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Former Gov. Mike Easley pleads guilty to a state campaign finance violation and is fined $1,000. Also, federal authorities end their investigation of his dealings with friends and contributors while in office.
Defense attorney Joseph Cheshire represented Gov. Mike Easley, who pleaded guilty to a single campaign finance violation as part of a deal to end long-running state and federal investigations into his dealings with friends and contributors while in office.
Federal investigators looked into Mike Easley's campaign flights, his wife's job at N.C. State, a deal on a prime coastal lot and special permits for supporters among other things.
Former Gov. Mike Easley pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single campaign finance violation as part of a deal to end long-running state and federal investigations into his dealings with friends and contributors while in office.
Since the investigation into Mike Easley's campaign finances started in 2009, there's been no shortage of political pundits willing to take pot shots at him. Those same pundits were disappointed with the resolution in the case.
Defense attorney Joseph Cheshire complained about the media coverage of state and federal investigations into former Gov. Mike Easley that led to a guilty plea on a single campaign finance violation.
Rowan County District Attorney William Kenerly talks about former Gov. Mike Easley's guilty plea to a campaign finance violation.
Former federal prosecutor Dan Boyce reacts to former Gov. Mike Easley's guilty plea to a single campaign finance violation.
Former Gov. Mike Easley declines to comment as he enters the Wake County Courthouse, where he is expected to plead guilty to a campaign finance violation.
Former Gov. Mike Easley is expected to plead guilty Tuesday in a case involving his campaign finances, sources told WRAL News Monday.
Former Gov. Mike Easley is expected to plead guilty Tuesday in a case involving his campaign finances, sources told WRAL News Monday.
A state Appeals Court ruling against former lawmaker Thomas Wright could be an indicator of what is to come in the state investigation of Gov. Mike Easley and his dealings with political contributors while in office.
Legal experts said a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down parts of a fraud law used in some corruption cases might have complicated an investigation into former Gov. Mike Easley's dealings with friends and contributors.
Two men who held key positions in the administration of Gov. Mike Easley appeared at the federal courthouse in Raleigh Thursday.
A grand jury that has spent more than a year investigating former Gov. Mike Easley's dealings with friends and contributors while in office meets again this week.
As part of his plea agreement, Ruffin Poole, a top aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, is expected to provide evidence to federal prosecutors in their investigation of Easley's dealings with friends and contributors while in office.
Kieran Shanahan, a Raleigh lawyer and former federal prosecutor, said Ruffin Poole got a solid plea deal by agreeing to cooperate in a federal investigation of former Gov. Mike Easley.
Federal prosecutors likely face a statute of limitations on some charges against Ruffin Poole, a top aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, which is why they don't want to delay his trial, according to one expert.
Ruffin Poole, a longtime aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, appears in federal court a week after a grand jury indicted him on 51 corruption-related charges.
A former federal prosecutor and a former FBI agent say the indictment of a one-time aide to former Gov. Mike Easley could mean investigators are building a strong case against Easley.
Dan Boyce, a Raleigh lawyer and former federal prosecutor, said the indictment of a one-time aide to former Gov. Mike Easley is a bad sign for Easley.
While Easley isn't named in Ruffin Poole's indictment, political watchdog Joe Sinsheimer says what investigators uncovered mirrors some well documented behavior by the former governor.
A federal grand jury indicted Ruffin Poole, a former aide to Gov. Mike Easley, on 51 counts of public corruption.
With an aide to former Gov. Mike Easley using his constitutional right not to testify, a hearing into alleged campaign finance violations by Easley is over.
Former Gov. Mike Easley has hired Joe Cheshire, who is widely regarded as one of the state's top criminal defense lawyers, to handle any criminal charges he might face.
A campaign finance hearing could be the least of the legal problems facing former Gov. Mike Easley.
To avoid a conflict of interest, Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby has asked the Rowan County DA to handle an investigation into former Gov. Mike Easley's campaign finances.
Political watchdogs are wary of promises that lawmakers will look at changing state campaign finance laws in the wake of a state hearing involving former Gov. Mike Easley.
Democratic political consultant Joe Sinsheimer outlines potential outcomes of the State Board of Elections hearing into Mike Easley's campaign finances.
North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Tom Fetzer talks about former Gov. Mike Easley's hearing on campaign finances.
Former Gov. Mike Easley spent nearly five hours on the witness stand Wednesday trying to blunt allegations that he and his 2004 campaign violated state campaign finance rules.
Former Gov. Mike Easley spent nearly five hours on the witness stand Wednesday trying to blunt allegations that he and his 2004 campaign violated state campaign finance rules.
WRAL's David Crabtree talks with Jane Pinsky of the Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform.
Former Gov. Mike Easley and supporter McQueen Campbell had differing stories about how Campbell, a pilot, got paid for services to the Easley campaign.
A series of witnesses piled up testimony against former Gov. Mike Easley on Monday as a historic hearing into his campaign finances opened before the State Board of Elections.
