The State Ethics Commission is asking a Superior Court judge to prevent State Auditor Les Merritt from investigating a claim of preferential treatment for Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the Democratic nominee for governor.

The suit claims that Merritt's office has a conflict of interest because its investigations chief, Frank Perry, left the ethics commission a year ago. The suit also claims that Merritt, a Republican seeking re-election, "denigrated" the commission in an hour-long interview with a radio station.

It is a rare case in which one state agency is suing another, reports Dan Kane.

"The commission welcomes an independent and impartial investigation by an appropriate entity that is free from actual and/or perceived conflicts of interest," the suit said.

More after the jump.

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An office assistant at the State Ethics Commission has raised questions about its own ethics.

Ten months ago, Amanda Thaxton made a notation in a public records log when an aide to Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue was allowed to review her financial disclosure forms alone.

The Perdue aide "reviewed files in ... office alone with door closed," she typed into an electronic log.

Six months later, Kathleen Edwards, the assistant director who let the Perdue aide review the records, found the notation and removed it. Last month, after an N&O reporter asked about the log, executive director Perry Newson fired Thaxton, giving no reason.

"I think it was probably more than coincidence," she said.

The state auditor's office is investigating the incident. (N&O)