The Republican Governors Association is running an ad linking Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the Democratic nominee for governor, to corruption and scandal.

What the ad says: Announcer: "Bev Perdue took thousands of dollars from political fat cats who needed her.

"A sweetheart deal to rest home owners, costing millions. A slush fund costing millions more.

"Perdue's insider friends, corruption, conflicts of interest. One in jail. Two resigned from a state board. Even Democrat Richard Moore says 'Status Quo Bev' is..."

Moore: "So typical of someone who has led the go-along, get-along club in Raleigh for 20 years."

The ad flashes newspaper headlines and words such as "conflict of interest" over shots of shadowy figures engaged in various activities. The ad concludes with a statement made by Richard Moore at a debate during the Democratic primary for governor.

The background: Although the ad isn't specific, a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association said the sweetheart deal claim refers to the 1999 state budget, which included $3.7 million to pay for a rate increase for rest homes. Draft copies of that budget disappeared, apparently because they didn't contain the provision, lobbyists for the industry told The News & Observer. Perdue was a chief senate budget-writer then.

The industry said the increase reflected the acutal cost of running the homes.

Three years earlier, Perdue's campaign received $19,000 from a rest home operator and his family members. Prosecutors charged the operator with trying to circumvent the state's contribution limit by giving donations in others' names. Perdue's campaign returned the money and a prosecutor said there was no evidence that Perdue knowingly accepted illegal contributions. The prosecutor made similar findings about the governor, lieutenant governor and another senator.

The "slush fund" claim refers to the fiscal 1997 and 1998 state budgets. Editorial writers criticized Democratic and Republican legislative leaders over a provision that allowed them to spend $21.3 million on building renovations and other pet projects not approved by the full legislature. Critics called it a "slush fund." Perdue defended it as a way to pay for projects when the legislature wasn't in session. Spending would still need approval from a committee.

Former Speaker of the House Jim Black is serving a five year sentence after he pleaded guilty to taking thousands in cash payments from chiropractors interested in issues before the legislature.

Two Perdue fundraisers have quit the state Board of Transportation this year. Thomas Betts quit after he was found to have pressured a city official in Roanoke Rapids to raise money for Perdue's campaign. She said she was not aware of how he was trying to raise money. Louis W. Sewell Jr. quit the transportation board after revelations that he steered road work to areas near property he or his son co-owned.

During a debate in the primary, Moore, the state Treasurer, made the statement about Perdue when she challenged him to explain why Roanoke Rapids was allowed to borrow money for a theater project featuring country music performer Randy Parton. After the primary, Moore endorsed Perdue in an e-mail, although he has done little else publicly to help her campaign.

Is it accurate? Not entirely. It's true that two men with ties to Perdue have quit the transportation board. Other than belonging to the same political party, Perdue had no strong ties to Black. The legislature, including Perdue as a budget writer, did give a rate increase to rest home operators.

It's a stretch to blame Perdue alone for the pet projects included in the budgets. Republican and Democratic leaders in the legislature were responsible for the provision.

Outside groups have spent more than $20 million on North Carolina campaigns.

Most of the third-party spending has gone to the U.S. Senate race. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spent $6.6 million attacking Sen. Elizabeth Dole, while the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent $2.8 million against Kay Hagan.

Freedom's Watch and the National Rifle Association are also spending against Hagan, while the League of Conservation Voters and Citizens for Strength and Security are spending against Dole. At least 11 groups have bought TV ads in the Senate race.

Meanwhile, the Republican Governors Association has spent $4 million against Democraic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue and the Alliance for North Carolina has spent $2.4 million against Republican Pat McCrory. 

National Democrats, Realtors and a gun-rights group have spent money on other state races. (Char-O) 

The Republican Governors Association is targeting Beverly Perdue on jobs.

In a mailer sent to North Carolina voters, the national group argues that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate's "failed policies are killing jobs in North Carolina."

Inside, it argues that Perdue has failed to lower taxes, reduce pork barrel spending or crack down on illegal immigration.

It also repeats a claim that a 2001 bill made it easier for illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

As noted previously, that bill actually made it slightly harder.

The back page of the mailer argues that Republican Pat McCrory "successfully recruited dozens of new companies" and brought the NASCAR Hall of Fame to North Carolina, while the number of homicides in Charlotte decreased.

