A bill would allow registers of deeds to voluntarily redact personal information.

Sen. David Rouzer, a Johnston County Republican, filed the bill on behalf of his county's register of deeds, Craig Olive.

Currently, registers of deeds can only pull Social Security numbers and other sensitive information from deeds posted online if an individual asks.

"Most individuals don't know that their sensitive information is online like that through the register of deeds office," Rouzer said. "You could easily see how this information would be a gold mine for any number of folks."

The new law would not require registers of deeds pull the information, since Rouzer said some offices may not have the resources. Still, he hopes it will become a common practice. (N&O)

Officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday disputed statements by officials from a volunteer fire department in North Carolina and a state senator about when the fire department's recently announced federal loan and grants for a new fire station were approved.

Leaders of the Pikeville Pleasant Grove Volunteer Fire Department and state Sen. David Rouzer, a Republican, said Wednesday that the department had requested the $1 million loan and at least some of the $150,000 in grants last year and was working through the application process with the Bush administration, reports Mark Johnson.

The fire department's president, Russell Robertson, said he was told the loan was approved in December. Contract bids for the new station were put out in January, he said.

Rouzer, who worked for the Agriculture Department in the Bush administration, accused the Obama administration of being disingenuous because Vice President Joe Biden, who visited the fire department Wednesday, announced that the fire department was receiving stimulus money through the Obama administration.

Robertson reiterated his December timeframe Thursday morning. But after speaking with USDA officials, said later in the day that he had misunderstood the process.

He said the fire department did not officially apply for the money until March 5. USDA provided a copy of the application with that date.

Tonight will see the N.C. General Assembly — the NCGA? — play its own version of the March Madness sweeping college basketball.

The game will be in Columbia, S.C.

Rep. Phil Haire, a Sylva Democrat, organized this year's lineup, a bipartisan squad known more for passing bills than basketballs.

House Chaplain Jim Harry accurately summarized the pre-game mood when he called upon a higher power to be with the North Carolina squad.

"Please remind them they're not 20-year-olds running up and down the court," Harry intoned.

More after the jump.

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"Which Republicans voted for the Democratic leadership in the legislature?" — Caller

Members of the state House of Representatives and Senate select their own leaders on the first day of session.

The majority, which is Democratic in both chambers this year, typically votes for one of its own, while the Republican minority puts forward its own candidate.

Still, legislators can cross over to vote for the other side.

This year, Republican Sens. Fletcher Hartsell of Concord and Richard Stevens of Cary both voted for Democratic Sen. Marc Basnight as president pro tem on the first roll call.

Before the votes were totaled, however, Republican Minority Leader Phil Berger, who was also running, moved to elect Basnight by acclamation — essentially a unanimous voice vote.

This next part is a little tricky. In order to prevent anyone from calling another vote in the future and toppling Basnight, his chief lieutenant, Sen. Tony Rand, asked for yet another vote, known as a "clincher."

Twelve of the 20 Senate Republicans voted for Basnight on that vote: Sens. Austin Allran, Stan Bingham, Harris Blake, Debbie Clary, Don East, James Forrester, Hartsell, Neal Hunt, David Rouzer, Bob Rucho, Stevens, and Jerry Tillman.

In the House no Republicans voted for Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat. House Republicans voted for the minority leader, Rep. Paul Stam.

The Senate class of 2008 has some big shoes to fill.

For the most part, the freshman senators are taking the seats of lawmakers who went on to higher offices — or at least ran for higher office.

The five (or six, depending on your definition) may face higher expectations as a result.

Here's a quick look at the new senators-elect:

Don Vaughan (D): A politically active Greensboro attorney who served seven terms on the City Council will be taking the seat of U.S. Sen.-elect Kay Hagan.

David Rouzer (R): A former aide to U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms from McGee's Crossroads will take over the Johnston County seat of unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Fred Smith.

Debbie Clary (R): The state representative from Cherryville, the sole Republican win from its November wishlist, will take the seat of Lt. Gov.-elect Walter Dalton.

Josh Stein (D): A well-connected Raleigh lawyer who worked for John Edwards' in D.C. and served as deputy attorney general will be taking the Raleigh seat of Treasurer-elect Janet Cowell.

Don Davis (D): An Air Force veteran, college professor and the popular (and youngest ever) mayor of Snow Hill will be taking the seat of retiring Sen. John Kerr III.

Bob Rucho (R): A former four-term state senator, appointed to unsuccessful lieutenant governor candidate Robert Pittenger's seat in June, is already running for a leadership role.

Correction: An earlier version misstated the length of Vaughan's tenure.

Related: The House Class of 2008 

The heated battle between two Republicans for state Sen. Fred Smith's seat in Johnston and Wayne counties may spill into a courtroom.

