Supporters of publicly financed elections are using revelations from the State Board of Elections hearings into former Gov. Mike Easley to push their cause.

In publicly financed elections, taxpayer dollars provide candidates with money for advertising and campaigning. To qualify, candidates must demonstrate they have a minimum base of support and must agree to spending limits and restrictions on fundraising.

Municipal elections in Chapel Hill, appellate judge races and some Council of State races use the system. 

That's exactly the type of election the state needs in the wake of revelations that Easley's gubernatorial campaign planned to funnel money through the N.C. Democratic Party to circumvent the state's campaign finance limits, said Chase Foster, director of N.C. Voters for Clean Elections.

"More and more, North Carolina leaders see Voter-Owned Elections as the obvious answer to the rising cost of elections,” Foster said in a news release.

Foster released a scorecard tracking votes on publicly financed elections bills. Foster said the scorecard shows that lawmakers are increasingly supportive of the election changes.

A bill that would create a pilot program for more publicly financed municipal elections cleared the House this year. The Senate approved a bill that would expand the program to more Council of State races.

Opponents to such elections say taxpayers would be forced to fund political speech, and that political contributions would instead be given to special interest groups to spend.

TO THE POLLS: More than 20 local races will be decided in the Triangle tomorrow. (N&O)

BLAZING AN UGLY TRAIL: Former Gov. Mike Easley's case before the State Board of Elections may make it easier to hold candidates liable for what their campaigns do. (News & Record)

A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA: Three state agencies will get back $34 million withheld earlier this year to make sure the budget balanced. (AP)

News & Observer photographer Shawn Rocco has compiled a photo gallery of images from the final day of the State Board of Elections hearings. 

Bob Hall, whose complaint led to the State Board of Elections hearings this week, praised the board's decision.

Hall, executive director of Democracy N.C., said the board sent a strong message that it is illegal to try to funnel contributions through a political party.

It’s a sad day when evidence justifies referring a governor for criminal investigation, but it’s in the best interest of the public and of the thousands of candidates who are acting properly for the State Board to make it clear that no one is above the law.  In another unanimous vote, the Board recommended that the General Assembly amend state law to require the candidate to personally bear the cost of fines imposed as a result of election law violations if the candidate’s campaign committee is too broke to pay. Again, the Board sends a strong message that candidates must be held accountable for the conduct of their campaign.

The State Board of Elections has voted to refer a possible criminal case against former Gov. Mike Easley and others to the Wake County District Attorney's office. It also assessed $109,000 in penalties: $9,000 against Democrats, $100,000 against the Easley campaign. (pool video)

N.C. Democratic Party Executive Director Andrew Whalen issued a statement after the State Board of Elections ruling.

The board found that former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign solicited contributions for the party that they promised would go to the Easley campaign.

Today, in a unanimous vote, the State Board of Elections fully exonerated the North Carolina Democratic Party of any violations of election law.

Evidence presented during the hearing indicated that the Easley Committee solicited contributions for the Party from two donors, indicating to the donors that those contributions would be used on behalf of the Easley Committee.

It was undisputed that the Party did not participate in the solicitations and had no knowledge of the manner in which the solicitations were made. The SBOE did order the Party to disgorge $9,000 representing the two contributions.

The North Carolina Democratic Party cooperated fully with the investigation, providing numerous documents and testimony, and is pleased that the Board carefully examined the evidence and chose to dismiss the complaint filed against the Party.

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger said Senate Republicans intend to advance a slate of legislation meant to curb campaign corruption.

Berger said he was happy to hear a suggestion from State Board of Elections chairman Larry Leake that candidates be held personally liable for fines issued by the board.

I applaud the State Board of Elections for their service and investigation into the former Governor’s administration and campaigns.  Their suggestions about campaign finance reform are welcome as Senate Republicans will soon offer comprehensive legislation to address corruption in campaigns.  The $100,000 levied against the Mike Easley Committee and referral of evidence to the Wake County District Attorney were necessary and appropriate steps to take.  The information uncovered in these hearings will undoubtedly be helpful as state and federal authorities continue their investigations.  At some point the people of North Carolina will have the full truth about this sad episode.

State Board of Elections chairman Larry Leake said the board would still like to talk to Ruffin Poole, a patronage boss, lawyer and aide to former Gov. Mike Easley.

The N.C. Court of Appeals was considering Friday a judge's order granting Poole the right to not testify to the board.

The Board of Elections members are, from left, Anita Earls, Bob Cordle, Larry Leake, Charles Winfree and Bill Peaslee.

Staff photo by Shawn Rocco.

Former Gov. Mike Easley testified that he didn't know much of anything about how his campaign worked.

He didn't count the money and only called potential donors when he was forced to by his fundraisers. His campaign must now forfeit $100,000 — $60,000 to pay for flights and $40,000 as a penalty.

As of June 30, Easley's campaign had $121,984 in its account, according to campaign finance records.

Board chairman Larry Leake said its very easy for campaigns to spend all their money, which would make it difficult to collect assessments from the Board of Elections.

That's why, Leake said, the board is recommending to the General Assembly that state law be changed to make a candidate personally liable for such penalties.

"Candidates do not accept sufficient responsibility and ownership of their campaigns," Leake said.

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The State Board of Elections this morning ordered former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign to pay $100,000 for failing to report campaign flights and sent Easley's case to the Wake County District Attorney's Office for a criminal review.

Board chairman Larry Leake said the board had received evidence that suggests Easley or others may have committed a crime, reports Ben Niolet.

"This board has received evidence which, if believed, would tend to indicate that criminal violations of our election laws and campaign finance laws have occurred on the part of Mike Easley and perhaps others," Leake said.

Easley supporter and friend McQueen Campbell testified that Easley told him to file a false invoice for campaign flights to pay for repairs done to Easley's Raleigh home. Easley said the allegation is false.

The board also found that the Easley campaign solicited $9,000 in contributions to the N.C. Democratic Party by telling the contributors that the money would be earmarked for Easley's campaign, a violation of state law. The board ordered the N.C. Democratic Party to surrender $9,000. The board decided that there was no evidence of other crimes committed by the party.