REMEMBER WHEN: Between hazy memories and conflicting stories about repairs to former Gov. Mike Easley's home, the State Board of Elections hearings offered plenty to talk about this week. The hearings gave a glimpse into the type of people who drive big time politics: one Easley supporter said he couldn't remember anything about two $50,000 checks he wrote to the N.C. Democratic Party.

BOUNCE BACK: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina sent a mailer to members urging them to rail against the public option for health insurance. The mailer backfired, leading recipients to lobby for the option. Next time, the insurer might consider using a little reverse psychology.

ALMOST READY: U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat who has been reluctant to stake a position on health care reform, already supported a public option provision similar to the one being advanced in the Senate.

IN OTHER NEWS: Elizabeth Edwards told a Washington-area television station that her marriage to John Edwards could be considered "a great love story." Patricia Gerrick, former chief investment officer for the state pension fund, asked her employees to help with her daughter's homework.

The chief investment officer in the state Treasurer's office resigned Monday.

Patricia Gerrick resigned on Monday. Treasurer Janet Cowell said in a news release Tuesday that she will lead a nationwide search for a replacement.

Gerrick, who was hired in 2004, was paid $340,000, according to state personnel information. The chief investment officer is responsible for managing a staff of 22 investment professionals and oversight of $60 billion in assets for the state pension fund, which pays retirement benefits to public employees.

The national search for a new chief investment officer is anticipated to take four to six months.

A spokeswoman for the treasurer's office declined to discuss the circumstances of Gerrick's departure, citing a state law that makes personnel information confidential.

"I appreciate Patricia Gerrick’s service to the State of North Carolina and to the over 800,000 members that depend on the pension system." Cowell said in a statement. "I am confident that the fund is in good hands during this transition."

While a national search to permanently fill the position is conducted, Michael Williamson, retirement systems director, has taken on the additional responsibilities of interim chief investment officer for the department.

In addition to Williamson, Stephen Cummings, CEO of EnnisKnupp, will serve as an interim investment advisor to the Department’s Investment Division. EnnisKnupp was recently hired, through a formal procurement process, to work with the Department on a fiduciary review of the Investment Division.

Next Tuesday could be pretty busy for Richard Moore.

Attorneys for the State Employees Association of North Carolina want to take a deposition from the state treasurer on a public records lawsuit on that day.

It's also the date that Moore is slated to debate Beverly Perdue.

Moore's new attorney, Kieran Shanahan, has asked a judge to stop the proposed deposition. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Shanahan told Dome that the timing shows the "political motivations" of SEANC, which has sued to get access to records of Moore's handling of the state pension.

"The deposition of the treasurer on a day when they know he's scheduled to be involved in a statewide gubernatorial debate is a little suspect," he said.

Several other depositions in the case were scheduled for this week, including chief investment officer Patricia Gerrick, public equities investment director Jeff Smith and spokeswoman Sara Lang.