Scott Thomas

Perdue names D.A. to crime commission

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 26 May 2009 16:32:09 -0400

Scott Thomas, a district attorney and former state senator from Craven County, has been named chairman of the Governor's Crime Commission.

Thomas will head a 11-member advisory committee that recommends policy on fighting crime and administers federal criminal justice and juvenile justice grants, Rob Christensen reports.

"The Governor's Crime Commission will be an active voice in my administration, advising me on the best ways to prevent, deter and fight crime," Gov. Beverly Perdue said in making the appointment.

Thomas, 42, whose father was also a state senator, had been considered a top candidate for Perdue’s secretary of crime control and public safety.

Other new members of the commission include Richard Shaffer, a district attorney for Cleveland and Lincoln counties; James Wilson Pierce, executive director of Kids Making It, in Wilmington; Rodney Monroe, the Charlotte police chief; Superior Court Judge Carl Fox of Orange County; and Jennifer Roberts, chair of the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners.

Young up for Crime Control?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:43:29 -0500

Another name has come up for Crime Control secretary.

Reuben Young, chief legal counsel for Gov. Mike Easley, may be under consideration for the Cabinet appointment by Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue.

Other names that have been suggested: Gaston County Sheriff Alan Cloninger and Down East district attorney Scott Thomas.

Current Secretary Bryan Beatty's nomination to the N.C. Utilities Commission means he is almost certainly no longer under consideration.

Young is best known to the press as author of a letter that said there was "absolutely no evidence" that the administration deleted e-mails illegally.

Another name for Crime Control

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:53:05 -0500

Another name has surfaced for Crime Control secretary.

Gaston County Sheriff Alan Cloninger is reportedly under consideration for the Cabinet appointment by Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue.

A former prosecutor and defense attorney from a prominent political family, Cloninger is active in Democratic politics and worked on Perdue's gubernatorial campaign.

Scott Thomas, the district attorney for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties and a former state senator, is also in the mix. Current secretary Bryan Beatty is reportedly under consideration for Correction secretary.

The latest word on Perdue's Cabinet

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:06:38 -0500

Names have risen and fallen like the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

But with no Cabinet-level appointments made yet by Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, the guessing game on her administration continues.

(Perdue has named a transition team, a chief of staff and the head of a public campaign finance project, however.)

Here's the latest rundown:

Transportation: State Sen. Clark Jenkins chairs the Appropriations committee on transportation. Gene Conti is a former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Lanny Wilson is vice chairman of the N.C. Turnpike Authority and has Senate leader Marc Basnight's backing. David Joyner is a transportation expert and head of the turnpike authority. Nina Szlosberg, a Board of Transportation member appointed to oversee environmental issues, has the support of transit advocates, women political leaders and environmentalists.

Correction: Crime Control Secretary Bryan Beatty is reportedly under consideration.

Crime Control: Scott Thomas is the district attorney for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties and served in the state Senate from 2000 to 2005.

Juvenile Justice: Linda Hayes has chaired the Governor's Crime Commission since 1995 and is a past chair of the national Coalition for Juvenile Justice.

Commerce: Senate Finance Committee chairman David Hoyle is well known as an advocate for business in the legislature. Rep. Jim Harrell helped pass incentives bills. Former deputy Tony Copeland now works in the private sector.

Revenue: Former state Sen. Oscar Harris served as Perdue's campaign treasurer.

Legislative Liaison: Former Senate budget analyst Andy Willis is vice president of government relations for the University of North Carolina system.

Health and Human Services: Perdue may conduct a national search for this post.

Environment and Natural Resources: Current secretary Bill Ross has served since 2001 and is reportedly interested in sticking around.

Administration: State Rep. Alma Adams filmed a TV ad for Perdue in the primary, but later criticized her transition team for its lack of diversity.

Cultural Resources: Adams, an art professor, may also be considered for this department.

Charlotte Office: Crandall Bowles is the former chair of Springs Industries and wife of UNC system president Erskine Bowles.

Names in the mix for Perdue's Cabinet?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:58:23 -0500

Who might Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue appoint to her Cabinet?

The New Bern Democrat has already appointed a transition team and chief of staff and said that she will put Tom Lambeth in charge of an endowment for gubernatorial campaigns, but she has not yet named anyone to the 10 positions that run state departments.

