Some of Gov. Beverly Perdue's smaller donations are also interesting.

As previously noted, Perdue raised $17.8 million through the end of 2008 for her successful campaign for governor, including a number of political action committees and big donors.

But some of the smaller donors from her final campaign finance report are also worth noting: 

* Former Supreme Court Justice Burley Mitchell gave $2,000.

* Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his wife Jane gave $2,000. 

* Former Sen. Lauch Faircloth gave $2,000.

* Perdue's recently appointed general counsel, Eddie Speas, gave $1,750.

* Administration Secretary Britt Cobb gave $1,000 on Oct. 28. He is the only member of Gov. Mike Easley's Cabinet to remain under Perdue.

* Former Orange County commissioner Moses Carey gave $300. Perdue appointed him chairman of the Employment Security Commission.

* Perdue's deputy campaign manager, David Kochman, and communications staffer Kennetha Smith each gave $250.

* The head of Perdue's gubernatorial endowment effort, Tom Lambeth, gave $200.

* Former U.S. Sen. Robert Morgan gave $200.

* Noted Washington, D.C., political consultant Donna Brazile gave $100.

When did Beverly Perdue become governor?

Although Perdue took the oath of office on Saturday, former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr argues that a reading of the constitution suggests she assumed the job on Jan. 1.

Orr, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, notes that the constitution says the governor's and lieutenant governor's terms "shall commence on the first day of January next after their election and continue until their successors are elected and qualified."

But Gerry Cohen, director of research for the legislature, said another part of the constitution said that before the governor takes office he or she has to "take an oath or affirmation" and that the current governor remains until a successor is in place.

Perdue's legal counsel, Eddie Speas, said that cherry-picking certain provisions of the constitution can lead to misunderstandings. 

"Our wise justices, including Justice Orr, have told us on occasion that you have to read the constitution as a whole," he said. (N&O)

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue has stressed she will break from Gov. Mike Easley.

Still, the newly elected Democrat hasn't entirely escaped the shadow of her two-term predecessor. Several of her appointees so far have ties to Easley.

In order of most closely tied to least:

Britt Cobb: Perdue's secretary of Administration held the same job under Easley, who also appointed him commissioner of agriculture. 

Linda Wheeler Hayes: Perdue's secretary of Juvenile Justice chaired the Governor's Crime Commission for Easley and was one of his fundraisers in 2000.

Eddie Speas: Perdue's general counsel worked for Easley during the eight years he was attorney general. Easley later appointed him lottery commissioner.

Reuben Young: Perdue's secretary of Crime Control served as deputy legal counsel and chief legal counsel for Easley's two terms as governor.

Lanier Cansler: Perdue's secretary of Health and Human Services served as deputy secretary under Easley, although he was directly hired by Secretary Carmen Hooker Odom.

Gene Conti: Perdue's secretary of Transportation served as chief deputy secretary under Easley, who asked him to leave because of a conflict of interest.

In addition, Perdue transition team had ties to Easley: Don Hobart worked as legal counsel to Easley when he was attorney general, Norris Tolson was Easley's Revenue secretary, Hilda Pinnix-Ragland was appointed to the state community college board by Easley, and Howard Lee served as Easley's budget and education adviser and was appointed to two boards by Easley.

Still, many of Perdue's key appointees have no ties to Easley, including at least half her Cabinet.

Eddie Speas once worked for disgraced Speaker Jim Black.

In 2006, the then-speaker was contesting the contention of an investigator for the State Board of Elections that Black broke campaign laws when he signed over blank checks to another legislator's campaign.

A quick refresher: Black was accused of redistributing campaign donations from optometrists by signing checks with a blank payee line. The checks went to Rep. Michael Decker, who had switched parties to help keep Black in power.

In March of 2006, Black's attorneys hired Speas as part of their argument that there was nothing wrong with the arrangement. Then working as a private attorney, Speas submitted an affidavit.

"Eddie Speas has gone through the law and has determined that none of those things were violations of the law," Black said in an interview with the Winston-Salem Journal.

Decker later pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge, admitting he left the Republican Party and supported Black for speaker in exchange for $50,000 and a legislative job for his son.

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue named Speas her general counsel Tuesday.

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue today announced Eddie Speas as her general counsel.

Speas has three decades of legal experience in both the executive and legislative branches of state government. He joined Poyner Spruill in 2004 and is a partner at the firm.

In a news release, Perdue said Speas would help her administration operate "both openly and ethically."

He worked in the attorney general's office from 1971 to 2003. During that time he served as special deputy attorney general and head of the education section from 1975 to 1990. From 1990 to 1998, he was the senior deputy attorney general and head of the special litigation/education division. From 1998 to 2003, he was chief deputy attorney general.

Speas earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Wake Forest University.

"I believe in Bev Perdue’s vision for North Carolina and I’m excited about helping her make it a reality," Speas said in a news release.