The N.C. Assocation of Educators hired a former aide to Gov. Mike Easley as its executive director.
Scott Anderson, who went to work for the National Education Association after he left Easley's office, was caught up in the lottery scandal and former lottery commissioner Kevin Geddings 2006 fraud trial, Lynn Bonner reports.
Sheri Strickland, NCAE president, said she thoroughly checked into Anderson's involvement with Geddings and the lottery and shared everything she found with the NCAE search committee.
"The legal and ethical implications were vetted through NEA at the time," Strickland said, and she found nothing about Anderson's involvement that would disqualify him from holding the NCAE job.
NCAE had 166 applications for the job, Strickland said, and Anderson stood out for his knowledge of the state and his work for Easley. NCAE signed Anderson to a two-year contract. He started work March 1.
More after the jump.
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A federal jury convicted Geddings of fraud for failing to disclose thousands of dollars in advertising and consulting work he performed for a lottery company in the years before his appointment to the lottery commission.
Anderson called Geddings 46 times while he worked in Easley's office. He later reimbursed the state for the calls, saying they were personal.
Anderson helped launch radio ads targeting three Republican senators, which Geddings produced. Anderson was a prosecution witness at Geddings' trial.
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Re: Easley aide lands at NCAE
I have no problem with these type appointments. I personally believe that once you get a political or state job you should have one for life. If one job ends another agency or branch of government should give you one. Once you are on the public payroll you are not qualified to return to the private sector. I once farmed and I can tell you truthfully that once you start a hog off eating out of the trough, they become dependent on it. You just cannot set them loose into the wild. That would be cruel. We need to take care of the agency and state employees and not be cruel. There is plenty of money to go around so get over it. The supposed shortage of money is just a scam to get people to eat off the dollar menu.