Let The Chips Fall Where They May

2009-06-24 - byCarter Wrenn
Mrs. Easley’s lost her scholastic robes and left the stage at NCSU to a communal sigh of relief;—but there’s an important question left unanswered: Who pulled the strings to get her the job?
 
After all, when someone robs a bank, gets caught and gives back part of the money they don’t get a medal for good citizenship. It’s a safe bet the professors over at North Carolina State University didn’t dream up with hiring Mrs. Easley (or paying her $875,000) on their own. So the question is, Who did?

And from reading the newspapers it looks like one answer may be: Former Governor Easley. Himself.

Which – if we really mean to clean up corruption in state government – is a question that needs to be answered.
 
Unfortunately, the states Democratic political leaders don’t seem to want to answer it. Governor Perdue put the kibosh on naming a Special Prosecutor. The Attorney General has all but vanished into thin air. And the Democrats in the House and Senate won’t hold hearings – or let Republicans hold one.

For better or worse, the Democrats have closed ranks behind Mike Easley: There will be no state investigation.

But down the road that may be a problem for the Democrats. Right now there’s not one shred of evidence Governor Perdue, Attorney General Cooper or any other elected Democrat did one thing improper. But by not appointing a Special Prosecutor and instructing him or her, Go on. Have at it and let the chips fall where they may, Democrats like the Governor risk taking part-ownership in Easley’s mistakes.

In effect the Governor and Attorney General have agreed to ride shot-gun on a wagon where everything hinges on Mike Easley’s innocence – and if it turns out Easley did wire up his wife’s job, Perdue and Cooper are going to have to explain why no one in state government has done one thing about it.

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Let The Chips Fall Where They May

2009-06-24/Carter Wrenn
Mrs. Easley’s lost her scholastic robes and left the stage at NCSU to a communal sigh of relief;—but there’s an important question left unanswered: Who pulled the strings to get her the job?
 
After all, when someone robs a bank, gets caught and gives back part of the money they don’t get a medal for good citizenship. It’s a safe bet the professors over at North Carolina State University didn’t dream up with hiring Mrs. Easley (or paying her $875,000) on their own. So the question is, Who did?

And from reading the newspapers it looks like one answer may be: Former Governor Easley. Himself.

Which – if we really mean to clean up corruption in state government – is a question that needs to be answered.
 
Unfortunately, the states Democratic political leaders don’t seem to want to answer it. Governor Perdue put the kibosh on naming a Special Prosecutor. The Attorney General has all but vanished into thin air. And the Democrats in the House and Senate won’t hold hearings – or let Republicans hold one.

For better or worse, the Democrats have closed ranks behind Mike Easley: There will be no state investigation.

But down the road that may be a problem for the Democrats. Right now there’s not one shred of evidence Governor Perdue, Attorney General Cooper or any other elected Democrat did one thing improper. But by not appointing a Special Prosecutor and instructing him or her, Go on. Have at it and let the chips fall where they may, Democrats like the Governor risk taking part-ownership in Easley’s mistakes.

In effect the Governor and Attorney General have agreed to ride shot-gun on a wagon where everything hinges on Mike Easley’s innocence – and if it turns out Easley did wire up his wife’s job, Perdue and Cooper are going to have to explain why no one in state government has done one thing about it.

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Carter Wrenn

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