Former Gov. Mike Easley is joining the Raleigh offices of McGuire Woods, a prominent Richmond-based law firm.
Two of Easley's former aides, Franklin Freeman and Ruffin Poole, also appear to be joining the firm. Voicemail and staff at the firm's offices took messages for all three today.
"We're in final discussions with Gov. Easley and a couple of his key aides, and we're very hopeful that we'll have something more to say early next week," said Richard Cullen, McGuire Woods' chairman, who served as Virginia attorney general during part of Easley's tenure as N.C. attorney general in the '90s.
McGuire Woods operates a rapidly growing lobbying operation in North Carolina. Former Gov. Jim Martin, a Republican, joined as a senior adviser last summer. Another former top Easley aide, John Merritt, serves as a senior vice president. Veteran lobbyists Johnny Tillett, Harry Kaplan and Gardner Payne also hold vice president titles.
In February Easley announced he would play a part time role for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation promoting early college programs, such as the Learn and Earn initiative he started in North Carolina. Easley has been in the news more recently over his relationship with NASCAR and car dealership owner Rick Hendrick. Easley accepted free travel from Hendrick while in office and Easley's wife has been driving a car owned by one of Hendrick's dealerships. The owner of an unrelated dealership, which provided a car to Easley's son, has been questioned by federal authorities.
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Re: Easley, ex-aides join McGuire Woods
It is a fact that the Democrats have been in total control for more than 10 years. And most of the last century. So the following is the property of the Democrats:
4th highest unemployment rate in the nation.
$2 billion plus state budget deficit.
Student drop out rates that are not getting any better.
The way out of this mess is to reduce or remove the wants of state government in favor of what is needed and necesary. Reduce the tax burden on taxpayers we we will spend more. Reduce the tax burden on the businesses that hire us. And give our students the options of vocational and or collegiate atmospheres that provide us all with very qualified workers and taxpayers.
Relying on Democrats like the above that includes Easley who appears to be under federal investigation is the WRONG ANSWER!