Easley's e-mail order surprises

An order by Gov. Mike Easley to preserve e-mail was a surprise.

The Raleigh News & Observer, the Charlotte Observer and eight other news organizations had sued the former governor in April after it became clear that some employees in his administration were deleting e-mails to keep them from becoming public.

Negotiations over the still-active lawsuit had ceased.

As late as December, the former governor said he would not give news organizations what they sought and that he thought the two newspapers were writing stories critical of his administration because of a lawsuit.

But Friday he signed an executive order agreeing in principle with many of the principles put forward by the newspapers. 

Gov. Beverly Perdue, who is now the defendant in the lawsuit, said she is reviewing the executive order before she decides whether to modify or accept it. (N&O)

Update: Post now includes a copy of the order.