Perdue Following Easley’s Footsteps
And leaving a sleazy trail along the way, according to N.C. Republican Party Chairman Tom Fetzer.
Perdue has in recent months disclosed that her gubernatorial campaign received 31 flights that did not comply with state campaign finance law. Last week her campaign forfeited $48,000 related to questionable contributions received from nine donors connected to a major Democrat fundraiser, reports the Raleigh News & Observer.
Yet the State Board of Elections has not held any hearings to investigate possible financial improprieties by Perdue’s campaign, as it did for the tangled web of deceit that passed for the campaign of her predecessor, former Gov. Mike Easley.
Fetzer wants to know why not.
“It’s time for the State Board of Elections to get their heads out of the sand,” Fetzer said. “How many more violations of North Carolina law does Bev Perdue and her campaign get to acknowledge before the State Board of Elections launches an investigation?”
The latest acknowledgement by the Perdue campaign, however, may have tentacles that reach into other camps. The same nine people who made questionable donations to her campaign, also made similar contributions, totaling $44,500 in 2008, to the campaign of Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, a Down East Democrat.
In both cases, concerns were raised that the nine donors may have had their campaign contributions reimbursed by Rusty Carter, a heavy-hitter Democrat fundraiser who owns Atlantic Corp., a packaging company in Wilmington.
That type of monetary shell game would violate state elections law, which prohibits one person from giving somebody else money to donate to a political campaign, or reimbursing them for a donation.
The campaigns of both Perdue and Basnight say they are proactively working with elections officials to ensure that any donations received were untainted, and contend that calls for hearings or investigations are premature.
Gee, where have we heard that before?
We need your help! If you like PunditHouse, please consider donating to us. Even $5 a month can make a difference!
Short URL: https://pundithouse.com/?p=1252
