A representative of the N.C. Association of Broadcasters says it invited U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole to speak as a sitting senator, not a candidate.

But North Carolina's other U.S. senator, Richard Burr, was also in Asheville this weekend, and his staffers say they do not recall an invitation to speak at today's broadcasting association meeting, Barb Barrett reports.

The group invited both Dole and Democratic opponent Kay Hagan to debate. Hagan agreed, but Dole did not. But Dole gave the keynote speech instead.

Wade Hargrove, the association's longtime attorney, said that Dole would have been invited whether there was a campaign or not. 

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Hargrove gave Dole’s campaign committee $1,000 last December.

ASHEVILLE — Republican U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole had an audience of N.C. broadcasters to herself this morning after turning down a chance to debate her opponent, Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan.

Dole spoke to around 150 members of the N.C. Association of Broadcasters at the Grove Park Inn, Jim Morrill reports.

The group invited both Senate candidates to debate. Hagan accepted, Dole did not. But she got an invitation to keynote today's convention.

Wade Hargrove, the association's longtime attorney, said Dole was invited in her role as a U.S. senator, not as a candidate.

"The U.S. government has direct regulatory authority for the broadcast industry," he said. "We would have invited her whether there was a campaign or not." 

More after the jump.

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ASHEVILLE — North Carolina's two main gubernatorial candidates today pledged more transparency in government.

But they split over their solutions to high gas prices and their willingness to debate.

Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Bev Perdue made their comments during separate appearances before editors and publishers of the N.C. Press Association, reports Jim Morrill of The Charlotte Observer.

"I have a record of being extremely open and transparent," McCrory said.

Perdue promised that under her, North Carolina "would be known as the state with open, accessible government."

McCrory took the occasion to unveil his energy initiative, a combination of conservation measures, new oil drilling and a push for alternative energy sources including coal and nuclear.

He proposed a statewide transportation plan that would extend land-use planning and some form of mass transit to communities throughout the state. He also called for the state to build more "green" buildings and offered tax incentives for individuals and corporations to build the same kind.

But he also repeated his support for off-shore oil drilling, which he said would create jobs and pour money back into North Carolina for coastal conservation programs.

Perdue said drilling would never occur "on my watch."

"That's politically popular," she said. "If you want somebody who looks at a poll and gets solutions, that's not me."

McCrory chided Perdue for not agreeing to more debates. He had accepted an offer to debate before the N.C. Association of Broadcasters on Sunday, but the Perdue campaign did not.

Perdue said she's already agreed to several debates. As for McCrory's challenge, she said, "I think that is really just whining."

Legislation that would require state and local governments to pay reasonable legal fees when they lose a public records lawsuit cleared a Senate judiciary committee today after an attempt to gut the bill.

State law currently gives the courts limited discretion to not award legal fees to people and businesses who win public records lawsuits if the governmental agency showed substantial justification to deny records. Open government advocates say judges have largely used that discretion to prevent or limit the awarding of legal fees, reports Dan Kane.

"It hasn't operated as people thought it should and it has cost some of the smaller papers in the state a lot of money to protect their rights," said Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat.

State Sen. Dan Clodfelter, a Charlotte Democrat, offered an amendment that would have left that standard in place. He said the current law, passed in 2005, had not been given a chance to prove its effectiveness.

"It was negotiated in good faith," Clodfelter said. "What I don't like about the bill is that is going to be thrown out the window."

Representatives of county and municipal governments and public hospitals supported the amendment, while representatives of the N.C. Press Association and N.C. Association of Broadcasters urged its defeat.

A majority of senators voted the amendment down in a voice vote and then gave the legislation a favorable report. It now goes to the Senate Finance Committee.

The legislation, filed by state Sen. David Hoyle, a Gaston County Democrat, also creates an open government section within the state Attorney General's office to educate public officials about the state's open records and open meetings laws. The unit would also mediate disputes.

Pat McCrory says five debates are not enough.

The Republican gubernatorial nominee called today for a series of informal debates across the state. Earlier, the campaign of Democratic rival Beverly Perdue said she would do five debates.

Campaign Manager Richard Hudson said that her list did not include some of the seven events McCrory had already agreed to attend, including the N.C. Press Association on July 18 and the N.C. Association of Broadcasters on July 20.

"I am happy to have already accepted the five debates the Lt. Governor announced today and have agreed to several others that she has not accepted," said McCrory said in a statement. "But, we should go beyond just a few structured, formal debates."

Echoing John McCain's request in the presidential race, McCrory called for a series of joint appearances around the state with Perdue.

"Instead of formalized debates with sound bite answers we should allow the voters the chance to hear where we stand on issues and how we would lead the state as Governor," he said.