Scandal at NC State

[throatybeard]

Does anyone have a short version of what happened at State, leading to the chancellor's resignation? I got a vague email from the alumni association.

[PSurprise]

Here's an article about the situation from AP. I'm sure more will be coming out in the future...
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pb...ITICS/90608073

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Does anyone have a short version of what happened at State, leading to the chancellor's resignation? I got a vague email from the alumni association.

The chancellor's resignation is part of an ongoing revelation of problems which appear to involve the former governor, Mike Easley, and his wife. The former governor's travel records have been subpoenaed as have the records related to the cost of providing housing for the Highway Patrol security detail near the former governor's home in South Port.

Inquires are underway regarding how the former governor's wife was hired at NC State and then promoted in a short time to a high paying position. Despite being asked to resign, Mary Easley has refused. The Board of Trustees voted today to fire her. Leading up to this firing was the resignation of the Chairman of the Board of trustees, the provost and now the chancellor.

Prior to the resignations of the provost and the chancellor, questions related to hiring Mary Easley and later the terms of the provost's package of employment, salary, benefits for the transition period following his resignation have been questioned. The chancellor's answers have been confusing, contradictory and uncooperative.

It's a big mess, bigger than the chancellor's resignation. As Ricky Ricardo used to say, some people "got some 'splaining to do."

If you want more details on any of these emerging stories the News & Observer is a ready source. http://www.newsobserver.com/. However, serious problems currently stemming from possible political and or financial influence is not confined to NC Sate University. I understand that the University of Illinois currently has a situation brewing... admissions based on influence rather than academic qualifications.

[aimo]

I used to like Mike Easley. Now, he's like a big piece of dog poo North Carolina can't scrape off it's shoe.

There was a big uproar when Mary Easley got that job with the ridiculous pay increase. But the state supposedly investigated it last fall, and nothing happened.

Now, everyone involved has either left office, resigned, or been fired. Much of this b/c of the N&O's investigations. I'm afraid that more of Easley's misdoings will surface soon.

And I think that one of the State Troopers involved was one of my summer camp counselors. Completely irrelevant, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

[hurleyfor3]

You call that a scandal? In Chicago we call that "why people run for office". Without a mistress, a mob-connected road construction company or a tax increase (and preferably all three) it's not a scandal.

[allenmurray]

Despite the fact that it seems to be dying a slow death, the News and Observer has done a really good series of articles on this. They are archived (and free) on their web site.

[SupaDave]

I just said thank God it's Raleigh...

[sue71, esq]

You call that a scandal? In Chicago we call that "why people run for office". Without a mistress, a mob-connected road construction company or a tax increase (and preferably all three) it's not a scandal.

ROFL!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

You call that a scandal? In Chicago we call that "why people run for office". Without a mistress, a mob-connected road construction company or a tax increase (and preferably all three) it's not a scandal.

In contrast to the Chicago way of doing things, no mail has been found stashed under bridges....

[bjornolf]

Just mail? What about bodies?

[Kimist]

This is a link to the entire series of news stories that the Raleigh News & Observer has reported:

http://www.newsobserver.com/executive_privilege/

The federal grand jury is continuing to interview witnesses, and it is likely indictments will follow. What will really become interesting is when someone decides to start talking to save their own backside.

The "job" for Mary Easley at NCSU is just the tip of the iceberg. That was a convenient way for the Easleys to get a large amount of wage income so long as someone authorized it. Of course, virtually everyone in that university food chain has now resigned. UNC System president Bowles is probably not sleeping too well at night either.

The feds are apparently looking into all kinds of things, to include "sweet" real estate purchases, use of state aircraft for personal travel, illegal destruction of records by the Highway Patrol, disguised political contributions, quid pro quo political appointments, and the like.

While the mess may not rise to the Chicago standards of corruption, expect some serious charges and probable jail time to result.

k

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

This is a link to the entire series of news stories that the Raleigh News & Observer has reported:

http://www.newsobserver.com/executive_privilege/

The federal grand jury is continuing to interview witnesses, and it is likely indictments will follow. What will really become interesting is when someone decides to start talking to save their own backside.

The "job" for Mary Easley at NCSU is just the tip of the iceberg. That was a convenient way for the Easleys to get a large amount of wage income so long as someone authorized it. Of course, virtually everyone in that university food chain has now resigned. UNC System president Bowles is probably not sleeping too well at night either.

The feds are apparently looking into all kinds of things, to include "sweet" real estate purchases, use of state aircraft for personal travel, illegal destruction of records by the Highway Patrol, disguised political contributions, quid pro quo political appointments, and the like.

While the mess may not rise to the Chicago standards of corruption, expect some serious charges and probable jail time to result.

k

Does the name Kidd Brewer mean anything to you? Reading your description of this situation immediately brought out that name from the past.

