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THE NAKED REALITY OF POLITICS: Much of politics is about money. But it's rare to see it so plainly stated in black and white: "We didn't give them money because we liked them," sweepstakes operator William George told the Associated Press. "We just knew they were powerful people up in Raleigh and they could get done what we wanted to get done. You give them your money and they're supposed to do what they say they're going to do." (More on the story below.)

TODAY IN POLITICS: The current State Board of Elections meets for the final time at 9 a.m. today before Gov. Pat McCrory's new appointees take office Wednesday. The board had planned to launch a formal investigation into the gambling money -- received by the governor, top GOP legislative leaders and some Democrats. But board members backed off the idea now that they are lame ducks.

AT THE STATEHOUSE: A House committee will consider a bill to limit pre-K programs, in part to children under the federal poverty line. The full House meets at 2 p.m. and will consider a controversial firearms bill to allow guns in restaurants and bars that serve alcohol. The UNC system is also opposed because it allows guns in cars on college campuses. The Senate will meet at 2 p.m. On its calendar is a measure to require a parent to report a child missing after 24 hours -- it is named after Caylee Anthony. Gov. Pat McCrory is attending two feel-good events Tuesday in Charlotte, first a YMCA prayer breakfast and then a Wells Fargo "Reading Above Par" event.

***More on the sweepstakes money, arrests at the legislature and Jamie Hahn death investigation below in today's Dome Morning Memo -- the place for North Carolina political news and analysis.***

STUDENTS TO PROTEST ART POPE LECTURE: UNC-Chapel Hill students are plannning a "teach out" demonstration Tuesday outside a campus building where Art Pope, the governor's state budget director is a guest lecturer. Pope will speak to Faculty Chairwoman Jan Boxhill's 12:30 p.m. philosophy course, according to The Daily Tar Heel. Pope is a major donor to the university but also to ttea party groups and others that aim to elect Republican candidates. Students are upset about the proposed cuts to the university in tthe budget Pope drafted. Interestingly, Gov. Pat McCrory earlier this year questioned the use of state money for liberal arts courses such as gender students and philosophy.

TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: House and Senate lawmakers will consider a corporate income tax cut and school safety measure Tuesday with major legislation begins making progress as the legislalture nears crunch time. The House Education Committee will meet at 10 a.m. and the Senate  Finance Committee will meet at 1 p.m. Both chambers convene at 2 p.m. The House is still waiting to vote on a measure to background check many receiptients of public assitance and prohibit some from getting federal aid. Two major groups will hold rallies at the legislature to push back against the Republican majority.

McCrory hosted a breakfast this morning with advocates for the state's historically black universities and colleges -- the groups most fearing any potential study of consolidation of UNC system campuses. Later in the day, the governor will meet with the Legislative Black Caucus, a group that has been very critical of his agenda.

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo. Much more North Carolina politics below.***

UPDATED: TODAY AT THE STATEHOUSE: The House and Senate convene this evening in the old legislative chambers at the Capitol to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the recovering of the N.C. Bill of Rights after a Union soldier took it during the Civil War. Gov. Pat McCrory will attend a reception for the event earlier in the day.

McCRORY DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM TAINTED BURNS MONEY:From AP: North Carolina's governor says he had no contact with a campaign contributor who faces racketeering charges in Florida over illegal gambling. Gov. Pat McCrory said Friday he had never heard of Chase Egan Burns, the Oklahoma man accused this week of owning gambling parlors operated by Allied Veterans of the World. Prosecutors say the purported charity earned about $300 million from illegal gambling, with only about 2 percent actually going to veterans. McCrory's campaign has purged itself Wednesday of $8,000 in contributions made in October by Burns and his wife, sending the money to a Durham charity. "I wouldn't know him if I saw him," said McCrory, a Republican. "I think we got it (the checks) through the mail."

***Thanks for reading the Dome Morning Memo -- a roundup of North Carolina political news and analysis. Send news and tips to dome@newsobserver.com. Click "Read More" for more.***

The man most responsible for the renovation of the 1878 building, U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Judge J. Rich Leonard, was twice blocked by Helms for higher federal judgeships.

Leonard spent four years starting in 2005 immersing himself in the 19^th century architecture and design, helping to bring back to life the building that now serves as both a court house and a U.S. Post office.

There is now a move afoot to name the building after Helms, the Republican senator, who retired in 2003.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is voicing his support for naming the historic Century Post Office in downtown Raleigh after the late U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms.

Congresswoman Renee Ellmers recently introduced legislation to name it the Jesse Helms Federal Building and United States Courthouse but encountered opposition from some who called it "morally wrong to reward intolerance," a reference to the senator's record.

"Jesse Helms was a transformative figure in our state’s history who placed service to his constituents above all other priorities in his public life," Burr said in a statement issued by his office Thursday. "Whether they agreed with him on political issues or not, North Carolinians had a dedicated advocate in Washington in Jesse Helms, and this bill will help to commemorate his legacy and his service to our state."

The predictable pushback against a bill that would name a downtown Raleigh building in honor of Sen. Jesse Helms is taking form.

Rep. Renee Ellmers introduced a bill last week that would name the historic Century Post Office the Jesse Helms Federal Building and United States Courthouse, but a group has organized a petition voicing opposition to the bill.

Rep. Renee Ellmers announced Wednesday evening that she has submitted a bill to name the historic Century Post Office in Raleigh the Jesse Helms Federal Building and United States Courthouse, honoring the late conservative Republican senator.

It’s the first time a federal building anywhere has been named for Helms, the state’s powerful and longtime senator, said John Dodd, president of the Helms Center in Wingate.

Rep. Renee Ellmers has introduced a bill that would re-name the federal building in Raleigh in honor of Sen. Jesse Helms.

The bill would Name the Century Post Office the "Jesse Helms Federal Building and United States Courthouse."

The State Board of Elections on Friday wrapped up an investigation into Pat McCrory’s 2008 gubernatorial campaign by referring five campaign donors for possible prosecution, including four members of a Charlotte family.

Elections official Kim Strach told the board that Kenneth Gill, president of CPI Security, may have reimbursed three members of his family and an employee for donations to McCrory’s campaign. Giving in the name of another, or so-called “straw donors,” is illegal under North Carolina law. The case was referred to Mecklenburg District Attorney Andrew Murray. Read more here.

With the primary days away, many other political stories are in the headlines:

--The first week of early voting set a record -- surpassing even the heated 2008 Democratic primary election. Read more about the numbers here.

--Five GOP candidates are vying for the state superintendent nomination. Here's a primer on the race.

--The Republican race for lieutenant governor is all about big ideas outside the bounds of the office's muted power -- and a desire for a partisan takeover of the state's top two posts.

A North Carolina-based super PAC launched two TV ads worth this week supporting Rick Santorum in the Republican presidential primary.

Keep Conservatives United is the brainchild of Bob Harris, the legendary research for Jesse Helms' Congressional Club. He loaned his super PAC $14,000 in March to fund the advertising, according to federal campaign finance reports.

The first 30-second spot, above, hits Newt Gingrich for his marital affairs. (Key line: "An affair because you worked too hard. Sit down, Newt.") And the second ad, below, hits Mitt Romney on the issue of healthcare, saying he can't attack the president on Obamacare because of his Massachusetts record. (Key line: "Mitt Romney and Barack Obama stole people's freedom with their mandates.")