There has been some grumbling among lobbyists who through it was inappropriate that they received a campaign solicitation from Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, whose office regulates lobbyists.

Marshall, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate race next year, sent out an e-mail solicitation on her birthday (Nov. 18) asking for an $18 campaign donation to mark the occasion, reports Rob Christensen.

"We didn't intentionally put any lobbyists on the list," said Thomas Mills, Marshall's campaign manager. "If they got a solicitation it is because they had some sort of relationship with Secretary Marshall in the past. We would be glad to remove their names."

Mills said the solicitation went out to a broad range of people, including people who had contributed to her past campaigns, friends and others. He said people can easily unsubscribe from Marshall's e-mail list.

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt has $140,282 in his campaign account, according to federal campaign finance records.

Watt, a Charlotte Democrat, received $8,987 from individual contributions and $74,500 from political action committees for a total of $83,500 raised through September.

Contributors include Valerie White of Bethesda, Md. ($1,000); the NFL's Gridiron PAC ($5,000); the Citigroup PAC ($5,000) and a PAC of Echostar and Dish Network $2,500.

Republican Paul Johnson has loaned himself $133 and Libertarian Lon Vernon Cecil has not reported raising any money.

U.S. Rep. Walter Jones has $127,766 in his campaign account.

According to federal election records, Jones, a Farmville Republican, received $126,667 in individual contributions and $98,430 from political action committees for a total of $225,000 in contributions through September.

Contributors include Fuad El-Hibri of Potomac, Md., chief executive of Emergent Biosolutions ($2,400); Dr. Jasper Lewis Jr., a Greenville dentist ($2,400); the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry PAC ($5,000) and the American Crystal Sugar PAC ($5,000).

U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre has $824,917 in his campaign account, according to federal election records.

McIntyre, a Lumberton Democrat, has received $306,873 from individual contributions and $73,250 from political action committees for a total of $384,000 raised through September. 

Contributors include lawyer Stephen D. Coggins of Wilmington ($2,400); homemaker Abbie Edwards of Whiteville ($2,300); builder Charles Garrett Jr. of Wilmington ($2,000); the National Restaurant Association PAC ($2,000) and the American Hospital Association PAC ($2,000).

Republican Will Breazeale has received $3,800 in individual contributions and has $400 in his campaign account.

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.

Walter Jones: $127,766.

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.

Mike McIntyre: $824,917. Republican Will Breazeale has received $3,800 in individual contributions and has $400 in his campaign account.

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.

Mel Watt: $140,000.

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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