Nena Reeves has served notice on David Rouzer that she intends to sue him in state Superior Court for defamation over a mailer that links her to Medicaid fraud. Reeves said the mailer is false, malicious and intended to turn voters against her in Tuesday's primary.

The mailer does not accuse Reeves of Medicaid fraud, but it does say that "there are the numerous examples of Medicaid fraud involving Nena Reeves' company's employees." It also says that "a company recently owned by Nena Reeves owed the State of North Carolina over $400,000."

The mailer says its claims are based on a News & Observer story published Feb. 26, and from Medicaid fraud reports on file with the National Association of Attorneys General from 1996 to 1998.

The N&O noted that Health Services Personnel Inc. was among dozens of companies that a state audit had found to be overcharging for Medicaid services. Reeves said those charges happened after she sold the company in 2005.

She said when she owned the company there were cases where she and her staff caught employees skimming money — falsifying time sheets, for example — but she fired them and reported them to investigators. She suspects those cases were the basis for the mailer's claim.

More after the jump

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Nena Reeves, a Republican candidate for the state Senate District 12 seat in Johnston and Wayne counties, is criticizing David Rouzer, her opponent in the GOP primary, on immigration, Dan Kane reports.

What the ad says: "David Rouzer claims he shares our values. But he’s a D.C. lobbyist and stands with Ted Kennedy in support of amnesty for illegal immigrants. Called stealth amnesty by conservatives, David Rouzer’s bill is a backdoor for illegal aliens and their families. Illegal immigrants cost North Carolina taxpayers over $770 million a year. That’s wrong. Fortunately, we have Nena Reeves, proven leader, standing firm for our conservative values.”

What the ad looks like: A slightly out-of-focus picture of Rouzer wearing a dark suit and red tie appears. “Who is Lobbyist David Rouzer?” appears on the screen as his image expands. A red slash underlines “Lobbyist.” Then, a sharp picture of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy appears next to that of Rouzer. “D.C. Lobbyist for Ted Kennedy’s Amnesty Bill” appears on screen, citing a Tobacco Farm Quarterly article as the source.

The ad then cuts to a still of a border crossing with a “CAUTION” sign showing a silhouette of a man, woman and child running. “FREE Path for Family Members as well,” the screen says, citing the Heritage Foundation as the source.

Another still shows a rally with a woman dressed in a shirt resembling the U.S. flag. She is holding the U.S. flag and a sign that reads, “AMERICA HAS BEEN INVADED.” The shot then turns black-and-white, Rouzer’s color image is superimposed, again reminding viewers that he is “Lobbyist David Rouzer” with the red slash under “Lobbyist.” The screen reads: “ILLEGALS COST NC TAXPAYERS $771 Million,” citing the Federation for American Immigration Reform as the source. The ad ends with Reeves, busy at her desk.

The background: Rouzer, a Republican candidate in the 12th District, is a lobbyist. His clients include agribusinesses that favor passage of federal legislation they say would make the guest worker program more cost-effective. The program provides what are known as H-2A visas to foreigners to work temporary farm jobs such as picking crops. That legislation, which was co-sponsored by Kennedy, provides these workers with a path to U.S. citizenship if they can show they have worked for 150 days in the past two years. They would still have to work farm jobs for three more years and stay out of trouble before they could become U.S. citizens.

The Tobacco Farm Quarterly article refers to the debate over the legislation and quotes Rouzer’s advocacy. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has called the legislation “stealth amnesty.”

Is the ad accurate? It is based in truth, but it also exaggerates. Rouzer is a lobbyist, and he helped his clients try to get the legislation passed. But the ad suggests the legislation would open the door to all illegal immigrants. That’s not the case.

The ad accurately cites FAIR’s estimated cost to taxpayers, but it doesn’t mention that FAIR opposes amnesty efforts, and its cost estimate does not include how much illegal immigrants pay the state in sales and other taxes, or how much their in-state spending may boost North Carolina’s economy.

Dorothy Helms, the wife of the former North Carolina senator, has endorsed David Rouzer in his run for the state Senate from Johnston County.

"I do not usually get involved in political races other than our own, but this is a very special exception," Dot Helms writes. "David worked in Washington with Jesse for almost a decade, and once you get to know him David you will understand why Jesse and I feel the way we do."

Rouzer, a 35-year old Republican who lives in McGee's Crossroads, is running for the seat now held by state Sen. Fred Smith of Clayton, who is running for governor, Rob Christensen reports.

Rouzer worked as an aide to both Helms and to Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and also worked in the Bush Administration in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He played an instrumental role in the federal tobacco buyout bill.

Now a lobbyist, Rouzer unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for state Agriculture Commissioner in 2000.