Posted on 07/25/2009 7:42:29 AM PDT by Libloather
Easley, Democratic Party Pay For Improper Contributions
By NBC17 and AP, NBC17, 2 days, 7 hours ago
Updated: Jul. 23 7:35 pm
RALEIGH, N.C. - Concerns over former Governor Mike Easley's campaign finances have both his campaign and the state Democratic Party writing checks to cover questionable contributions.
The party sent $24,086.22 to the state's Board of Elections, representing seven "in kind" donations -- services that Easley says he did for the party.
Easley's campaign added another $2,720 for a series of excessive contributions between 1999 and 2004.
It's all tied to an on-going investigation with a lot of focus on travel and use of cars by the governor's campaign and his family.
The checks do not clear the situation up.
"That does not mean that this investigation by the state board of elections is over, concluded, or anything of that sort. It is not," Board of Elections Chairman Larry Leake said. "It is ongoing."
Leake said they're going to take their time with the investigation, but acknowledged something seems off with money that moved back and forth between Easley's campaign and the state party.
"The $24,000 has to do with contributions which the Easley campaign had advised the North Carolina Democratic Party that it had expended on behalf of the party," Leake said. "And now there is some concern as to whether those expenditures were on behalf of the party."
Party officials released a statement saying they hope the check they sent today puts the matter to rest from their end.
"We do not know that these contributions were improper, and until questions were raised, had no reason whatsoever to believe that they might be improper," state party Chairman David Young said in a letter to the Board of Elections.
Calls to Easley's lawyer were not returned.
(Excerpt) Read more at wake.mync.com ...
This just shows that there is little use for campaign finance law enforcement as it exists now. The criminals continue to walk free and can just sign a check and pay for their “crime” later.
NC votes like Pennsylvania these days. God rest Jesse Helms.
Hillary has still not returned 1.2 mil to Peter Paul.
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