolves that have been nipping at her heels.

[Edited on May 25, 2009 at 10:01 AM. Reason : -]

5/25/2009 9:33:22 AM

it's amazing that no one paid attention to the easley's BS and corruption while he was in office, but now that mary got called out, everyone's bitching about it...

5/25/2009 12:29:18 PM

Quote :

"Ex-provost gave up position, not salary NCSU's Nielsen won't see a pay cut until November The former provost at N.C. State University, Larry Nielsen, resigned his position as chief academic officer two weeks ago, citing stress over publicity about his handling of Mary Easley's job. But Nielsen hasn't given up his $298,700 provost's salary. For the next six months, Nielsen will be on a paid "study leave" with no change in his pay, Chancellor James Oblinger acknowledged in an interview Wednesday. Nielsen's pay will be reduced to $156,000 per year in late November as he returns to faculty work in the College of Natural Resources. The chancellor said it's standard practice for a top administrator who is returning to the faculty to get time to assess his future work duties. Asked why Nielsen's salary would remain at the provost level during that time frame, Oblinger said it was part of Nielsen's contract under university policies. "It's very standard," the chancellor said. "That is something put in administrative contracts from the very beginning." The actual policy, however, says the leave is up to the discretion of the chancellor. The policy says the leave period can be for up to one year, though Nielsen's is for six months. Nielsen's leave comes at a time of budgetary difficulties at the university and across state government. Administrators at N.C. State are bracing for cuts that could wipe out more than 10 percent of the university budget. Some layoffs are under way and more are likely. Already, state employees have taken pay cuts as well. Nielsen could not be reached."

And remember, there is nothing we can cut. We have to open the prisons because there is no where to cut the budget.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2972/story/1554789.html

[Edited on June 4, 2009 at 10:13 AM. Reason : .]

6/4/2009 10:13:14 AM

Quote :

"it's amazing that no one paid attention to the easley's BS and corruption while he was in office, but now that mary got called out, everyone's bitching about it.."

Blame the press. I don't live in his fucking house. I only know what I read in the paper. And corruption in the Easley admin wasn't a breaking story until pretty recently.

That being said, I don't know how much the press can be blamed either. Maybe people were unwillingly to talk about Easley's transgressions until he left office (fear for their jobs? political retribution?).

And this is all really still under investigation. We don't actually know what Easley did or didn't do. I gotta say I am concerned though. I hope justice gets done.

[Edited on June 4, 2009 at 10:37 AM. Reason : ``]

6/4/2009 10:36:53 AM

^

Quote :

"And corruption in the Easley admin wasn't a breaking story until pretty recently."

Incorrect.

Easley Caught in a Lie?

Quote :

"3/7/2008"

message_topic.aspx?topic=517497

6/4/2009 11:11:45 AM

^ I don't know if I would call that corruption. At best this sounds like a flip-flop and at worse he might be lying about a previous policy position. Not great, but not how I would define corruption. And if we define corruption that broadly I think the term is not very useful.
http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/2537159/

But even ignoring that point, your thread isn't exactly old news. That thread was only created last year, the last of Easley's 8 years in office.

So I think I can safely stand by my statement that Easley's "corruption" was not a top story until after he left office. Or at the very least until the closing months of his administration.

[Edited on June 4, 2009 at 1:26 PM. Reason : ``]

6/4/2009 1:24:17 PM

^

Quote :

". . .Easley's 'corruption' was not a top story until after he left office."

You've pinpointed the problem. This in itself is a story.

6/4/2009 4:09:58 PM

I think that's what Socks`` was trying to say.

6/4/2009 4:45:01 PM

i thought it was because travel records and such werent available until bev perdue requested that they become available

6/4/2009 9:39:02 PM

Mary Easley's lecture program to have funding cut by NC House.
http://www.wral.com/news/state/story/5284282/

So I guess now she'll be receiving her salary for doing nothing.

6/5/2009 12:25:52 AM

Quote :

"fire Lee Fowler"

6/5/2009 1:34:10 AM

^ THANK YOU!

^^ I have a feeling this is the final nail for her. As right now she has no job effectively. No series, her law enforcement thingy got cut when they said no new centers due to budget cuts. I never heard about the joint cambell venture but they probably wont push it too much.

6/5/2009 4:19:01 AM

http://ncsu.edu/about-nc-state/chancellor/chancellor-transition/index.php

6/8/2009 10:10:47 AM

Quote :

"At this point, it makes less sense for NCSU to fire Mary, because then the taxpayers will be even more pissed off at the Administration, because we will be paying her for doing nothing. I think they should bite the bullet on this one and watch her like a hawk. The alternative is that the university saves a little face by firing Mary, but then the taxpayers will be even more upset with the administration and the crisis will simply be re-directed at the Administration next. Basically, someone is going to look really bad here no matter what. Your choices are as follows: continue on with your course of action and fire Mary and make the administration look rotten and unorganized which will undoubtedly lead to further unavoidable ramifications; have Oblinger resign and fire Mary at the same time but still leave taxpayers pissed; have Oblinger resign but keep Mary and watch her closely which will slightly diffuse the situation from the Administration standpoint by controlling taxpayer's outrage by not firing Mary and wasting all that money; or simply do nothing and keep Mary as a black sheep distraction to the public and watch Mary under a electron microscope for a few years. If the Administration is interested in damage control, it would make the most sense to allow Mary to endure the heat instead of re-directing that ire back onto themselves two-fold by paying her off with our money."

6/8/2009 10:25:41 AM

Quote :

" Mary Easley was informed that she was let go because of "the recent economic downturn." Wink wink. YOU FOLLOWING ME, CAMERA GUY? In truth, my completely not bogus sources tell me, NCSU officials invoked university bylaw 12, section four, clause A-7, better known as the Holy Hot Goddamn This Here Is Some Shit clause. For obvious but regrettable legal reasons, that could not be publicized."

6/12/2009 1:31:36 PM

wral seriously needs to find another picture to start using. They're starting to taint the potential jury pool with that thing.

6/12/2009 1:44:47 PM

Feds want documents from NC ports on marina deal

Quote :

"RALEIGH, N.C. - Federal prosecutors investigating former Gov. Mike Easley and his wife took a new tack Wednesday with grand jury subpoenas looking for information about a marina lease that once drew an ethics complaint about him. The North Carolina State Ports Authority has collected documents sought in a subpoena it received from the U.S. Attorney's Office related to the marina in the Easleys' hometown of Southport, authority spokeswoman Karen Fox said."

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090617/APN/906170600

The plot thickens.

6/19/2009 2:37:05 PM

so i posted this in chit chat

i thought maybe "new nc state chancellor"

perhaps someone would care

turned out, few clicked or commented

message_topic.aspx?topic=569227

6/20/2009 1:11:50 AM

bump request

9/21/2009 1:15:36 PM