Cliff Bennett

Cliff's notes on Cooper

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:51:42 -0400

Cliff Bennett also sought records on Roy Cooper.

The Michigan resident, revealed as an alias for Treasurer Richard Moore's staffer Julie White, filed public records requests with the attorney general's office in early 2006, when Cooper was still a potential candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Cooper spokeswoman Noelle Talley said they were for staff salary information, recent settlements and the use of outside counsel on major cases.

She said she didn't worry much about Bennett's identity.

"We get so many requests for public information, we don't think about them," she said. "We don't really spend a lot of time trying to figure out where they come from."

Previously: Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue complains about Bennett's requests; Bennett sought records from the State Ethics Commission.

Mo(o)re staffers involved?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:33:46 -0400

Were other staffers in Richard Moore's office using state computers for political work?

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's office said so last night. And WUNC reporter Laura Leslie found some interesting evidence in the e-mails.

As Leslie pointed out on her Hunter's Tavern blog, one of the e-mails has a news story attached that appears to have been forwarded by Sara Y. Lang, communications director in the Treasurer's office.

She asked if Lang knew the mysterious Cliff Bennett, and Lang responded "We're looking into it."

With all due respect, what sort of "looking into" does this involve? Either it is her personal email address, or it isn't — in which case, there's another Sara Y. Lang out there who knows "Cliff Bennett" (see below) and is involved in NC politics.

In Lang's defense, the e-mail was sent from an AOL account, and not an official e-mail account.

In addition, Perdue's office pointed out that the public records were requested to be sent to 907 1/2 West Lenoir St. in Raleigh — which is listed as the address of Moore campaign staffer Tom Keating on a 2006 campaign finance report.

Moore will discipline staffer

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:52:12 -0400

Richard Moore says he will discipline a staffer who used a state computer for campaign work.

In a statement released to the Greensboro's News & Record's Mark Binker (but, mysteriously, not to Dome), the state treasurer is quoted:

"It was brought to my attention this afternoon that Julie White, an employee of our Department, sent public records requests using a private email account from a state computer under the name of one of her relatives. To our knowledge, no laws were broken. However, Ms. White has violated departmental policies. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken."

White works part-time for the treasurer's office and part-time for his gubernatorial campaign.

Previously: Records were requested in the name of White's relative.

Who is Cliff Bennett?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:00:04 -0400

Cliff Bennett is related to one of Richard Moore's staffers.

The Michigan resident, on whose behalf multiple public records requests have been made, is married to the sister-in-law of a Moore employee.

It's a little confusing, so we'll walk you through it.

Julie White works part-time for the state treasurer's office, and part-time for his campaign for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

She is married to Mark Holmes, a native of rural Michigan. Holmes' sister, Marsha, is married to Cliff Bennett, and the couple live in St. Clair Shores, Mich. (We have no idea what that makes him: Brother-in-law-in-law? Husband's sister's husband?)

The treasurer's office released a brief statement on the complaint by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue's campaign that someone used one of his official computers to dig up campaign dirt on her.

"The Department of State Treasurer takes these allegations seriously and will look into them," said spokeswoman Sara Lang in a statement. "Political motivations are clearly the basis for these actions."

Previously: Bennett requests; Perdue complains; Moore responds.

Hat Tip: Brooke Cain

Cliff's notes on Perdue?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:20:49 -0400

Cliff Bennett has requested records before.

The State Ethics Commission reports that it received two requests from Bennett on Aug. 7, 2006, for economic interest disclosure forms filed by Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and state Treasurer Richard Moore.

It also received another letter from Bennett on Jan. 9 of this year.

The return address was in St. Clair Shores, Mich., at a house belonging to a Clifford H. Bennett Jr.

Bennett did not immediately return a phone call to Dome.

Perdue and Moore are facing off for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

Previously: Perdue complains that Bennett requested records using a computer from Moore's office.