Mike Easley took time out for two inductions.
The former governor used a state plane at least twice to present a North Carolinian with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, according to state flight logs:
* Joe and Mary Hendrick, parents of Nascar team owner Rick Hendrick, Concord, June 1, 2004
* Bob Timberlake, painter, Lexington, Jan. 19, 2006
In both cases, the listed purpose of the flight was to present the award.
During his two terms, Easley inducted more than 4,000 people into the order.
Hat Tip: Andy Curliss
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Why Easley's ethics matter
Because a lot of us care, deeply, about whether or not our leaders deserve to lead.
Because a lot of us believe that shrugging off these matters by pointing to other, more arguably pressing news is irresponsible. Corruption is corruption. Far from being beneath notice; it absolutely deserves our attention.
Because the only way to fight corruption is to expose it. By exposing it, the N&O is doing more than merely irritating Easley (who seems to be doing just fine, btw). The N&O is giving the public the opportunity to react and it is giving the politicians an opportunity to evaluate their own participation or tolerance in such seemingly petty examples of corrupt behavior.
We don't get that opportunity from reporters or news outlets who choose to overlook instances of bad behavior from politicians on the theory that "everyone does it," or "not enough people are affected to matter," or "isn't there some other news story to report?"
To this reader, Easley's apparently blase attitude about ethics is far from uninteresting or irrelevant because to this voter, ethics really do matter.