From the Greensboro News and Record (6/11/09): When Mike Easley went about getting a nice position for his wife at N.C. State University in 2005, he was abusing his authority as governor. Was he also violating the law?
Jane Pinsky, director of the N.C. Coalition for Lobbying & Government Reform, points to General Statute 138A-31, “Use of public position for private gain.” It prohibits a state government official from using his public position in a way that would benefit a member of his family.
Not only did Easley personally speak with McQueen Campbell, a political supporter and the chairman of N.C. State’s Board of Trustees, about finding a job for Mary Easley, he also had a senior member of his staff working on it. In other words, he used his personal influence as governor and the resources of his office to promote his wife for what turned out to be a high-paying position at a state university.
However, G.S. 138A-31 was enacted in 2006, a year after Easley did what the law would say he couldn’t. It can’t be enforced retroactively.
While it may have come too late for this case, the three-year-old law added a good tool to the state’s ability to police corruption. More are needed. Pinsky’s organization is pushing for new measures, including proposals to:
— require individuals appointed to any of 14 key state boards and commissions to disclose to whom they have made campaign contributions;
— prohibit companies doing business with the state from making political contributions to elected officials who had a hand in awarding the contract;
— and to prevent top state employees from leaving a state office and going directly to work for a company they regulated or awarded contracts to.
Bob Hall, director of watchdog group Democracy NC, said further campaign-finance reform could deter wrongdoing.
“At the core of it is this money chase that goes on in politics,” he said, noting connections between campaign contributions and political favors.
Weak enforcement of some laws also lets corruption fester. As governor, Easley resisted complying with open records laws as they pertained to executive branch e-mails. It’s easy to see why. Electronic correspondence released by N.C. State Monday provided conclusive evidence of Easley’s involvement in finding employment for his wife. If those records had been available at the time, the governor’s actions could have been exposed much sooner.
Hall, whose investigations helped prompt corruption charges against former state House Speaker Jim Black, says the culture has to change. Leaders can’t ignore unethical behavior in state government. Hall praised UNC system President Erskine Bowles for demanding resignations at N.C. State when damaging facts emerged.
It’s too bad that others who knew the governor was abusing his authority didn’t protest. Good government requires people in positions of public trust to serve the people, not an unethical governor.
News & Record Staff Editorial