Feds seek more details of Mary Easley's job

Raleigh, N.C. — A federal grand jury has issued a second subpoena to North Carolina State University seeking records related to Mary Easley's hiring and promotion.

The subpoena, which was issued Tuesday, asks that the university turn over Easley's personnel file, including a list of classes taught and evaluations of her work. It also seeks details of her vacation days and any compensation she used in lieu of taking vacation days.

The grand jury also wants to review records related to her 2008 promotion, which carried an 88 percent raise, and those related to private fundraising that paid a portion of her salary.

A former N.C. State fundraiser who worked with Easley appeared at the federal courthouse in Raleigh with her attorney Wednesday.

Wendy Brown was a development officer who helped raise money from corporations and other private sources for programs run by Easley. Part of that money went to pay for Easley's salary, which has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.

The subpoena also seeks information about Brown's employment and termination. She was laid off in March.

Finally, the subpoena asked N.C. State to document who deleted e-mails from former Chancellor James Oblinger's personal university account and when they were deleted.

When N.C. State turned over documents to the grand jury last month in response to a previous subpoena, officials noted that messages during part of 2005, when Easley was hired, were missing.

Other e-mails turned over to the grand jury showed that McQueen Campbell, a former member of the Board of Trustees, discussed a potential N.C. State job for Easley with former Gov. Mike Easley and that Campbell worked with Oblinger and former Provost Larry Nielsen to make it happen.

Campbell, Oblinger and Nielsen have resigned amid questions over their roles in Mary Easley's hiring, but they all have denied any wrongdoing.

N.C. State terminated Easley's five-year contract June 8, ending her $170,000-a-year job as an executive-in-residence and senior lecturer. Officials cited state budget cuts as the reason for the move.

Easley has appealed the termination.