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George Holding's campaign for 13th congressional district has a new TV ad, picking up on strategist Carter Wrenn's comments last week that Paul Coble's campaign was "coming unglued."

Why else would Coble criticize Holding for prosecuting former Sen. John Edwards and investigating former Gov. Mike Easley, the ad asks? "Coble's campaign is falling apart, and it's not pretty," the ad says.

What rattled the Holding campaign were remarks Coble made to an online magazine that covers the U.S. Department of Justice, saying the Edwards prosecution was politically motivated and that there was practically no payoff in the Easley case. Wastes of money and done to advance Holding's political career, Coble suggested.

Another day, another war over a political ad in the race between 13^th congressional district Republican primary candidates George Holding and Paul Coble.

A super PAC that is supporting Holding, The American Foundations Committee Inc., takes a shot at Coble in a new TV advertisement. Coble is a member of the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

“Paul Coble is a typical Washington politician and his record proves it,” the ad says. “Coble criticizes Congress for  increasing the debt by 50 percent, but since 2006, Paul Coble has  supported the commission raising its debt 93 percent. The numbers to remember: Paul Coble has run for office nine times, supported increasing the county debt 93 percent. Paul Coble – 9, 9, nein.”

That prompted a retort from Coble’s campaign today: “George Holding doesn’t care that his attack ads are untrue.”

U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding, whose office investigated Mike Easley for two years, released a statement following the former governor's conviction on a single felony count in state court:

When federal authorities investigate corruption allegations involving state officials, it is important that we cooperate with state prosecutors and investigators, rather than compete with them. That has always been our office’s policy.

When there are corruption allegations, we investigate them thoroughly, analyze the current status of applicable federal law, and then apply the principles of federal prosecution to decide whether to propose an indictment to the grand jury.

As stated in the our letter that became part of the state court file today, these principles include whether the potential federal charges are supported by enough admissible evidence to obtain and sustain a conviction, whether the accused person should be subjected to multiple prosecutions, and whether federal charges would promote cooperation with state prosecutors.

After weighing all these factors and consulting closely with Special Prosecutor Kenerly, we have decided to decline federal prosecution of former Governor Easley, and bring to a close the federal investigation of him. We have written a letter to Mr. Easley’s counsel to this effect, and that letter was today made part of the state court file.

It is no cause for celebration that a former Governor of North Carolina has been convicted of a felony related to his service as Governor, but it does signify that North Carolina is taking seriously the enforcement of its campaign finance laws. This ends a sad chapter in North Carolina history.

But North Carolinians are strong and will overcome this tarnishing or our reputation. Whenever potential federal violations are implicated, we will continue to partner with our state counterparts to root out public corruption in our state.

HOLDING ON: A four-year term expired Wednesday for the top federal prosecutor in Eastern North Carolina, but he isn't leaving office just yet. George E.B. Holding, whose office is overseeing investigations that involve former Gov. Mike Easley and former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, is likely to remain on the job for a while longer. How long isn't clear. (N&O)

LAB RESULTS: Attorney General Roy Cooper speaks today to a joint legislative committee that will look into ways to make sure that defense attorneys and prosecutors trust the work from the State Bureau of Investigation crime lab. (AP)

LEJEUNE HEARING: Today, a congressional subcommittee chaired by U.S. Rep. Brad Miller, a Raleigh Democrat, will question scientists, military leaders and Marine veterans about water contamination at Camp Lejeune. (N&O)

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan re-emphasized to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in a phone call this week that she wants current federal investigations into public corruption in North Carolina completed.

Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, has told the White House that she wants U.S. Attorney George Holding, who represents North Carolina’s eastern district, to complete his probes of former Gov. Mike Easley and two-time presidential candidate John Edwards, reports Barb Barrett. Easley and Edwards are Democrats.

Holding is a Bush appointee, and now is up for replacement with President Barack Obama’s nomination last week of Charlotte lawyer Thomas Walker.

Although Hagan recommended Walker, she also has said she wants Holding to finish his work. She reiterated that Monday in a brief phone call with Holder, who oversees U.S. attorneys.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz said Holder offered his assurances to Hagan.

"The attorney general assured the senator that the Justice Department handles investigations based solely on their merit and without regard to the political affiliation of the U.S. attorney," Schwartz said.

Hagan has not decided yet how to handle the “blue slip” that home-state senators receive from the Senate Judiciary Committee on U.S. attorney nominees, according to her office. She could decide to either delay returning the blue slip or not return it at all.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican, plans to return the blue slip and move ahead with the nomination process.

