A new ranking says Raleigh has a new top lobbyist. It also says that some lobbyists' influence has been shaped by ethics investigations and a fight over a real estate transfer tax.

The N.C. Center for Public Policy Research released its biannual ranking Thursday of the most influential lobbyists in the state capital. The ranking is based on a survey of legislators, lobbyists and capital journalists following the 2007 long session of the General Assembly.

Roger Bone ranked No. 1, after seven previous surveys had ranked him No. 2 or 3. His wide variety of clients includes Lorillard Tobacco Co., the N.C. Association of Long Term Care Facilities and the Save our Summers group.

Rounding out the top five: John McMillan, John Bode, Franklin Freeman and Zeb Alley.

Previous No. 1 Don Beason fell to No. 35, following revelations about a series of $500,000 transactions between him and former House Speaker Jim Black. Beason later resigned his clients. Black, a Democrat, is in prison on unrelated corruption convictions.

Bob Hall, who filed the original complaint against Black with the State Board of Elections, saw his ranking jump from 49th to 19th for his work with Democracy North Carolina.

Also seeing their rankings rise: Tim Kent (11th), Rick Zechini (12th), Paul Meyer (25th) and Jim Blackburn (31st). All were involved in the fight over a tax on real estate transfers.

What happened to Don Beason's clients?

When the once-top lobbyist resigned his practice last year over a shady loan to House Speaker Jim Black, his lucrative list of clients was up for grabs.

By Dome's count, seven of the 16 clients did nothing. BB&T, Cingular Wireless, Albemarle Mental Health Center, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Sigma Corp., the Association of Settlement Companies, and the Carolina Ballet have no registered lobbyists during the current session.

That may be because they don't face any pending bills in a short session devoted to the budget. 

Three clients still employ Beason's son, Mark, along with other lobbyists: The Association of Health Information Outsourcing Services, AT&T North Carolina and S&M Brands.

Two clients, the city of Hickory and Catawba County, went with a new team of Jack Cozort, Kevin Leonard and noted lobbyist Alexander "Sandy" Sands.

Among the other top clients, Progress Energy went with noted lobbyist Zeb Alley, John Bode and Kathy Hawkins; while IBM went with former lieutenant governor Dennis Wicker and a team of eight lobbyists. Colonial Life Insurance hired Glenn Jernigan and the N.C. Railroad Co. hired Michelle Frazier and John McMillan.

Which former lobbyist was also in the crowd at today's Barack Obama rally in Raleigh?

Don Beason. 

Here's an interesting tidbit from Fred Smith's campaign finance records.

Don Beason, the now-retired lobbyist who loaned disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black $500,000, donated to Smith's campaign in 2004.

According to Follow the Money, Beason gave a total of $3,000 in 2003 and 2004.

He's not the only gubernatorial candidate either. State Treasurer Richard Moore got $2,000 in 2000 and another $2,000 in 2006 from Beason.

Attorney General Roy Cooper, state Sens. Walter Dalton and Robert Pittenger, and Rep. Bill Daughtridge, all running for statewide office in 2008, also received donations from Beason in recent years.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with the contributions, but given the likely focus on state corruption in Raleigh in the fall campaigns they sure can't help. 

Don Beason said he was afraid when another motorist walked up to his truck.

On the stand today, the former lobbyist said that he honked briefly after Jason Batten pulled in front of his truck in Cameron Village. He said Batten then walked over to his truck, cursing and making obscene gestures, and tried to open the door.

At that point, Beason told the court he pulled the gun from the floor of the truck and set it on the passenger seat. He said he did not point it or wave it at Batten.

"With the man's demeanor, the look on his face and pulling on the door handle, I was concerned for my safety," he said.

On the incident at City Market, Beason said he mistook air conditioning repairman Steve Bass for a "panhandler." He claimed the man reached into the truck, prompting him to pull the gun out. Again, he said he did not point it or wave it at the other man.

"I never threatened anyone with a weapon," he said.

Batten denies threatening Beason, and Bass says he did not reach into the truck.

District Court Judge Joy Hamilton found Don Beason guilty of misdemeanor assault this afternoon.

He was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and ordered to relinquish his Taurus .357 revolver to Raleigh police. He has already voluntarily turned in his concealed gun permit.

His sentence was continued to next October. In the meantime, Beason will be on unsupervised probation. If he does not commit any further crimes, the sentence will be continued indefinitely.

Hamilton found Beason not guilty of a separate misdemeanor charge of assault by pointing a gun.

His attorney said he would not appeal the case. 

A Wendell man testified today that Don Beason also brandished a gun during a separate incident in Raleigh's City Market.

Steve Bass, general manager of Accurate Air Inc., said he was installing an air conditioning unit on the roof of Woody's at City Market around 8 a.m. on June 11.

Bass testified that Beason, a regular at nearby Big Ed's restaurant, pulled up behind him and he asked him to move his truck. He said Beason rolled down a window and pointed the gun in his direction.

"He seemed to be upset," Bass said.

Bass said he put his hands up and left.

"I got gone," he said

Beason, a former top lobbyist, is facing a misdemeanor assault charge for allegedly pointing a gun at a Raleigh couple at a gas station near Cameron Village in July.

Don Beason's gun was loaded at the time of his arrest.

Sgt. Jeff Wacenske of the Raleigh Police testified that Beason's Taurus .357 revolver had five bullets in its six chambers when he took it from Beason's truck.

He also said the gun was in its brown leather holster on the passenger seat, facing the window.

Under cross examination, he said he did not know whether the gun had a bullet in the barrel position, which would have meant it could have been fired.

But he said he believed the holster was snapped, which could have prevented it from being fired.

A Raleigh real estate developer testified this morning that Don Beason pulled a gun on him at a gas station.

Jason Batten told the court that he pulled into a gas station off Oberlin Road in Cameron Village around lunchtime on July 6 to buy an Excedrin for his fiancée.

When he pulled in front of Beason's pickup, Beason began honking his horn. Batten got out of his Cadillac Escalade and walked toward Beason's truck.

"I recall saying 'What is your problem? You'd have to stop for the stoplight anyway,'' he testified.

When Batten was about two feet away, Beason pulled a silver revolver from his console and set it on the passenger seat, Batten testified.

Batten said he raised his hands, backed off and looked at the license plate number.

He and his fiancée then called 911 and followed Beason's truck.

Was Don Beason involved in another gun incident?

Assistant District Attorney Matt Godwin tried to present evidence this morning that Beason showed a gun in a threatening way while in his vehicle in a separate incident in Raleigh in early June.

But Beason's attorney, former state Rep. Bob Hensley, argued that would unduly prejudice the jury — or in this case, the judge who will decide his misdemeanor assault case today. He said there is no police report on the incident.

"That's all we have — an allegation," he said.

Details about the other incident were extremely vague since the lawyers on both sides could not get specific in front of Judge Joy Hamilton without revealing too much.

Hamilton ruled in favor of allowing the evidence.