The State Board of Elections on Tuesday dismissed all complaints filed against two national party groups seeking to influence the fall elections in North Carolina using sibling organizations.

The dismissals came after three hours of hearings by the board about the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and the Republican Governors Association, the Associated Press reports.

Both political organizations have raised money which has been funneled to similar state political action committees they created.

The RGA North Carolina 2008 Political Action Committee has spent $3 million for ads and mailers to help GOP candidate for governor Pat McCrory. The DLCC North Carolina Political Action Committee has received more than $1 million since early 2007 for efforts to elect Democratic candidates to the General Assembly, according to campaign finance reports.

The board voted 3-2 against a motion that would have determined the groups violated state law, despite testimony by the board’s chief campaign finance investigator arguing the law had been broken. The board’s three Democratic members voted in the majority.

Board chairman Larry Leake, who cast the tie-breaking vote, said he didn’t believe the national groups’ fundraising practices violated the law, especially when taking into account competing forces of freedom of expression.

North Carolina's chief campaign finance investigator says two national party groups seeking to influence elections are breaking state law.

Kim Strach, deputy director of the State Board of Elections, testified Tuesday in a board hearing. The board is examining how the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and the Republican Governors Association raise and spend money for North Carolina, the Associated Press reports.

Strach said the two groups are raising money on behalf of sister organizations registered in North Carolina but aren't disclosing the contributions properly. The groups disagree.

The Republican sister group has spent $3 million to support GOP nominee for governor Pat McCrory. The Democratic group is supporting General Assembly candidates.

The elections board could order the groups to comply with the law or block them from spending in the state.

The Republican Governors Association is targeting Beverly Perdue on illegal immigration.

A mailer from the RGA's North Carolina PAC sent this week shows four Hispanic men walking on a red carpet toward a "Welcome to North Carolina" sign.

"Bev Perdue is rolling out the red carpet for illegal immigrants," the mailer says.

Inside, it argues that Perdue has expanded government benefits to illegal immigrants, including driver's licenses, health care, community college and worker's compensation.

The back of the mailer says Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory would "get tough on illegal immigrants."

The mailer cites the 2001 state budget as legislation that "made it much easier for illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses." As we've noted before, that bill actually made it slightly harder.

It correctly notes that Perdue "presided" over that bill, although as lieutenant governor she would not have voted on it unless there was a tie.

The Republican Governors Association has brought back a Web site attacking Beverly Perdue.

The site, "Which Beverly Is It?", was originally created by state Treasurer Richard Moore, who ran against Perdue in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

The site criticizes Perdue's positions on the death penalty, Smart Start, college tuition and wasteful spending. It also attacks Perdue as being too restrictive of abortion rights — an odd attack for the Republican group to recirculate.

"Richard Moore warned voters about the dangers of Bev Perdue," said RGA Communications Director Chris Schrimpf. "She's nothing more than a status quo politician who will do anything to get elected. She'll take money from disgraced supporters and skip debates to avoid the scrutiny of voters."

The Washington-based group is also promoting the new Web site — www.richardmooresays.com — using online ads.

Moore endorsed Perdue via e-mail in mid-July, 71 days after the primary.

A new mailer from the Republican Governors Association is attacking Beverly Perdue's record.

The mailer, which repeats the "Status Quo" button motif from its television ads, argues that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate is responsible for "job killing tax increases," "crippling debt" and "lost jobs."

"North Carolina is going in the wrong direction," the mailer says. "And career politician Bev Perdue promises 'I will do exactly what's been done before.'"

As noted previously, that statement is taken out of context, as Perdue was talking about creating an independent panel to look into offshore drilling.

To back up its claim that North Carolina has "one of the highest tax burdens in the Southeast," the mailer cites the N.C. Family Policy Council, a group that advocates for "traditional family values."

The Republican Governors Association has apparently turned on one of its own.

In a new ad, the group calls Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue manipulative, using footage of her in a UNC-TV interview from 2000.

"I do really admire someone who can be charming and manipulative at the same time," she says in the ad.

According to an Aug. 4, 2002, story in the Charlotte Observer, Perdue went on to say "...if they can be on the right side of public policy issues."

So who was Perdue talking about? Former president Ronald Reagan.

You know, the former Republican governor who chaired the Republican Governors Association from 1968 to 1969.