North Carolinians want the Republican federal prosecutor investigating Democrats Mike Easley and John Edwards to stay on the job, according to a new poll.

The survey by the Civitas Institute, a conservative think tank, found that 76 percent of those polled want George Holding, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, to finish his investigations before being replaced, reports Rob Christensen.

Federal prosecutors are patronage appointments and Holding, a protege of the late Sen. Jesse Helms, got his job through Republican President George W. Bush.

Democratic President Barack Obama has nominated Charlotte lawyer Thomas G. Walker to be his replacement. But Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, who recommended Walker, has argued that Holding should be allowed to wrap up his investigation of Easley, the former governor, and Edwards, the former senator and former presidential candidate.

The poll of 600 likely voters was conducted Dec. 1-3 by Tel Opinion Research of Arlington, Virginia.

While Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan says she is unsure whether she'll hold up the confirmation of a new U.S. attorney for North Carolina's eastern district, Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr has no plans to hold up the process.

President Barack Obama on Monday nominated Charlotte lawyer Thomas Walker to replace U.S. Attorney George Holding.

Burr plans to sign the "blue slip" form on Walker for the Senate Judiciary Committee in order to move ahead with the process, said his spokesman, David Ward.

Walker is a lawyer for the Charlotte office of Alston & Bird, the same firm that in Washington employs former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole, the husband of former Republican U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina.

Holding is in the midst of investigations into two prominent North Carolina Democrats, former Gov. Mike Easley and two-time presidential hopeful John Edwards.

Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, recommended Walker to the White House, but she also wants Holding to be able to finish his investigations.

She said this week she had not considered whether to delay returning her blue slip, which would have the effect of holding up Walker's confirmation.

N.C. Republican Party Chairman Tom Fetzer said President Barack Obama should keep U.S. Attorney George Holding.

Fetzer, in a statement, said that Obama's nomination of Thomas Walker is an example of putting politics first.

"You'd be hard pressed to find someone who had put more corrupt politicians behind bars than Holding has during his years in the U.S. Attorney’s office. Now, when confidence in our elected officials is at an all time low, is not the time to remove him from office — especially since he has current investigations underway involving [former Gov.] Mike Easley and former [U.S. Sen.] John Edwards.

"There are a lot of people who are talking about cleaning up the culture of corruption in North Carolina. Why remove from office the one person who’s actually doing something about it?"

Presidents routinely appoint U.S. attorneys of their own party. Holding's long tenure after Obama's election is unusual and possibly due in part to pleas by Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan to allow Holding to continue his investigations.

In 2001, the last time the White House changed parties, then-U.S. Attorney Janice Cole, a Democrat who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, resigned. President George W. Bush appointed Frank Whitney who was later appointed to a federal judgeship. Bush appointed Holding to replace Whitney.

President Barack Obama has nominated Thomas Walker for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District.

Under George Holding, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, the office is currently running a wide-ranging investigation into former Gov. Mike Easley. He has also convened a grand jury to investigate the campaign finances of John Edwards.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, who put Walker's name forward as a potential nominee, said late Monday that she wants Holding to finish those probes.

"I will continue to impress upon the White House that George Holding should be given the time to complete his investigations into former public officials," Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, said in a statement.

Still, she praised Obama's choice of Walker, a partner at the Charlotte office of Alston & Bird and a former special counsel to N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper.

Hagan called Walker "extremely qualified and fair-minded." She added: "I expect the transition process to be undertaken in a mutually respectful manner with an eye toward what is best for the citizens of North Carolina."

The U.S. Attorney in Raleigh has has become the state's chief enforcer on government corruption. Holding's office led several cases against state officials.

Democratic commentator Barlow Herget raises the question whether Sen. Kay Hagan has shown the proper amount of loyalty to the Democratic agenda in Washington.

Herget, a former Raleigh City Councilman who has his own Internet radio program, notes that Hagan expressed reservations about President Barack Obama’s stimulus package, has shown "tepid support" for Obama’ health care plan, and has not replaced U.S. Attorney George Holding, who has been investigating former Gov. Mike Easley and former Sen. John Edwards, both Democrat, Rob Christensen reports.

Herget quotes an unnamed "seasoned Democratic consultant" as saying "If I had wanted another Republican in Washington, I would have voted for one."

He notes that Hagan was helped in her victory last November over Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole by a strong turnout by Obama supporters and received millions of dollars in campaign help from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.