newsobserver.com projects - Easley: Letter was not public record - Comments

Re: Easley: Letter was not public record

ncgrl2003 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:03:10 -0400

If the Governor's note from the former Secretary is private and of a personal nature, because she is no longer Secretary, wouldn't the same rule apply to Debbie Crane's phone conversations with her? How can one person's coorespondance with a former employee be public record and public business and another one's not. Debbie probably went wrong by even telling the N&O she was going to help them get in touch with Carmen Hooker-Odom, she should have said "sorry guys - she doesn't work here any more - I can't help you." BUT, the Governor's office seems to be running the show anyway, so who knows if they ordered her to call Hooker-Odom. Regardless, the Governor needs to decide what the rules are and follow them, THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE.

Re: Easley: Letter was not public record

Isaac136 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:35:47 -0400

If the thank-you note is to the Governor from a former public servant and includes a statement about that former public servant's responsibilities to the state, a state action or issue, then yes, it certainly should.

The question still remains how Easley could claim that Debbie Crane was fired because of "thwarting" the press in its effort to contact Odom, and yet "chunk" (I'm guessing shredded) Odom's statements about why she didn't want to talk (I'm also guessing she said Crane wasn't to blame).

Re: Easley: Letter was not public record

j1c2kp — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:09:57 -0400

Easley no longer needs a shovel, he needs a backhoe.

Re: Easley: Letter was not public record

Proctor — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:07:07 -0400

Should thank-you notes be public record?

Re: Easley: Letter was not public record

CarltonH — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:51:49 -0400

It's something else when we start haggling on what the definition of is is. Though I would have much preferred this scandal closer till November it is illustrative of what happens when you have one party dominate Raleigh for 16 straight years in the Governor's Mansion and with little interruption in the General Assembly. One can only hope that this DEMOCRATIC culture of corruption comes to an end in Raleigh or else we're in for more of the same till 2012.

Re: Easley: Letter was not public record

Proctor — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:36:15 -0400

March is a good time of year to take extra questions from reporters. The press is busy scouting the office pool for ways to win ducats to the ACC Tournament, and editors don't want political stories that are too long because they want to wrap up early so they can knock off early and go out to get potato chips and sodas for the coming week of games.

The best time to hold a press conference is the day before Opening Day of the ACC tournament. All you need to do is make a short statement summarizing your latest program announcement and then ask: "Are there any questions from the press?"

The answers will come back something like this:

"Not today, Governor, but we'll be in touch. Hasta luego, muchachos y muchachas! Auf Wiedersehen and don't forget that the tournament will be on during lunch hour the next two days. No need to spring any big news on us between now and Monday, Governor! Anybody for barbecue and Brunswick stew? Make sure they got a wide screen or a Hi-Def. Need two for Friday! I already got my column in, Boss--just need a couple of tickets for the (pick one: Carolina, State, Duke, Wake) game! If I left out anything out of the column, I'll be sure to mention it on N.C. SPIN!"

Easley: Letter was not public record

bkrueger — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:00:14 -0400

Gov. Mike Easley said today that he did not violate public records law when he threw away a letter to him from Carmen Hooker Odom, former head of the state Department of Health and Human Services.

"Carmen sent me a handwritten personal note," he said. "It didn't have anything to do with public policy. It's not a public record, not something that I'm required to log and maintain. I read it and disposed of it."

Easley made his comments at a news conference devoted largely to the drought. In a 180-degree turn from the contentious news conference had held a week ago on mental health, Easley took follow up questions, responded to all questions and didn't try to run away, reports Lynn Bonner.

His administration has been under scrutiny for how it has responded to the failures of the state mental health system. Hooker Odom was in charge when problems related to a 2001 mental health reform plan mounted. She resigned her state job last year and in recent months has declined to be interviewed.

Easley said in an interview Sunday that Hooker Odom told him in her note why she didn't want to talk. But Easley said Tuesday her note did not "discuss anything of public consequence."

"It was never intended to be public," Easley said.

John Bussian, a lawyer for the N.C. Press Association, said Hooker Odom's note was indisputably a public record.

"The legal status does not turn on whether somebody intended it to be public," he said. "If it did, then anybody could use that as a license to steal from the public what it is entitled to know."