Meredith Norris claimed this month that she didn't know lobbying laws.

But that wasn't what she said back in 2005.

In a meeting with the Real Estate Commission, the one-time aide to disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black blamed Scientific Games lobbyist Alan Middleton for not telling her she needed to register.

And in a letter to commissioners, she said state statutes were "vague and unclear" about the difference between lobbying and consulting.

But after a story in the N&O noted that she was being paid by the lottery vendor, Norris visited the newsroom on Sept. 23, 2005, and met with editor Melanie Sill and two reporters to complain. She was adamant that all she did was monitor legislation.

"I know the lobbying law," Norris said then. "So certainly would I just be dumb enough not to register when I needed to?"

Hat Tip: Dan Kane

Five people defended Meredith Norris before the Real Estate Commission.

Charlotte Regional Partnership CEO Ronnie Bryant, Prevent Blindness North Carolina President Jennifer Talbot, real estate developer Scott Hallihan and friends Tracy Parker Vollmer and D. Lawrence Bivins wrote letters on her behalf.

Several argued that her guilty plea to a misdemeanor lobbying law violation came about because of political agendas.

Bryant wrote that Norris' lobbying was "hard to get past for those who were on a mission to defeat" then-Speaker Jim Black. Bivins said "politically inspired legal and media attacks" were "part of an epic power struggle with which she had little to do."

Hallihan said it was a "minor offense" and argued "it would be tragic to allow media hype and speculation" to keep her from making a living in an unrelated industry.

And Vollmer said Norris was "swept up in an ugly political vacuum."

More after the jump.

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Meredith Norris also blamed state lobbying laws for her legal problems.

In a letter to the state Real Estate Commission, the former aide to disgraced House Speaker Jim Black said that the state statutes were "vague and unclear" at the time about the difference between consulting and lobbying for a client.

I am truly sorry for the unintentional violation of the Statute, and I can certainly attest that the entire ordeal was a profound learning experience. It has made me incredibly aware of the intricacies of the complex laws in our state — when in doubt, ask! — and gives me insight that many other real estate license applicants may not have.

Norris writes that because of the media attention around her investigation, the legislature revised the statute to make it more clear.

She also asked the commission to keep her address private, saying she has received unwelcome phone calls, visits and e-mails since pleading guilty last August to a misdemeanor lobbying law violation.

Meredith Norris blames Scientific Games for her legal problems.

In panel review of her application to be a real estate license, the former aide to disgraced House Speaker Jim Black said she relied on the company's lobbyist "for expertise" on what forms to file, but the lobbyist was not familiar with North Carolina laws, according to notes from a Real Estate Commission staffer.

Norris pleaded guilty last August to a misdemeanor charge of failing to register as a lobbyist for the lottery vendor. The conviction led the commission to review her character before deciding to grant her a real estate license.

During the Aug. 6 review, she said she thought of her work as consulting, and "had no expertise in lobbying." She said she accepted responsibility for her actions and dealt with the charges "seriously and in a somber fashion," according to the notes.

She also admitted it would have been much better if she had "registered on paper," and insisted nothing was done "under the table," the notes say.

Meredith Norris received a real estate license after all.

The former aide to disgraced House Speaker Jim Black appealed an initial deferral by the state Real Estate Commission based on her criminal record.

After meeting with a panel of commissioners and legal staff in Wilmington, Norris was offered a license to sell real estate on the condition that she successfully finish her probation and not face any further charges or complaints of wrongdoing.

Norris had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to register as a lobbyist.

On Aug. 13, the commission received a letter from her attorney indicating that her probation was over, and Norris was granted a license, said commission legal counsel Tom Miller.

"This is a very typical order for somebody who has one misdemeanor violation," he said.

The state Real Estate Commission failed to issue a license to Meredith Norris.

The former aide to disgraced House Speaker Jim Black passed a licensing exam but the commission did not issue her a license after considering her application on July 10.

State law requires applicants demonstrate "good moral character," though a criminal record is not necessarily a hindrance.

Last August, Norris pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to disclose that she was lobbying for lottery vendor Scientific Games.

Representatives of the licensing division were not available, and attempts to reach Norris were not successful. (The Insider)