WRAL.com WRAL Investigates Public Servants

Politicians' pet projects are 'not transparent,' professor says

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 10:19:13 -0500

Politicians' practice of putting earmarks in the budget with names attached for pet projects was banned in 2010, but many watchdog groups say earmarks aren't really gone, just redefined and sometimes underground.

Critics: Sanford businessman doesn't belong on fracking board

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:18:11 -0400

WRAL Investigates: A state government watchdog and a Lee County resident are calling for an appointee to a new board that oversees natural gas exploration in North Carolina to be replaced.

Three state employees fired after nepotism reports

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:10:30 -0400

North Carolina's Division of Emergency Management announced Friday that it has fired three employees whose children got unadvertised, high-paying jobs to work on disaster relief last year.

Records show state employees' children got high-paying jobs

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:17:10 -0400

The WRAL Investigates team obtained records that show the sons and daughters of two high-ranking and four lower-level employees in North Carolina's Emergency Management division got unadvertised, high-paying jobs to work on disaster relief last year.

Annual bonuses built into congressional payrolls

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:02:24 -0400

As Congress wrangles over a budget and a possible halt to most federal government operations, members of congressional staffs not only don't face a potential furlough, they also can look forward to a hefty bonus in a few months.

State's typo forces firefighter's widow to pay back $50,000 in benefits

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:38:51 -0500

After losing her 46-year-old husband to a heart attack, Amanda Barringer got a phone call she never expected. A woman on the other end of the phone explained that the state had accidentally overpaid Barringer $50,000 in benefits for her husband's death, and the money had to be returned.

UNC engineer claims university wasted taxpayer money

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 19:02:06 -0500

A state worker who claimed that the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill wasted millions in taxpayer dollars on electricity said he is standing by his assertion, even though school leaders disagree.

Ex-bookkeeper charged with stealing from Garner fire department

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 18:50:17 -0400

A former employee of the Garner Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department was arrested Wednesday in connection with the disappearance of nearly $400,000 from the department, authorities said.

Commission to decide fired Cherry Hospital worker's fate

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 22:46:44 -0400

The State Personnel Commission held a hearing Thursday to decide whether a fired Cherry Hospital worker should get his job back following an altercation with a patient last March.

Fired Cherry Hospital worker could get job back

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 18:43:13 -0400

A surveillance video showed the scene that ultimately cost O'Tonious Raynor his job at Cherry Hospital, but his work history might get him his job back.

State agency investigating employee's poor driving record

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 19:00:19 -0400

A bad driving record didn't keep the state Department of Correction from hiring a repeat speeder to drive one of its vans. That employee continued the streak and was pulled over several times while driving the department’s vehicle.

More than half of trooper's citations were to Hispanics

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:25:57 -0400

The state Highway Patrol said Tuesday that trooper Michael Potts was on administrative duty but would not say what prompted the disciplinary action.

Ex-VA hospital officer speaks out about firing

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:39:00 -0400

A police officer accused of using excessive force on a patient at the VA Medical Center in Durham almost two years ago said Friday that the hospital wrongly fired him after the incident.

WRAL Investigates: Highway Patrol's internal affairs complaints

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:24:13 -0400

From restructuring to hiring a new leader, the North Carolina Highway Patrol is in for change. High profile cases of troopers getting in trouble have plagued the patrol for the past few years. So how often are troopers getting in trouble?

N.C. lawmakers' pay unfair, outdated?

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:20:48 -0400

State lawmakers get paid from several different pots. There's a base salary, a monthly expense budget, travel reimbursement and a per diem when they're in session – a per diem they collect even on the weekends.

N.C. revenue department re-examines travel expenses

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:34:49 -0400

The head of North Carolina's revenue department said Friday that the agency's travel expenses have been re-examined following a WRAL News investigation in May.

Sources: Ex-trooper had pattern of misconduct

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:47:37 -0400

Trooper Larry B. Lovick resigned Monday, the same day that Highway Patrol Col. Randy Glover requested a state investigation into Lovick's conduct.

Lawmaker wants commuting workers to use state vehicles

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:21:00 -0400

The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a budget amendment that would require state agencies to use vehicles from the State Motor Fleet for employees who rack up high travel expenses.

Jesse Helms' FBI file: Death threats, spying and vote-buying accusations

Thu, 27 May 2010 06:50:05 -0400

Death threats, spying and vote-buying accusations are all included in the nearly 1,600 pages of just-released FBI documents into the life of the late Jesse Helms.

State reconsidering appointment of mental health director

Thu, 20 May 2010 19:09:48 -0400

State officials are reconsidering the appointment of a mental health advocate to a key position at the Department of Health and Human Services, one day after WRAL News uncovered tax issues at his current job.

Top state workers rack up thousands in travel expenses

Tue, 04 May 2010 17:56:12 -0400

The vast majority of the nearly 1,400 state revenue employees pay their own way to commute to work. However, internal records show taxpayers cover much of the commute costs for two top managers.

Convicted felons run for sheriff positions across the state

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:21:38 -0400

For 10 years, Gerald Hege was arguably one of the most well-known sheriffs in the country. In 2004, Hege pleaded guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice. The plea deal kept him out of jail, but cost him his job.