Easley Gets A Tap on the Wrist
Former Governor Mike Easley appeared in court before two days before Thanksgiving and offered an Alford plea, essentially not pleading guilty but acknowledging that sufficient evidence was present that he might be found guilty if tried. The plea to one count concluded both the state and federal investigations into the former Governor's actions.
Easley was fined $1,000 and was ordered to provide a DNA sample because he was a convicted felon. He will likely lose his license to practice law but nothing was said about probation or loss of public pension benefits.
The verdict leaves people on both sides of this issue unhappy. Easley supporters are upset because the former Governor has been the subject of news reports, speculation and investigation for more than a year. They are convinced that he was targeted by a Republican US Attorney and his reputation was dragged through the mud with no significant crimes uncovered. They are quick to say this wasn't justice.
Folks with other opinions agree that justice was not done in the Easley matter. They are convinced that Easley was given special treatment and let off easy. They believe the former Governor accepted special favors in land deals and tried to cover-up campaign finance violations. This conclusion does little to change North Carolina's pay-to-play reputation of corruption and ethics violations.
The public has been poorly served in this instance. Both federal and state investigators should explain to the public why this conclusion was reached. We deserve to know if there was insufficient evidence to convict the former governor, in which case he is owed an apology, or whether the state (and feds) opted for a very light reprimand of more serious misdeeds.
Either way it was a most unsatisfactory conclusion to this year-long investigation.
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Justice was not served in this case. Mike Easley and his wife (aka Bonnie and Clyde) have screwed the taxpayers of this state and he personally screwed state employees because that wonderful group SEANC picked Patrick Ballentine over Easley.
I am amazed at this judgement. It's as if he did absolutely nothing wrong. What was the point of dragging this investigation out over all these months if Sleasly was going to be allowed to walk away scott-free? So he lost his license to practice law....so what? As you state in your piece, what about his public pension? This is really a mess.
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I do not defend Easley but must say that neither the writer or the rest of us know what is or is not fact or what laws were actually violated since the touted US Attorney and state special prosecutor opted to deal and close the case without public disclosure of evidence from the alleged investigation. Was this only an expensive political ploy to aid Republicans getting elected ? Must we accept Mr. Cheshire's version or is he right and that the former governor was only a pawn in the bigger game ? Likewise I do not know under what conditions a state pension can be revoked but would certainly think a felony conviction while a state employee should be grounds. May be NCblogger can check that; didn't he work for the state treasurer which oversees the retirement system ?
But you are right, This really is
a mess.
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And sleasley cops a plea two days before Thanksgiving when most folks are distracted with their holiday plans ... hmmm this story could get overlooked.
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This clearly unjust conclusion was reached just because he was a governor.
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