9/21/2009 1:17:55 PM

So, which of the Easleys is going to jail? Neither? Both?

Easley deal may have aided scam
Buying a lot, the couple may have unknowingly helped inflate prices at a coastal project.
Sep. 20, 2009

Quote :

"More than 200 plaintiffs in one of the largest alleged mortgage fraud cases in state history have said for months that they were duped into paying inflated prices for coastal lots. Now the revelation that former Gov. Mike Easley and his wife, Mary, got a 25 percent discount from a developer named in the lawsuits shows that even the state's highest official may have unwittingly helped hype the prices they paid. No one involved in the fraud cases has claimed that the Easleys were knowingly involved. But the $137,000 discount they received on their lot was not shown in the $550,000 sale price reported to the Carteret County Register of Deeds."

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/958375.html

[Edited on September 21, 2009 at 1:26 PM. Reason : .]

9/21/2009 1:25:14 PM

burn those pieces of shit

9/21/2009 10:46:25 PM

N&O: Easley's golf club received water during drought
Updated: Today at 10:28 a.m.

Quote :

"RALEIGH, N.C. — While North Carolina was amidst a severe drought, a private Chatham County golf club, of which then-Gov. Mike Easley was a member, was receiving millions of gallons of water for its greens, according to the News and Observer. In 2002, North Carolina was in the midst of a four-year drought, and Easley was urging citizens and busineses to conserve water. The N&O reported Sunday that during that drought, Old Chatham Golf Club, 1480 O’Kelly Chapel Road, removed nearly 6 million gallons from a nearby creek to irrigate its grass. The creek feeds into Jordan Lake, which provides water for Cary and Apex. 'What people need to realize is that the club stood to lose probably over a million dollars if that grass was allowed to die,' said Joe Sinsheimer, a Democratic political consultant."

Quote :

"The N&O report states that the Governor's Office was involved in the decision to allow the club to pump the water. The club also granted Easley a free membership, worth an estimated $50,000, which he failed to disclose, according to the N&O report."

http://www.wral.com/news/local/politics/story/6235340/

Is there any other weaselly wrongdoing that Easley could have allegedly engaged in?

[Edited on October 19, 2009 at 1:24 PM. Reason : Seriously. ]

10/19/2009 1:23:47 PM

At first I was like... and Easley's paperboy smoked weed once. How dare Easley. Then I got to that last part.

Seems par for the course for any politician.


I hate myself.

10/19/2009 1:48:15 PM

^ Your pun aside, I hope you didn't mean that.

Anyway, both of the guests, Joe Sinsheimer and Kieran Shanahan, on WRAL's On the Record predicted that Mike Easley will probably go to jail.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/6276158/

10/25/2009 6:46:14 AM

It appears that the Easley scandal is widening--to allegedly include the North Carolina Democratic Party. And several witnesses appear to have developed some form of amnesia.

Quote :

"RALEIGH Internal documents from former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign committee suggest a concerted effort to run donations illegally through the N.C. Democratic Party to circumvent contribution limits. The evidence, released Tuesday by the State Board of Elections, included internal campaign memos that outlined ways to extract more money from donors than they could get with straightforward contributions to Easley's two campaigns for governor."

Quote :

"At times, election board members expressed exasperation. The board tried to home in on a comment Horne made about a group of people involved in the campaign who would be involved in major fundraising decisions. But Horne could only name one other person, R.V. Owens, a nephew to Senate leader Marc Basnight, a Manteo Democrat. 'I was disappointed and surprised that they couldn't remember more than they did,' board member Charles Winfree said after Tuesday's testimony. 'Mr. Hayden, Mr. Horne, and Mr. Allen in particular seemed like they were not able to remember things that I would think they ordinarily could remember.'"

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/topstories/story/1023742.html

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=7084654

[Edited on October 28, 2009 at 3:48 AM. Reason : FYI: I couldn't deal with the scrolling in that other thread. ]

10/28/2009 3:47:53 AM

Panel fines ex-NC governor, seeks criminal probe (AP) – 2 hours ago

Quote :

"RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina elections officials penalized former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign $100,000 Friday for not reporting flights provided by a political ally and asked prosecutors to investigate whether he or others broke laws by trying to hide them. The unanimous State Board of Elections decision came after four days of hearings into the conduct of Easley, a two-term Democrat who left office in January, and the state Democratic Party. The board found evidence that campaign finance laws were violated, and that evidence was sent to the Wake County district attorney, board Chairman Larry Leake said. The board also told the Easley campaign to give up the cost of the flights — $60,000 — and to reimburse the elections board $40,000 for its investigation."

Quote :

"The activities of Campbell and Easley also have gotten the attention of federal prosecutors, and a grand jury has been calling witnesses to testify about a coastal subdivision where Easley and his wife purchased a lot and the hiring of former first lady Mary Easley at N.C. State University."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5higsUoZ8WM5tg9xdc8z84s8DVLwwD9BLHQH00

And we've only just begun.

10/30/2009 3:59:17 PM

I don't think you know how to correctly use the "rolly eyes".

10/30/2009 8:11:40 PM

^ Thanks for sharing.

Better?

10/30/2009 8:36:49 PM

Easley Aide Ruffin Poole Indicted By Grand Jury
Jan. 21, 2010

Quote :

"A federal grand jury has indicted Charles Ruffin Poole on numerous charges including money laundering and extortion. The 64-page indictment spares no detail about Poole's activity in the Easley administration where he was known as the 'little governor.' 'The Grand Jury's decision today is a reminder to all public servants of their obligations to the people of this state,' said U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding in a press release. Poole was the 'go to guy' according to the indictment -- the person who political supporters talked to if they wanted assistance from the governor. 'Anyone who serves in government has the trust of the people they represent, and we cannot afford to let that trust be corrupted. The FBI will remain vigilant in seeking out those who choose to abuse the system,' said Owen D. Harris, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina. The indictment centers around donations to Easley's campaign, and land development permits from the state Poole helped move along including one for a 'Wilmington Financier' for a Brunswick County development."

http://tinyurl.com/y9ulnzo

Don't do the [alleged] crime if you can't do the time / No, no--don't do it!

1/22/2010 4:11:52 PM

How much time do you think Poole will get, or rather, what do you think will happen to him?

1/22/2010 8:52:55 PM

He'll probably end up committing suicide by shooting himself in the back of the head twice.

1/22/2010 9:02:43 PM

So the little governor will probably spend a substantial amount of time in federal prison?

1/22/2010 9:46:54 PM

slap on the wrist at best. its not like he had some weed or something really bad like that!

1/23/2010 9:22:40 AM

I'm not taking the wrap.. see? I'll sing like a bird..see? No one's playing me for the Patsy..see?

1/23/2010 9:45:12 AM

^ I hope that smirk of his gets a life sentence.

1/24/2010 6:39:27 AM