A new subpoena issued to N.C. State University seeks more documents about Mary Easley's jobs at N.C. State and shows that investigators wants to know more about deleted e-mail messages from former Chancellor James Oblinger's high priority account.

The subpoena was received this week, according to N.C. State Chancellor James Woodward.

They show that investigators want to know how the former first lady was using her time, reports Andy Curliss. The request demands "all documents relating to vacation days accrued by Mary P. Easley in connection with her employment ... including, without limitation, documents reflecting the days on which she used a vacation day and any compensation she received in lieu of using her accrued vacation days."

The new subpoena also requests all documents relating to the decision in 2008 to offer Mary Easley a new position with a higher salary.

Easley worked at N.C. State fulltime since 2005, first leading a speakers series, and then in an expanded role since 2008 that paid her $170,000 per year. She was fired amid controversy last month.

Read more after the jump.

   Comments (0)

One her first day as governor, Beverly Perdue pledged to increase government transparency.

"Government must be more accountable to the people," Perdue said in her Jan. 10 inaugural address. "The state's business must be conducted in the sunshine, to inspire confidence, not cynicism."

Perdue appears to largely be living up to that promise. She makes her weekly schedule available and frequently takes questions from reporters, and her administration released travel and other records that disclosed former Gov. Mike Easley's use of private planes and other activities.

And Wednesday, Perdue issued executive orders requiring more transparency in government. She is also expected to soon sign a bill that she backed that would force state mental hospitals to release information about those who die in the facility or within two weeks of being discharged.

But Perdue's administration continues to withhold some key records, such as reports on probationers who committed serious crimes and state employees who had sex with inmates.

"Compared to what it was, [Perdue] has been great," said Don Carrington, vice president of the conservative John Locke Foundation, who said the Easley administration routinely rebuffed his calls and requests for documents. "They return calls and acknowledge requests." (N&O)

On the other hand, employees at the state's psychiatric hospital in Goldsboro could face discipline if they say negative things about its staff or operations.

Gov. Beverly Perdue today toughened a policy for keeping state government e-mail that was left by former Gov. Mike Easley.

Perdue's order strips away some wiggle room state employees may have had to delete e-mail messages that they determined were not related to public business. Now employees must keep all messages for 24 hours so they can be archived every day. Employees can delete spam messages they receive. Easley's order, which Perdue rescinded, allowed employees to decide which messages were related to public business.

"Only when the doors of government are open wide, and the sun truly shines in, can we be sure that our government by the people is working for the people," Perdue said in a news release.

Perdue's order is similar to an order signed by Easley in the waning days of his administration. Several news organizations, including The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer had sued Easley over e-mail retention.

Perdue also signed an order requiring the Department of Commerce to report the names of consultants involved in economic development projects that benefit from state incentive programs.

Update: Perdue's e-mail order also creates a searchable backup system, a spokeswoman said. Most messages would be kept for 10 years. 

* Bob Geary at the Independent Weekly raises questions about the doctorate earned by Timothy Johnson, the newly elected vice chairman of the state Republican party.

* The UNC system has no official policy on administrators maintaining multiple e-mail accounts, reports Eric Ferreri at the N&O's Campus Notes blog.

* During his eight years in office, former Gov. Mike Easley built a reputation for being reclusive and seldom seen in public. Now his official portrait is carrying on the tradition.

* Nearly six months after taking office, Gov. Beverly Perdue is among the nation's most unpopular governors.

The State Bureau of Investigation is also investigating former Gov. Mike Easley.

Attorney General Roy Cooper's office confirmed in a letter Monday to Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger that the SBI is working alongside the FBI in examining Easley's activities. Federal officials have sought testimony or evidence related to a Carteret County land development where Easley bought a lot, car dealers who provided free vehicles to Easley and the N.C. State University officials who hired Easley's wife and gave her an $88,000 raise.

