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During his first campaign for governor in 2008, Republican Pat McCrory hammered his opponent, Bev Perdue, on her ties to major Democratic Party fundraisers on the state Board of Transportation.

McCrory vowed repeatedly in 2008 that he would never appoint his campaign fundraisers to transportation, university and other powerful boards if he was elected governor.

But that's what he just did after he won the 2012 election, The N&O's Bruce Siceloff reports.

Gov. Pat McCrory's campaign raised $156,394 with the help of nine men and a woman who will take their seats Thursday as his appointees to the state Board of Transportation, according to financial disclosure statements released Wednesday by McCrory's office.

The governor's top helper among the group is Michael C. Smith of Raleigh, president of Kane Realty Corp., the developer of North Hills. Smith is the new transportation board representative for Division 5, seven Triangle-area counties including Durham and Wake. Smith is the only one of the 10 new board members who reports no campaign contributions directly from himself to McCrory. But he says he worked as a campaign fundraiser, bringing in $106,000 from other donors to McCrory, and his brother gave $250.

Among the other transportation appointees, only Michael V. Lee of Wilmington reported helping McCrory as a fundraiser. Lee said he raised $500 from other donors, and he and his wife contributed $829.

McCRORY BUDGET RELEASE NEXT WEEK? Top GOP lawmakers say Gov. Pat McCrory is expected to release his state budget plan next week. The governor's office is remaining mum. But budget details are leaking to lawmakers, who say McCrory's spending plan isn't like to include details of a major tax overhaul, such as corporate or personal income tax cuts, and instead it will assume the tax plan being negotiated privately by Republicans will be revenue neutral.

MEN OPPOSE NIPPLE BILL: Public Policy Polling will release more from its statewide voter survey later Friday. But here's a peak: nearly half of men -- 45 percent -- oppose the bill to prohibit women from barring their breasts and 34 percent support. Women are deadlocked at 38 percent on what is called the "nipple bill." (Insert stereotypical joke about men here.)

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Republican Gov. Pat McCrory named 10 men to the state Board of Transportation on Monday, including several developers and a former state Republican Party chairman.

The board has 19 members. It wasn't clear whether McCrory intends to replace any of the nine members whose replacements were not named Monday. A spokesman said only that these appointments were the only ones being announced now.

Travelers on a new stretch of road in Rocky Mount will be greeted with name of a former state transportation member who resigned a few years ago after his questionable fund raising tactics came to light.

The state Board of Transportation this month approved a request to name a 4.6 mile stretch of new highway in Rocky Mount after Thomas A. Betts Jr.  The project, known as the Northern Corridor, was approved during his time on the board.

Betts resigned his seat in 2008 after he pushed a Roanoke Rapids city official to help raise money for then-Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue's gubernatorial campaign from country singer Randy Parton and others involved in a theater there.

Betts represented the region on the DOT board from 2003 until he resigned in early 2008. In that role, Betts helped steer money for road projects to the area.

The Rocky Mount City Council asked the transportation board in May to name the Northern Corridor after Betts "in sincere appreciation of his selfless service and his contributions not only to the Rocky Mount/Nash County community, but to the state of North Carolina."

Perdue distanced herself from Betts after the 2008 fund raising revelation, but they seem to have revived their connection.  He was listed on the agenda of an April "Team Perdue" reelection campaign meeting.

Thomas Betts Jr., a Rocky Mount businessman who resigned from the state Board of Transportation in 2008 in the wake of a fundraising scandal, is apparently back in the good graces of Gov. Bev Perdue.

Betts' name was listed last week on the agenda for a meeting of "Team Perdue," the inner-circle of the governor's 2012 reelection campaign.

Betts, a long-time Perdue supporter, resigned from the DOT board in January 2008 after he sought $20,000 in contributions from country singer Randy Parton and others involved in a performing arts theater in Roanoke Rapids. Betts had previously used his position on the board to steer money for road projects to benefit the theater.

Then-Lt. Gov. Perdue distanced herself from Betts, saying she had no knowledge of the Parton fundraising and that she did not condone it. Her campaign also refused to accept eight checks totaling $9,000 from donors involved in the struggling project.

Perdue had made problems at the theatre a campaign issue in her Democratic Primary campaign against then-State Treasurer Richard Moore, who had led a panel that approved $21 million in debt used by Roanoke Rapids to build the facility. 

"Mr. Betts appropriately recognized that his fundraising activities in 2008 presented a conflict or the appearance of a conflict with his service and activities on the Board of Transportation, and he therefore resigned his position," Marc Farinella, Perdue's campaign-spokesman, said in an e-mail Tuesday.

"This transpired before Bev Perdue became governor. Mr. Betts' potential conflict no longer exists since he is no longer on the Board, and so we do not believe he should be precluded from raising money for Governor Perdue or other candidates he may support."

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Federal authorities are investigating whether the former commissioner of the state Division of Motor Vehicles illegally wiretapped the phone calls of agency employees. George Tatum, who resigned in 2007 amid a corruption scandal, had a special telephone in his office that allowed him to listen in on the calls of his subordinates without their knowledge. The agency's internal affairs director also had a phone set up for secret eavesdropping. (N&O)

IT'S ON ME: The state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission has widened a probe into possible violations of liquor laws across North Carolina in the wake of a company's lavish holiday dinner for the Mecklenburg County ABC Board. (Charlotte Observer)

Gov. Bev Perdue picked a Jacksonville auto dealer to replace Board of Transportation member Louis Sewell Jr.

Michael K. Alford is Perdue’s 11th pick for a vacant seat on the state board, which oversees policy for the N.C. Department of Transportation, Bruce Siceloff reports on his Crosstown Traffic blog.

After Alford's name is reviewed by members of a legislative oversight committee, he is expected to take an at-large seat dedicated to rural transportation needs.

He will succeed Sewell, a developer and part-owner of the Golden Corral restaurants, who resigned in 2008 after The News & Observer reported that he had steered DOT money to road projects near commercial property he or his son owned.

Sewell, a registered Republican, was a major fundraiser for Perdue, a Democrat, as well as former Democratic Gov. Mike Easley. 

State election records show that Alford, a registered Democrat and president of Marine Chevrolet, has contributed to a number of Democratic and Republican political campaigns. He gave $4,000 to the campaign of Perdue in 2008, and $2,000 to Easley in 2000.

Gov. Bev Perdue picked Greensboro lawyer Michael Fox, a campaign donor, for the board of transportation.

Fox, who gave $2,500 to Perdue's campaign during the 2007-2008 election cycle, will represent district seven, which includes: Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Orange and Rockingham counties.

Check out Bruce Siceloff's blog for the full story.

Senate Republican leader Phil Berger said Thursday that Board of Transportation member and fundraiser Lanny Wilson should not participate in board activities while state and federal investigations continue.

Wilson was a fundraiser for former Gov. Mike Easley and Gov. Beverly Perdue, who reappointed Wilson to the transportation board.

Wilson testified this week that he wrote and solicited large checks for the N.C. Democratic Party that were intended for Easley's benefit.

Wilson also testified that he gave his fiance money to give to Easley, which would appear to violate a law prohibiting giving in the name of another person.

When she took office, Perdue demanded that her transportation board members adhere to the highest ethical standards.

"Mike Easley appointed campaign fundraisers and high dollar donors to powerful state positions including the Board of Transportation; so has Governor Perdue," Berger said.

"In order to avoid the appearance that the Perdue administration’s approach to ethics is a continuation of Easley policies, Governor Perdue should ask Mr. Wilson to step aside until the legal issues surrounding his fundraising activities are resolved. It is past time to break the cycle of corruption in state government."