A Wake County Superior Court judge has cleared former lobbyist Don Beason of violating the law when he didn't register to lobby on behalf of five companies and a trade association that wanted to sell imported iron for state highway projects.
Judge Paul Ridgeway ruled Beason doesn't have to pay the $30,000 fine Secretary of State Elaine Marshall imposed last year.
The judge found parts of North Carolina's lobbying reform law enacted in 2007 were ambiguous and that the secretary of state had overstepped her authority in issuing the fines.
