What happened to Don Beason's clients?

When the once-top lobbyist resigned his practice last year over a shady loan to House Speaker Jim Black, his lucrative list of clients was up for grabs.

By Dome's count, seven of the 16 clients did nothing. BB&T, Cingular Wireless, Albemarle Mental Health Center, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Sigma Corp., the Association of Settlement Companies, and the Carolina Ballet have no registered lobbyists during the current session.

That may be because they don't face any pending bills in a short session devoted to the budget. 

Three clients still employ Beason's son, Mark, along with other lobbyists: The Association of Health Information Outsourcing Services, AT&T North Carolina and S&M Brands.

Two clients, the city of Hickory and Catawba County, went with a new team of Jack Cozort, Kevin Leonard and noted lobbyist Alexander "Sandy" Sands.

Among the other top clients, Progress Energy went with noted lobbyist Zeb Alley, John Bode and Kathy Hawkins; while IBM went with former lieutenant governor Dennis Wicker and a team of eight lobbyists. Colonial Life Insurance hired Glenn Jernigan and the N.C. Railroad Co. hired Michelle Frazier and John McMillan.

Don Beason's son, Mark, worked closely with him.

According to filings with the Secretary of State's office, Mark Beason made $61,130 from 10 clients he shared with his father, including BB&T, Cingular Wireless and the N.C. Railroad Co., in the first six months of the year.

The single largest contracts were with Sigma Corp., a New Jersey pipe fitting company, for $27,000, and Colonial Life Insurance, for $12,000. Both paid Don Beason the same amounts.

In addition, Mark Beason made $31,750 from four other clients. The N.C. Railway Association paid him $15,000, the N.C. Community Health Center Association paid $13,000 and the N.C. Pawn Brokers Association paid $3,750.

Valley Development is also listed as a client, but it has not filed any payment reports.

In all, Mark Beason earned $92,880 in the first six months of the year. 

Don Beason no longer works for Carolina Ballet.

The lobbyist had represented the nonprofit ballet company based in Raleigh. But Executive Director Lisa Jones e-mailed Dome to say that the "relationship expired" on June 30.

"Mr. Beason donated his services," she wrote.

Carolina Ballet is still listed as an active account on the Secretary of State's list of Beason clients. He resigned his contract with Cingular Wireless (now AT&T Mobility) on June 13 and with Progress Energy on Aug. 3. His contract with BB&T was terminated on Aug. 10.

The once-top lobbyist has been under an ethics cloud since disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black said in July that Beason loaned him $500,000 in 2000.

He is still registered as a lobbyist for the N.C. Railroad Company, Dale Earnhardt Inc., the city of Hickory and Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Co.