[Kimist]

Does the name Kidd Brewer mean anything to you? Reading your description of this situation immediately brought out that name from the past.

I've heard of the name...wanna buy some roadside reflectors??

The Easley mess may be much larger.

Governor and his wife involved. Numerous NC State Univ folks involved. Highway Patrol involved. Dept of Crime Control and Public Safety involved. Illegal land sales involved. Illegal/overfunded personal travel involved, including use of state aircraft. Election boards and PACs involved. What does the IRS know? How many (remaining) crooks in the NC legislature are involved? (Is Sen. Tony Rand a bit worried?)

And from the recent N&O article about Wolfpackgate:

"Having been lied to by President Bill Clinton about Monica Lewinsky, Erskine Bowles was in no mood to accept backing and filling by the leaders of N.C. State University.

By the time Bowles, the University of North Carolina system president, finished cleaning house, the chancellor, the provost, the trustees chairman, and former first lady Mary Easley were gone from N.C. State.


k

[Indoor66]

Does the name Kidd Brewer mean anything to you? Reading your description of this situation immediately brought out that name from the past.

Bring on the motor grader and broom!

[Jarhead]

Does the name Kidd Brewer mean anything to you? Reading your description of this situation immediately brought out that name from the past.

Didn't Kidd Brewer play football at Duke? And didn't he have some connection with the development of the Crabtree Valley Mall? I believe the football stadium at Appalachian State is named after him.

[aimo]

Watch through the commercial . . .

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7852843

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Didn't Kidd Brewer play football at Duke? And didn't he have some connection with the development of the Crabtree Valley Mall? I believe the football stadium at Appalachian State is named after him.

The Kidd Brewer listed in the Duke media guide played football at Duke 1929-31. Wikipedia's article on Kid Brewer Stadium says Kidd Brewer was an All America member of the 1937 Iron Duke team. The article also says he coached at Appalachian 1935-38 where he was highly successful. (At least one of those statements in not correct... Brewer's name is not among those listed in the press book under Duke players who were All Americas. It would have been quite unusual to coach for four years before playing as a college player.)

Your recall of the Kidd Brewer's involvement in the development of Crabtree Valley fits what I remember. There is a very high hill behind the mall which many locals refer to Kidd Brewer Hill. One of the streets in the area is named for him.

[roywhite]

The Kidd Brewer listed in the Duke media guide played football at Duke 1929-31. Wikipedia's article on Kid Brewer Stadium says Kidd Brewer was an All America member of the 1937 Iron Duke team. The article also says he coached at Appalachian 1935-38 where he was highly successful. (At least one of those statements in not correct... Brewer's name is not among those listed in the press book under Duke players who were All Americas. It would have been quite unusual to coach for four years before playing as a college player.)

Your recall of the Kidd Brewer's involvement in the development of Crabtree Valley fits what I remember. There is a very high hill behind the mall which many locals refer to Kidd Brewer Hill. One of the streets in the area is named for him.

I think you're on the right track there, DitBD... There was a Celia Brewer at Duke during my days; she dated a guy in my frat, and I recall the connection to Kidd Brewer and the Crabtree Valley area in Raleigh.

[Indoor66]

I seem to recall that Kidd Brewer got into trouble in the course of the development of the Crabtree Valley area and ended up in jail in the early 60's. It related to construction matters. He ran for Governor in '64 - to succeed Terry Sanford. He ran against Dan Moore (Dan, Dan the Mountain Man) and Moore won the primary and then was elected Governor.

Brewer ran on a platform that he was going to sweep out the corruption in Raleigh. He tied a broom to a motor grader and drove it around to help make his campaign point.

(Note: this is all from memory and may contain errors... No warranties here.)

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I seem to recall that Kidd Brewer got into trouble in the course of the development of the Crabtree Valley area and ended up in jail in the early 60's. It related to construction matters. He ran for Governor in '64 - to succeed Terry Sanford. He ran against Dan Moore (Dan, Dan the Mountain Man) and Moore won the primary and then was elected Governor.

Brewer ran on a platform that he was going to sweep out the corruption in Raleigh. He tied a broom to a motor grader and drove it around to help make his campaign point.

(Note: this is all from memory and may contain errors... No warranties here.)

I thought Kidd Brewer's corruption problems had to do with his using influence to determine what and where the DOT's purchased a variety of items such as road graders procured without following the prescribed purchasing procedures... maybe contracts awarded to friends? Weren't road signs and other elements like the reflectors along the edges of the highway part of this scandal?

Considering his great success at Appalachian, it's curious how Brewer got sidetracked into scandal and jail time. BTW Brewer hailed from Winston-Salem and was a member of the Class of 1932 at Duke.