"Attorney General Cooper earlier this year directed the State Bureau of Investigation to investigate matters related to the former Governor and other issues," wrote Kristi Hyman, Cooper's chief of staff. "Our agents have been working with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

Cooper oversees the SBI, which also worked with federal agents on the prosecution of former House Speaker Jim Black in 2007.

More after the jump.

   Comments (2)

Col. Walter J. Wilson Jr., a native of Tarboro, has served on the state Highway Patrol since 1980 when he was first assigned to Troop C, District III, in Raleigh.

He was appointed by former Gov. Mike Easley and sworn in as colonel last July to be teh patrol's 23rd commander.

"Col. Wilson has served the Highway Patrol honorably during his 29 years of service to the state of North Carolina," said Reuben Young, Secretary of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, in a statement. "We appreciate his dedication and commitment to highway safety."

"I have never regretted my career choice," Wilson wrote in a letter to the patrol. "As colonel I have worked hard to make things better for all employees. "

The text of his letter after the jump.

   Comments (2)

UNPOPULAR POLS: Gov. Beverly Perdue's approval rating has slipped to a new low: 30 percent in one poll. Her solution: barnstorm the state calling for higher taxes for everyone. The good news for her is that she'd have a long way to fall before matching the unpopularity of former Gov. Mike Easley, who is apparently the target of a wide-ranging federal investigation. Meanwhile, former U.S. Sen. John Edwards declared to the Washington Post this week that he isn't paying attention to his reputation. We noticed.

COMMANDMENT 11: Now that the candidates to lead the state Republican party are finished beating the stuffing out of each other, the new chairman, Tom Fetzer, turned his attention to the real enemy — Democrats. Fetzer launched a broadside against a fundraising reception for Democratic lawmakers calling the event inappropriate. Democrats mostly ignored the attack, but it probably felt good for the GOP to go after the other guys for a change.

BUDGET: After a lengthy, public and at times painful budget debate in the House last week, the actual budget can now be written by the select few in the conference committee. Big changes, particularly to the House's proposed taxes, are in store.

IN OTHER NEWS: former state Rep. Cary Allred, wearing his pajamas, was stopped for reckless driving with the smell of alcohol on his breath six days after he quit the legislature. The state Revenue Department held up tax refunds for big families because it wants proof. Newly graduated teachers and lawyers are both having a hard time finding jobs.

* A wide-ranging federal investigation of former Gov. Mike Easley appears to be venturing into renovations of his Southport house and a marina lease that resulted in an ethics complaint against him.

* Greensboro News & Record blogger Mark Binker notes that the House Health Committee agenda for today included bills on colon hydrotherapy, medical marijuana and higher beer taxes.

* Binker also reports that Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro Republican, is engaged.

* Roll Call reports that Sen. Richard Burr, who has said it is too early to poll the 2010 Senate race, releases some internal polling data on the race. 

Former Gov. Mike Easley’s reputation is in tatters.

A recent poll shows him the least popular of the five living past or current governors. By far, North Carolinians have the lowest opinion of Easley, who left office in January, reports Rob Christensen.

A poll by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm in Raleigh, asked which governor they had the lowest opinion of. Easley (2001-2009) was cited by 45 percent, current Gov. Beverly Perdue by 26 percent, former Gov. Jim Holshouser (1973-77) 13 percent, former Gov. Jim Hunt (1977-1985, 1993-2001) 10 percent and former Gov. Jim Martin (1985-1993) 7 percent.

Easley’s numbers are so poor because he has been the subject of critical news reports about the hiring of his wife at N.C. State University, his acceptance of free cars, and a favorable land deal on coastal property.

Voters remember Hunt most fondly, perhaps because he was governor for such a long stretch of people’s lives.

People had the highest opinion of Hunt (41 percent), then Martin (21 percent), Easley (14 percent) Perdue (14 percent) and Holshouser (10 percent).

More after the jump

   Comments (6)