Consultant Joe Sinsheimer outlines possible outcome of State Board of Elections hearing.
WRAL's Cullen Browder takes a look into the unfolding state and federal investigation into former Gov. Mike Easley’s campaign finances.
The State Board of Elections has subpoenaed at least 28 people for a hearing into the campaign finances of former Gov. Mike Easley.
Because campaign finance hearings by the State Board of Elections aren't criminal trials, defense attorneys don't have access to evidence or witness lists.
An attorney for former Gov. Mike Easley's election campaign sought and received an opinion on campaign finance rules regarding the private use of aircraft in 2004, according to letters WRAL News obtained this week.
The State Board of Elections plans to hold a public hearing in late October into the campaign finance activities of former Gov. Mike Easley.
State Auditor Beth Wood said she spent the morning before a federal grand jury defending her decision not to publicly release an audit into former first lady Mary Easley's job at North Carolina State University.
The state Democratic Party paid $24,000 to elections officials to try to resolve questions about several in-kind contributions made during the 2004 campaign.
A federal grand jury investigating the dealings of former Gov. Mike Easley heard from the man who hired his wife at N.C. State four years ago.
State Auditor Beth Wood defends her decision not to release an investigative report into the promotion and raise N.C. State gave Mary Easley.
N.C. State has brought in forensic experts to recover e-mails deleted from the personal campus account of former Chancellor James Oblinger around the time Mary Easley was hired in 2005.
State Republican leaders have called for a special prosecutor to be appointed to handle any criminal case against former Gov. Mike Easley, but officials say the process isn't that simple.
A federal grand jury is investigating two land deals involving former Gov. Mike Easley, his travel while in office, vehicles provided to him and his family and the high-paying job his wife had at N.C. State.
A former N.C. State University chancellor and the chairman of the state Ports Authority testified before a federal grand jury looking into former Gov. Mike Easley's dealings in office.
An attorney says former N.C. State Chancellor James Oblinger answered all questions put to him by a federal grand jury seeking information about a job given to the wife of former Gov. Mike Easley.
The Headline Saturday panel discusses the crisis at N.C. State University, including the firing of Mary Easley and the resignation of Chancellor James Oblinger.
Dan Gerlach, an aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, asked N.C. State officials in 2005 if there was a university job for Mary Easley.
UNC President Erskine Bowles and N.C. State Chairman Bob Jordan discuss the resignation of Chancellor James Oblinger and the firing of former first lady Mary Easley.
N.C. State University Chancellor James Oblinger resigned Monday, and university officials terminated the contract of former first lady Mary Easley a short time later.
North Carolina State University Chancellor James Oblinger submitted his resignation Monday, becoming the third top university official to step down in recent weeks.
The North Carolina State University Board of Trustees voted Monday to terminate the contract of former first lady Mary Easley.
Federal investigators have subpoenaed records from the State Auditor's Office regarding any inquiry into Mary Easley's hiring at N.C. State.
The attorney for former first lady Mary Easley said she deserves her high-paying job at N.C. State University and won't step down despite increasing pressure.
The head of former Gov. Mike Easley's security detail testified to a federal grand jury, while N.C. State officials expected to testify about Mary Easley's university job postponed their appearance.
A growing number of education and political figures across North Carolina are urging former first lady Mary Easley to resign her position at N.C. State amid a federal investigation into her husband's activities while in office.
State Republican Party Chairwoman Linda Daves and Gary Pearce, a Democratic consultant, discuss the investigation of former Gov. Mike Easley and the controversy over Mary Easley's job at N.C. State.
Some students and staff are closely watching the controversy surrounding Mary Easley's job at North Carolina State University.
A Kinston businessman who reportedly flew former Gov. Mike Easley on his corporate jet has resigned from the state transportation board.
As N.C. State officials are subpoenaed about Mary Easley's job, lobbying watchdogs question the mix of private money the university used to pay her.
N.C. State Chancellor James Oblinger has called for the wife of former Gov. Mike Easley to resign from her university position.
Former Gov. Mike Easley said he is "comfortable with the federal authorities collecting and reviewing all records" relating to his 30 years of public service.
The FBI has subpoenaed the travel records of former Gov. Mike Easley, and the State Board of Elections has started a criminal probe of his campaign finance records.
State GOP officials say the resignation of N.C. State's provost justifies their call for an independent investigation into former Gov. Mike Easley.
Federal authorities have asked a Fayetteville car dealer about an SUV provided to former Gov. Mike Easley's son several years ago that Easley recently paid for with campaign money.
In early July, N.C. State raised Mary Easley's salary as a lecturer to nearly $80,000.
A nearly $80,000 pay raise given to the governor's wife as well as other large pay raises were not reviewed by the university governing board as required, the chairwoman of the state university system said Wednesday.
North Carolina First Lady Mary Easley talks about her $170,000-a-year job at N.C. State University.
An executive-in-residence and senior lecturer at N.C. State for three years, Easley is "uniquely qualified for her role," officials said.
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