U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell has $244,952 in his campaign account, according to federal campaign finance records.

Kissell, a Biscoe Democrat, raised $99,000 from individuals and $305,000 from political action committees.

Contributors included Anne B. Wilkins of Cary, a consultant ($2,000); Ronald J. Bernstein of Durham, chief executive of cigarette company Liggett Vector Brands ($2,000); the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association PAC ($5,000) and the American Health Care Association PAC ($5,000).

Four Republicans are competing for the party's nomination to challenge Kissell and the race has generated lots of money already.

Businessman Lou Huddleston has raised $57,641 from individuals and loaned himself $45,125. He has $102,000 in his account.

Tim D'Annunzio, who owns a skydiving business, has loaned himself $303,000 and raised $8,400. Hamlet resident Darrell Day has raised $30 and loaned himself $3,000.

Republican Thomas Sweeney has not reported raising any money.

U.S. Rep. Howard Coble has $525,373 in his campaign account.

Coble, a Greensboro Republican, has received $25,311 in individual contributions and $117,165 from political action committees in his bid to keep his seat, according to federal campaign finance records.

Contributors include Roger Milliken of Spartanburg, S.C., CEO of the Milliken & Co. Textile company ($2,400);  Allen Gant of Burlington, an executive at textile maker Glen-Raven Mills ($1,000); the Major League Baseball PAC ($5,000); the National Football League's Gridiron PAC ($4,000) and the National Beer Wholesalers Association PAC ($5,000).

Coble is a member of the House Judiciary Committee, which oversees aspects of professional sports leagues.

Here's a summary of what members of Congress had in their campaign accounts through September 2009. The remaining members of the state's delegation will be added to the list.

G.K. Butterfield: $231,000. 

Howard Coble: $525,000.

Bob Etheridge: $1 million.

Virginia Foxx: $1.1 million.

Larry Kissell: $244,000. Businessman Lou Huddleston has raised $57,641 from individuals and loaned himself $45,125. Tim D'Annunzio, who owns a skydiving business, has loaned himself $303,000 and raised $8,400. Hamlet resident Darrell Day has raised $30 and loaned himself $3,000. Republican Thomas Sweeney has not reported raising any money.

Patrick McHenry: $158,000. Iredell County Commissioner Scott Keadle has loaned himself $250,000 to challenge McHenry for the Republican nomination.

Brad Miller: $148,000. Challenger William Randall II has not reported raising any money.

David Price: $218,000. Republican challenger Frank Roche has raised $10,879, mostly through individual contributions. Republican George Hutchins has loaned himself $5,000.

Heath Shuler: $1.1 million.

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler has $1.1 million in his campaign account through the end of September.

Shuler, a Waynesville Democrat, has received $366,000 since he was elected in 2008, according to federal campaign finance records.

Shuler received $178,236 from individual contributions and $171,050 from committees.

Contributors include Vincent Ney of San Antonio, president of payday lender GECC ($2,500); William Quinton of Powder Springs, Ga., president of C.W. Matthews Contracting; Independent Community Bankers of America PAC ($5,000) and a PAC of the American Resort Development Owners Association ($5,000).

Shuler, a member of the House's Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, also received $5,000 contributions from PACs for rail companies Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail company and CSX as well as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

Supporters of publicly financed elections are using revelations from the State Board of Elections hearings into former Gov. Mike Easley to push their cause.

In publicly financed elections, taxpayer dollars provide candidates with money for advertising and campaigning. To qualify, candidates must demonstrate they have a minimum base of support and must agree to spending limits and restrictions on fundraising.

Municipal elections in Chapel Hill, appellate judge races and some Council of State races use the system. 

That's exactly the type of election the state needs in the wake of revelations that Easley's gubernatorial campaign planned to funnel money through the N.C. Democratic Party to circumvent the state's campaign finance limits, said Chase Foster, director of N.C. Voters for Clean Elections.

"More and more, North Carolina leaders see Voter-Owned Elections as the obvious answer to the rising cost of elections,” Foster said in a news release.

