Beverly Perdue has asked the state auditor to look into public records requests.

In a letter to Les Merritt today, the lieutenant governor's legal counsel writes that her office has received several e-mails from a computer in the state treasurer's office requesting public records.

"While it is every citizen's right to request public records, I am concerned that someone was using state computer resources in the office of the State Treasurer to conduct political campaign opposition research," writes her staff attorney, Will Polk.

Perdue is running against Treasurer Richard Moore for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

She writes that Cliff Bennett, who is not listed as a state employee, has asked for public records on the Task Force for a Healthier NC, a special committee established by the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission she chairs.

In addition, she writes that he asked the information be sent to a Raleigh address that is listed as one of Moore's campaign workers'.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated who signed the letter.