State auditor mum for now

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:05:48 -0400

The state auditor's office won't have much to say for months, if at all.

Chris Mears, a spokesman for Auditor Les Merritt, said that any investigations into complaints about state equipment first go through a fact-finding phase to see if they're worth pursuing.

After that, the investigation either ends, or it becomes full-blown.

From there, it could take "weeks or months" to finish. Until then, Mears said, the auditor's office will not confirm it's investigating, in order to prevent any potential wrongdoers from covering their tracks.

(Of course, the tips are usually confidential, and not made in the press.)

Dome asked Mears what he thought about the Republican auditor becoming the referee in a Democratic primary fight between Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and Treasurer Richard Moore.

"No comment about that," he said.

Previously: Bennett requests; Perdue complains; Moore responds; Bennett's identity.

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State auditor mum for now