Easley Scandal Spurs Move toward Transparency at NC Highway Patrol
Updated May 22, 2009
The state and federal probes of her predecessor have spurred Governor Bev Perdue to reform record keeping procedures for state troopers who provide security for North Carolina’s governors.
"This new protocol will provide clear direction," Perdue said in a May 20 statement, "for how the State Highway Patrol executive security detail collects and retains travel records."
The Highway Patrol will keep detailed records of any trip the governor takes outside Wake County when accompanied by troopers. Under the new guidelines, the patrol will keep the records for four years after the governor leaves office and then turn them over to the state archives.
The change follows the public announcement of investigations into former Governor Mike Easley’s free use of private aircraft while in office.
While he was governor, Mike Easley turned a small group of influential North Carolina businessmen into his own private air service.
Starting in 2003, Easley took at least 25 flights on private jets, some in apparent violation of campaign laws and ethics rules, documents and interviews show. Some flights were free. The value of others exceeded state campaign contribution limits.
Records show that the businessmen who flew Easley took him around the state and to such places as Atlanta, Richmond, Washington and Florida. Easley, a Democrat who left office in January 2009, appointed some of the businessmen to boards that oversee state transportation networks, the state's largest universities and other state functions.
The chairman of NC State University’s board of trustees – who admitted to flying Easley on his private plane on a number of occasions – resigned May 15. McQueen Campbell has been mentioned as a key figure in the probes of former First Lady Mary Easley’s job at NC State, as well as probes into former Governor Easley’s flights and purchase of coastal North Carolina real estate.
A state transportation board member who had not properly disclosed at least two flights he provided for former Gov. Mike Easley resigned May 20.
Cameron McRae, a businessman from Kinston, notified Gov. Beverly Perdue that he was resigning immediately. Perdue accepted the resignation, and announced she will appoint a replacement.
McRae was required to disclose the flights by a state law that asks DOT board members to show their campaign activities. The law was aimed at providing openness surrounding the political activities of those who serve on the influential board, which oversees roads, rails and air transportation issues in the state.
Violation of the disclosure law is a misdemeanor unless done with deceit, in which case it is a felony.
McRae has acknowledged flying Easley at least twice in his corporate plane. Those flights, when combined with campaign contributions from McRae, could have either exceeded limits or violated a state ban on business contributions.
A review of state flight logs, records of private and political travel, Easley's campaign reports and previously unavailable "governor's event" forms from the state Highway Patrol raise questions about the privileges Easley accepted while he was a candidate and governor.
Records and interviews suggest more flights took place than those shown in documents provided to the media after negotiations with the Highway Patrol. The patrol acts as custodian of the records because it provides security for the governor.
Significant amounts of time – such as the entire year of 2005 --- are missing in the patrol documents. Many longtime political observers find these gaps to be unusual for the Highway Patrol, whose employees are renowned as meticulous record keepers.
Many e-mail messages, interviews and other documents refer to flights for which no other records have been produced.
Alan Melvin, the state trooper who headed the security detail for then-Governor Easley, was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in Raleigh on May 21. Melvin accompanied Easley on all of the flights in question.
Melvin was also spotted visiting Easley’s home and delivering a package on the same day the Highway Patrol announced it would release Easley’s travel records to the media. Melvin claimed the visit was only personal.
