POLITICAL WIND: A decision by the U.S. Capitol Police suggesting that pigs were a threat to spread H1N1 to humans created an unlikely alliance between People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge, a Lillington Democrat and farmer. The police were wrong, he wrote, in their reason for denying permission for PETA to blow hog-waste infused air toward Congress. Pigs don't give H1N1 to people, he explained. (N&O)

UNLIKELY ARTIST: The African American man who painted a portrait of Jesse Helms had heard of the North Carolina senator, but didn't know much about him. Rene Dickerson, whose art often focuses on scenes of African American culture, struggled to get the caucasian flesh tone right. (N&O)

MACKEY PLEA: State Rep. Nick Mackey pleaded guilty Tuesday to contempt of court for his failure to show up for a December 2007 trial of a client and had his sentencing indefinitely set aside. Mackey, a Charlotte Democrat, faces a hearing next month before the N.C. State Bar's disciplinary hearing commission over allegations that he failed to pay taxes on time and poorly represented a client. (Charlotte Observer)

* The state environment agency is investigating whether its employees accepted gifts and meals from Verizon Business, a company that provides electronics to vehicle inspection stations.

Verizon gave the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources documentation of meals and a Carolina Hurricanes hockey ticket the company provided free to five Division of Air Quality employees from 2006 to spring of this year, said DENR spokesman Jamie Kritzer.

Three of the employees implicated still work at the agency, he said. Kritzer said the agency is working to verify the information it received from Verizon.

The State Bureau of Investigation is already investigating the gifts. Verizon Business holds a lucrative no-bid contract with the state. (N&O)

* State Rep. Nick Mackey has denied charges by the N.C. State Bar that he willfully failed to file four years of tax returns on time, saying he was following the advice of his tax preparer.

He also denied that he failed to pay four earlier years of taxes on time, saying he believed all forms had been filed and that monthly payments were being made. In his response posted by the State Bar this morning, Mackey also denied charges that he didn't properly represent a former legal client, and disputed allegations about his former tenure as a Charlotte police officer.

Mackey faces a December hearing before the bar's Disciplinary Hearing Commission, which could opt to dismiss the charges or levy a punishment ranging from a warning to disbarment. The bar is the state agency that oversees North Carolina's 26,000 lawyers. (Char-O)

The House late Monday gave final approval to a bill making cyberbullying a class 1 misdemeanor.

The bill makes it a crime to intimidiate or torment a minor over the internet, such as in an internet chat room, through an altered image posted on the internet or by signing a minor up for a pornographic web site.

Rep. Nick Mackey, a Mecklenburg Democrat and chief sponsor of the bill, said the internet allows a bully to follow the victim outside of school, even at home.

The N.C. State Bar has accused state Rep. Nick Mackey of “criminal acts” for failing to file state and federal income tax returns.

The charges are part of a wide-ranging complaint that could lead to the Charlotte Democrat’s suspension or even disbarment, report Jim Morrill and Gary Wright of The Charlotte Observer.

The 7-page complaint, filed Tuesday, claims Mackey:

- Failed to pay taxes from 2003-2006.

- Failed to let law examiners know about earlier unpaid taxes when he filed to take the state bar exam in 2002.

- Did not tell examiners that, as a Charlotte police officer, he had been investigated for “fabrication” of hourly duty reports.

- Violated professional conduct rules in a case involving a client who had hired him to help with an adoption.

Mackey has 20 days to file an answer to the complaint, which could end up before the bar’s Disciplinary Hearing Commission.

“I’m not going to comment on it since it’s pending,” Mackey said.

House members overwhelmingly backed legislation Thursday that makes it a crime to bully a minor over the Internet.

Rep. Nick Mackey, a Mecklenburg County Democrat and chief sponsor of the bill, said the Internet takes bullying off the school bus and out of the classroom and puts it into the community.

"It allows the bullies to reach the victim anytime," Mackey said. "The victim can't even go home to escape it."

The bill, which passed by a 112 to 4 vote, would make it a class 1 misdemeanor to, among other violations, torment a minor in an Internet chat room or post an altered image of a minor on the Internet with the intent to embarrass or intimidate them.

The bill passed without any of the divisive debate that accompanied a broader bill in the Senate that requires schools to institute anti-bullying policies. That legislation drew heat because it identifies various characteristics, including sexual orientation, about which a student may be bullied.

Mackey's bill, on the other hand, refers to all minors.

Liquor does not have many advocates in North Carolina.

Lobbyist Theresa Kostrzewa represents the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., which is backing a bill that would allow state ABC stores to sell liquor on Sundays.

On issues affecting beer and wine sales, Kostrzewa says she could turn to distributors or retailers to drum up grassroots support. But liquor is sold in stores run by state workers who can't take sides.

So she turned to Facebook. In March, she had an employee, Zach Pritchett, create Support Sunday ABC Sales in NC! on the social networking site. 

He invited a few friends, as did Kostrzewa. With no other publicity, the group grew to 493 members, including state Rep. Nick Mackey, a Charlotte Democrat.

Kostrzewa, who joined Facebook last year to play Scrabble online, says she's impressed with the site's networking potential.

"It's a ready-made grassroots network that you didn't know you had," she said.

Tonight will see the N.C. General Assembly — the NCGA? — play its own version of the March Madness sweeping college basketball.

