McCrory hits back on PAC money

Pat McCrory is hitting back on political action committee contributions.

After the Republican gubernatorial nominee was criticized by Democratic rival Beverly Perdue for sending a fundraising letter to PACs, he said today that she is a hypocrite.

"My request stated it would help me make constructive change to state government," McCrory said in a statement. " There was no promise of any political favors in return. Perdue, on the other hand, has a record of slipping special provisions in the budget to help special interests who give her large contributions."

He called Perdue "part of the culture of arrogance and corruption" in Raleigh.

McCrory's campaign noted that Perdue received $376,293 in contributions from PACs in 2008, while McCrory received $62,257 — about one-sixth that amount.

The press release was unusual, in that direct attacks on the opponent are typically attributed to campaign staffers and not the candidate.

Update: Perdue spokesman Tim Crowley says McCrory's complaint is a "desperate attempt" to distract voters from a complaint about fundraising by the Republican Governors Association. 

"North Carolina voters won't be distracted, they know that it's Bev Perdue who will fight for our public schools, not blow a $1.2 billion hole in the education budget with private school vouchers and elimination of the lottery," he said in an e-mail to Dome.