Based on conversations with Raleigh insiders, a few names have come up:

Crime Control: Scott Thomas is the district attorney for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties and served in the state Senate from 2000 to 2005. Current Secretary Bryan Beatty has served in that position since 2001 and is reportedly interested in staying.

Juvenile Justice: Linda Hayes has chaired the Governor's Crime Commission since 1995 and is a past chair of the national Coalition for Juvenile Justice.

Commerce: Crandall Bowles is the former chair of Springs Industries and wife of UNC system president Erskine Bowles. Senate Finance Committee chairman David Hoyle is well known as an advocate for business in the legislature. Rep. Jim Harrell helped pass incentives bills.

Revenue: Former state Sen. Oscar Harris served as Perdue's campaign treasurer.

Health and Human Services: Former Raleigh city manager Dempsey Benton was brought in to clean up problems in the mental health system and is reportedly interested in staying.

Environment and Natural Resources: Current secretary Bill Ross has served since 2001 and is reportedly interested in sticking around.

Administration: State Rep. Alma Adams filmed a TV ad for Perdue in the primary, but later criticized her transition team for its lack of diversity.

Cultural Resources: Adams, an art professor, may also be considered for this department.

In addition, National Education Association executive director John Wilson may be under consideration for an advisory role in education, although the state Superintendent of Public Instruction is elected separately from the Cabinet.

Previously: Five Perdue appointments to watch

N.C. Spin's names in the mix for Perdue

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:54:12 -0500

N.C. Spin has heard some of the same gossip as Dome.

The weekly politics newsletter seconds some of the names we've heard tossed around for Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's administration.

(Those would be Bryan Beatty and Scott Thomas for Crime Control; Crandall Bowles at Commerce; Clark Jenkins, Gene Conti and Lanny Wilson at Transportation; and Dempsey Benton, Bill Ross and Britt Cobb to stay.)

They also toss out some new names:

Cultural Resources: Kay Myers, wife of former state transportation board member and Democratic fundraiser Gordon Myers of Asheville.

Education: Howard Lee to remain chair of the board of education and J.B. Buxton to remain advisor to the governor on education.

Commerce: Former deputy Tony Copeland, now working for Longistics in Raleigh.

Environment and Natural Resources: Current assistant secretary Robin Smith, Richard Rogers and former UNC-Wilmington chancellor Jim Leutze.

Administration: Rep. Alma Adams of Greensboro.

Employment Security Commission: Current head Harry Payne to remain.

Office of State Personnel: Rep. Linda Coleman of Knightdale.

The usual caveat applies that the above names are just gossip. The Perdue transition team says the governor-elect has not made any decisions.

Names in the mix for U.S. attorney?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:19:38 -0500

Who might Kay Hagan recommend for U.S. attorney?

With the three federal prosecutor jobs opening up sometime next year, the Democratic senator-elect will have a chance to name their replacements.

In talks with local lawyers, Dome has heard a few names come up:

Dan Blue. The former speaker of the state House and current legislator has strong ties to the Obama campaign in North Carolina and would be a familiar name.

Joe Cheshire. A noted defense attorney best known for his work on the Duke lacrosse case, he would be a wild-card pick who would bring a high profile to the job.

Benjamin R. David. The district attorney for New Hanover and Pender counties previously worked for white shoe law firm Kilpatrick Stockton.

Hampton Dellinger. The former deputy attorney general and special counsel to Gov. Mike Easley came in second in his bid for the lieutenant governor nomination this year.

Dewey Hudson. The district attorney in Onslow County was briefly in the national news earlier this year over the case of suspected killer Marine Cpl. Cesar Laurean.

Daniel Johnson. The former assistant district attorney in Wake County is an honored veteran who took on an unsuccessful campaign against Rep. Patrick McHenry.

Abe Jones. The longtime Wake County Superior Court judge and former Wake County commissioner once worked in the U.S. attorney's office.

Ripley Rand. A former prosecutor, the son of Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand has served as an appointed Superior Court judge since 2002, though he lost a 2006 election in Wake County.

Scott Thomas. The district attorney for Carteret, Craven and Pamlico counties served in the state Senate from 2000 to 2005 alongside Hagan.

Colon Willoughby. The Wake County district attorney is well-connected in Raleigh and has worked closely with federal prosecutors, most recently on the Jim Black and Thomas Wright cases.

A spokeswoman for Hagan said recently that she is focusing on building her Senate staff right now in order to avoid disruption to constituent services.