The game will be in Columbia, S.C.

Rep. Phil Haire, a Sylva Democrat, organized this year's lineup, a bipartisan squad known more for passing bills than basketballs.

House Chaplain Jim Harry accurately summarized the pre-game mood when he called upon a higher power to be with the North Carolina squad.

"Please remind them they're not 20-year-olds running up and down the court," Harry intoned.

More after the jump.

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Who's in the Legislative Black Caucus?

Started in 1983, the nonprofit group of black lawmakers discusses common issues in the legislature, holds an annual conference and runs a foundation.

It currently has 21 members in the 120-member House and nine in the 50-member Senate.

Though members of the group do not agree on all issues, they have enough clout to help deliver — or block — a closely contested bill in the legislature.

Some members of the black caucus could play a key role in a smoking ban this year.

Though the majority of the caucus voted for a similar ban in 2007, the handful who didn't helped defeat it. Of those who voted against it, Reps. Beverly Earle, Earl Jones, Mickey Michaux and Earline Parmon are still in office.

Rep. Ty Harrell was absent, while Reps. Pearl Burris-Floyd, Elmer Floyd, Sandra Spaulding Hughes and Nick Mackey were not in office then.

A full list after the jump.

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State Rep. Alma Adams will again chair the Legislative Black Caucus.

At a meeting on Dec. 4, the caucus unanimously re-elected the Greensboro Democrat to a second term as chairwoman, despite speculation that she may take a role in Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's administration.

Sen. Malcolm Graham was also chosen as first vice chair; Rep. Earline Parmon, second vice chair; Rep. Annie Mobley, secretary; Sen. Tony Foriest, treasurer; Rep. Garland Pierce, caucus chaplain; and Sen. Floyd McKissick, parliamentarian.

According to a press release, the caucus' goal is to promote legislative policies "responsive to the needs of all North Carolinians, particularly African Americans." In recent years, it has played a role in passing the state's Earned Income Tax Credit, among other things.

In 2007, the caucus was criticized when it was revealed that relatives of five members received college scholarships from its foundation.

The caucus will now have 31 members, including newly elected Reps. Elmer Floyd of Fayetteville, Pearl Burris Floyd of Gaston County and Nick Mackey of Charlotte and Sen. Don Davis of Snow Hill. In 2007, it had just 28 members.

Burris Floyd will be the group's only Republican.

The watchword for the House class of 2008 is scandal.

At least four representatives-elect won seats formerly held by legislators who were either retired or defeated because of scandals involving speeding tickets, drunk driving, sexual harassment or campaign donations.

Depending on your definition, the House has 15 or 20 new members. Some of the five who were appointed prior to the election also took the seats of troubled legislators, including disgraced former Speaker Jim Black and Rep. Thomas Wright, the first member expelled since 1880.

Here's a quick look at the representatives-elect:

Hugh Blackwell (R): The Valdese lawyer defeated longtime Rep. Walt Church Sr. after the legislator got a speeding ticket dismissed by the district attorney.

Elmer Floyd (D): The longtime city of Fayetteville human relations director won the former seat of Rep. Mary McAllister, who got in trouble over campaign finance reports.

Nick Mackey (D): A controversial figure in Charlotte, Mackey resigned from the police department while under investigation, then ran for sheriff, but had his election thrown out.

Shirley Randleman (R): The retired longtime Wilkes County clerk of court won the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Tracy Walker.

Sarah Stevens (R): The Mount Airy lawyer defeated three-term Democrat Rep. Jim Harrell III after a campaign that ridiculed his support of a teapot museum.

James Boles (R): The Southern Pines resident won the seat of retiring Republican Rep. Joe Boylan, who admitted to an alcohol problem after a drunk driving arrest.

Pearl Burris Floyd (R): The Gaston County commissioner will be the first elected black Republican woman in the legislature.

Darrell McCormick (R): The Yadkinville owner of a real estate company fended off a Democratic challenger for the seat of Rep. George Holmes.

Johnathan Rhyne (R): The Lincolnton lawyer had no Democratic opposition in his race for the seat of retiring Republican Rep. Joe Kiser.

Randy Stewart (D): The Rocky Mount resident won a much-contested race for the seat of Republican Rep. Bill Daughtridge, who ran unsuccessfully for state treasurer.

Justin Burr (R): Albemarle defeated Rep. Ken Furr in the primary, who had been appointed to the seat after Rep. David Almond resigned over a personnel complaint.

W. David Guice (R): The Transylvania County commissioner was outspent by a Democratic opponent in the race for the seat of retiring Rep. Trudi Walend.

Grey Mills (R): The Iredell County business owner handily beat a Libertarian opponent for the seat after narrowly edging Republican Rep. Karen Ray in the primary.

Efton Sager (R): The Wayne County commissioner and retired Air Force member won the seat of retiring Republican Rep. Louis Pate.

Jane Whilden (D): The former director of Gov. Mike Easley's Western office, an Asheville resident, won with the help of the state Democratic Party.

In addition, previously appointed Reps. Kelly Alexander Jr. of Charlotte, Angela Bryant of Rocky Mount, Annie Mobley of Ahoskie, Tricia Cotham of Charlotte and Sandra Spaulding Hughes of Wilmington were also elected for the first time in November.

Related: The Senate Class of 2008

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated details of Mills' win.