Ruffin Poole

Perdue mulls ethics policy

bniolet — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:45:11 -0500

Gov. Bev Perdue says her staff is exploring a policy that would give the boot to appointees under indictment.

Perdue, a Democrat, was responding to a letter sent by Democratic consultant and watchdog Joe Sinsheimer. The letter called on Perdue to unappoint Ruffin Poole from the Golden LEAF board because Poole refused to testify at a State Board of Elections hearing on former Gov. Mike Easley.

Perdue said her staff is looking into a policy that would remove a gubernatorial appointee who is under indictment or refuses to cooperate with an investigation.

"Like all of us who have the honor of serving in government, those who serve on state boards and committees must be held to high standards," Perdue wrote in her response to Sinsheimer.

Sinsheimer also called on Perdue to release all reports on missing gubernatorial travel records from 2005. Perdue has so far refused to release the records. She wrote that she has appointed a panel to look into the missing records and when the that investigation is complete she would release all records.

Document(s):
Perdue letter.pdf

Watchdog wants reforms

bniolet — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:20:41 -0500

Campaign finance watchdog Joe Sinsheimer is urging Gov. Bev Perdue to remove Ruffin Poole, a former top aide to Gov. Mike Easley, from the Golden LEAF board because he refused to testify at last month's state elections board hearing.

Sinsheimer, a Democratic political consultant who has emerged as an advocate of transparent government and campaign finance reforms, also said Perdue should release all reports on missing gubernatorial travel records from 2005, J. Andrew Curliss reports on the Investigations blog.

Perdue has so far refused to release the records.

In addition, he asks for a review of the permitting process surrounding a controversial cement plant near Wilmington, citing ongoing revelations about the state's environmental agency.

There was no immediate response from Perdue.

Update: A spokeswoman for Perdue said this afternoon that the governor is reviewing the letter and did not have a detailed response about Poole.

Document(s):
Sinsheimer_letter.pdf

Board still wants to talk to Poole

bniolet — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:02:28 -0400

State Board of Elections chairman Larry Leake said the board would still like to talk to Ruffin Poole, a patronage boss, lawyer and aide to former Gov. Mike Easley.

The N.C. Court of Appeals was considering Friday a judge's order granting Poole the right to not testify to the board.

The Board of Elections members are, from left, Anita Earls, Bob Cordle, Larry Leake, Charles Winfree and Bill Peaslee.

Staff photo by Shawn Rocco.

Poole was the go-to guy

bniolet — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:30:56 -0400

THE FIXER: Ruffin Poole wasn't just a lawyer for Gov. Mike Easley. He was a patronage boss and a fixer and witnesses testified that he was a go-to guy for things like boat dock permits. Poole successfully quashed a subpoena to testify in the State Board of Elections hearings into Easley's campaign finances. (N&O)

MESSAGE FAIL: Mailers sent by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina meant to raise opposition to a public insurance option have stirred up anger and led people to get vocal about supporting the option. (N&O)

SO CLOSE: The South Carolina legislature is headed to a special session, and economic development incentives, possibly for Boeing, may be on the agenda. North Carolina was eliminated early by the aerospace builder for its 787 plant. (The State)

Day 1 highlights

bniolet — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:06:42 -0400

The first day of the State Board of Elections hearing included plenty of big moments.

Here are four highlights of today's testimony.

HOUSE WORK: Gov. Mike Easley had problems with the renters in his Raleigh home. He asked his friend and political supporter, McQueen Campbell to take care of it. Twice Campbell fixed up the house at a cost of $11,000 or more. Campbell testified that when he asked Easley for money, he understood the governor wanted him to file a false invoice for a flight.

WASN'T ME: Easley's defense may be geared around putting blame on others. Easley's lawyer took pains to point out that Easley never told Campbell to falsify invoices and that Easley's campaign didn't pay for flights because Campbell never submitted invoices for them.

WISH LIST: Fundraiser Lanny Wilson briefed Easley on a host of helpful facts to get him ready for his meeting with Gary Allen, a Charlotte fundraiser. Easley needed to know that Allen wanted to keep his seat on the Wildlife Commission and was trying to get a permit for a boat dock. The meeting went well. Allen gave $50,000 to the N.C. Democratic Party.

PARTY MAN: Easley fundraisers said they were told by Easley's campaign that big checks given to the party would go to the Easley campaign. The message was delivered Wilson said, by Easley attorney and aide Ruffin Poole.

Wilson says party funneled checks

bniolet — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:26:12 -0400

A eastern North Carolina developer, fundraiser and Board of Transportation member testified that he gave checks to the Democratic Party that he expected to be in turn given to former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign.

Lanny Wilson said he and his wife wrote checks to the Easley campaign and were told to re-write the checks for the N.C. Democratic Party.

"It was my understanding that they would flow through the state Democratic Party and the Easley Committee would pay expenses," Wilson said.

Wilson said representatives of the Easley campaign told him it was legal to write checks to the party that were meant for Easley.

State law limits contributions to a candidate to $4,000 per election cycle. There is no limit on contributions to a political party, but checks cannot be designated for a specific purpose.

Poole does not have to testify

bniolet — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:28:25 -0400

Ruffin Poole, who was Gov. Mike Easley's special counsel, does not have to testify in the State Board of Elections hearings, a Superior Court judge has ruled.

Judge Henry Barnette said that Poole was correct in claiming attorney-client privilege in a motion filed this morning in Wake County.

Update: The board voted to appeal the judge's order.

A stimulus bill for lawyers

bniolet — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:21:52 -0400

There's a bad recession on, but there's a lot of billable hours being added up in the State Board of Elections hearing room.

Whatever comes of the Gov. Mike Easley hearings, the proceeding has given a boost to a bunch of lawyers.

Gov. Mike Easley has his lawyer, Thomas Hicks (pictured at the far right). Hicks worked as a prosecutor under Easley when Easley was a district attorney in Bladen, Brunswick and Columbus counties.

Jim Cooney (pictured next to Hicks) is representing the N.C. Democratic Party. Cooney represented exonerated Duke University lacrosse player Reade Seligmann and former death row inmate Alan Gell.

John Wallace and David Long are representing the Easley campaign.

Ruffin Poole, a lawyer himself, came with his attorney, Joseph Zeszotarski.

Car dealer Robert F. Bleecker testified with his lawyer, Dan Boyce, sitting behind him. There are at least a half dozen other lawyers or paralegals in the room.

Correction: Post now includes correct information about where Easley was a District Attorney.

Poole cites attorney privilege

bniolet — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:07:14 -0400

Ruffin Poole, who was special counsel to Gov. Mike Easley said his testimony would violate the attorney-client privilege.

Poole filed a motion to quash his subpoena to testify before the board. In the filing, Poole states that he cannot testify because the rules governing the conduct of lawyers would prohibit his testimony.

Poole is seeking to have a judge review an affidavit in private and rule that he does not have to testify.

Correction: Post updates Poole's role in Easley's administration.

Document(s):
poole filing.pdf

Easley aide seeks to quash subpoena

bniolet — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:58:47 -0400

Ruffin Poole, former general counsel to former Gov. Mike Easley has filed a lawsuit seeking to quash a subpoena that would have required him to testify today.

Poole, who is now a law partner to Easley, sued the board Monday. Board chairman Larry Leake said the board was served just before noon.

The Attorney General's office is handling the board's position on the lawsuit.