In an e-mail sent Friday to all Division of Motor Vehicles employees, Commissioner Mike Robertson defended the agency's decision to follow the state's public records law and release the list of state workers Verizon Business says it provided meals and gifts.

The list, released to the media following a records request from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, contained the names of nearly three dozen DMV employees. Most of those named are still working at the agency in high-ranking, managerial positions.

Robinson stressed that the document was not released "to harm or embarrass anyone" and that being on the list in itself did not prove any wrongdoing. The named employees would "have an opportunity to speak to the allegations," Robertson wrote.

Considering that some individual DMV employees were listed as dining on Verizon's tab on dozens of occasions at some very fine restaurants, Dome is betting there will be some very interesting explanations forthcoming.

An electronic copy of the Verizon list is available for download from Dome under "Hot Documents."

A copy of the e-mail is provided after the jump:

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* Employees of Verizon Business spent more than $21,000 over four years on gifts and meals for state employees, many of whom had direct oversight of a $51 million, no-bid contract given to the company.

State officials had previously disclosed they were investigating the gifts. On Tuesday, Division of Motor Vehicles commissioner Mike Robertson revealed the extent of the gift program.

The names of nearly three dozen DMV employees appear on a list of those Verizon says accepted steak dinners, spa treatments and a ticket to a Carolina Hurricanes game.

Among those listed as being among the most frequent recipients of Verizon's largess was Deborah Brewer, deputy director of DMV's License and Theft Bureau.

Brewer and her boss, bureau director Brian K. Bozard, both retired May 1, shortly after Robertson reopened an inquiry into whether the pair had accepted $900 in tickets to sit at Verizon's table during Gov. Beverly Perdue's Inaugural Ball in January.

Bozard and Brewer, neither of whom could be reached for comment Tuesday, helped oversee DMV's implementation of the eSticker program, a digital system for tracking state automotive inspections that ended the need for windshield stickers. (N&O)

* State Reps. Wil Neumann and Pearl Burris-Floyd plan to introduce a bill in the General Assembly that would block the enrollment of illegal immigrants in community colleges. The Gaston County Republicans announced their intention at a Tuesday news conference outside the Gaston County Courthouse. (Gaston Gazette)  

Nearly three dozen employees at the state Division of Motor Vehicles, many who directly oversaw the agency’s $51.5 million computing contract with Verizon Business, appear to have accepted steak dinners, hockey tickets and other gifts from the company.

On some occasions, Verizon says it provided such catered meals as barbecue and deli plates to DMV employees at the agency’s Raleigh headquarters. Most of the time, the company’s sales staff and the state employees dined out, often at such pricey Triangle eateries as The Chop House, The Angus Barn and 42nd Street Oyster Bar.

Verizon provided DMV with a list last month containing the names of 62 people it says it bought things for. Of those, at least 37 are current or former state employees, while nine were consultants and private contractors working for the state. Other names on the list appear to be the spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends of the state employees.

The list was released by DMV Tuesday, following a public records request from The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer. Dozens of employees whose names appear on the list are still on the job.

The State Bureau of Investigation is currently probing whether Verizon employees or state officials broke the law, including whether those accepting the meals and gifts then made decisions that helped the company.

DMV Commissioner Mike Robertson said Tuesday that the SBI investigation is likely to take weeks, if not longer. After that, DMV will conduct an internal investigation to determine whether personnel action is warranted.

"The fact that an employee’s name is on the list does not indicate wrongdoing," said Robertson, adding that investigators would need to confirm the meals indicated in Verizon’s records actually took place.

The state Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement has a new director today.

Deputy Director Bill Chandler succeeds Director Mike Robertson, who retired Wednesday after five years in the job. Chandler has been the division's second-in-command for four years. The division regulates the sale of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and lottery tickets, Dan Kane reports.

ALE officials said they planned to make the official announcement this afternoon, but confirmed an internal announcement of the change made by Bryan Beatty, secretary of the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, that was obtained by The News & Observer.

In the memo, Beatty said of Chandler: "During his 27-year career with ALE, he has worked in virtually every facet of the statewide law enforcement agency including as a field agent, district supervisor, training coordinator and assistant director."

Beatty said that Chandler has a bachelor's degree in political science and master's and doctorate degrees in public administration, all from N.C. State University.

Robertson has spent 35 years in law enforcement, including stints at the State Highway Patrol and the State Bureau of Investigation where he was an assistant director.