Foster released a scorecard tracking votes on publicly financed elections bills. Foster said the scorecard shows that lawmakers are increasingly supportive of the election changes.

A bill that would create a pilot program for more publicly financed municipal elections cleared the House this year. The Senate approved a bill that would expand the program to more Council of State races.

Opponents to such elections say taxpayers would be forced to fund political speech, and that political contributions would instead be given to special interest groups to spend.

N.C. Republican Party Chairman Tom Fetzer says he believes the genesis for the current run of corruption in state government began in 1977, when the state changed the Constitution to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms.

That prompted the legislature to end its practice of limiting leaders leaders of both chambers to serving only one term, Rob Christensen reports. Powerful lawmakers could then hold onto power.

"I trace the end of good government back to 1976 when Jim Hunt changed the Constitution to succeed himself," Fetzer told News and Observer editors and reporters Wednesday. (Hunt was elected in 1976 but the Constitution was changed in 1977.) "I would personally advocate that we pass a constitutional amendment to get the governor back to one term."

Fetzer said he was saddened to see the campaign finance investigations surrounding former Democratic Gov. Mike Easley, noting that he often chatted with Easley while hitting balls on a public driving range off Yonkers Road on Sunday afternoons.

"On a personal level," Fetzer said, "I like Mike Easley. I think he has made some horrible mistakes. I think he and State of North Carolina are going to pay a price for those mistakes. I think that is sad."

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A conservation group is asking Gov. Bev Perdue to investigate whether political campaign contributions and influence played a part in how members of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission got their seats.

The N.C. Wildlife Federation said testimony during the State Board of Elections hearing into former Gov. Mike Easley suggested that former commission member Gary Allen might have offered big donations to the N.C. Democratic Party. in exchange for keeping his seat on the commission, which regulates hunting and fishing.

"If these allegations prove true," said Tim Gestwicki, executive director of the federation, "We call upon Governor Perdue to immediately demand the resignations of any individuals who were appointed under such inappropriate circumstances. She should then appoint duly qualified, representative citizens to serve out any replaced terms."

Bob Hall, whose complaint led to the State Board of Elections hearings this week, praised the board's decision.

Hall, executive director of Democracy N.C., said the board sent a strong message that it is illegal to try to funnel contributions through a political party.

It’s a sad day when evidence justifies referring a governor for criminal investigation, but it’s in the best interest of the public and of the thousands of candidates who are acting properly for the State Board to make it clear that no one is above the law.  In another unanimous vote, the Board recommended that the General Assembly amend state law to require the candidate to personally bear the cost of fines imposed as a result of election law violations if the candidate’s campaign committee is too broke to pay. Again, the Board sends a strong message that candidates must be held accountable for the conduct of their campaign.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger said Senate Republicans intend to advance a slate of legislation meant to curb campaign corruption.

Berger said he was happy to hear a suggestion from State Board of Elections chairman Larry Leake that candidates be held personally liable for fines issued by the board.

I applaud the State Board of Elections for their service and investigation into the former Governor’s administration and campaigns.  Their suggestions about campaign finance reform are welcome as Senate Republicans will soon offer comprehensive legislation to address corruption in campaigns.  The $100,000 levied against the Mike Easley Committee and referral of evidence to the Wake County District Attorney were necessary and appropriate steps to take.  The information uncovered in these hearings will undoubtedly be helpful as state and federal authorities continue their investigations.  At some point the people of North Carolina will have the full truth about this sad episode.

Former Gov. Mike Easley testified that he didn't know much of anything about how his campaign worked.

He didn't count the money and only called potential donors when he was forced to by his fundraisers. His campaign must now forfeit $100,000 — $60,000 to pay for flights and $40,000 as a penalty.

As of June 30, Easley's campaign had $121,984 in its account, according to campaign finance records.

Board chairman Larry Leake said its very easy for campaigns to spend all their money, which would make it difficult to collect assessments from the Board of Elections.

That's why, Leake said, the board is recommending to the General Assembly that state law be changed to make a candidate personally liable for such penalties.

"Candidates do not accept sufficient responsibility and ownership of their campaigns," Leake said.

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