The News & Observer is featuring extensive coverage of this week's State Board of Elections hearings. Here's what was in Tuesday's paper.

McQueen Campbell testifies that Easley used his campaign to secrety pay for home repairs.

Developers Lanny Wilson and Nick Garrett said they gave big checks to the Democratic Party that they believed were headed straight for Easley's campaign accounts.

Ruffin Poole, a close Easley aide and lawyer successfully had his subpoena quashed. The board is appealing.

Columnist Rob Christensen says that Easley had once built a reputation as a fearless crusader against crime and corruption. That image is now forever tarnished, he says.

Also check out a photo gallery by Shawn Rocco and Chris Seward and a video clip of Campbell's testimony by Travis Long.

The first day of the State Board of Elections hearing included plenty of big moments.

Here are four highlights of today's testimony.

HOUSE WORK: Gov. Mike Easley had problems with the renters in his Raleigh home. He asked his friend and political supporter, McQueen Campbell to take care of it. Twice Campbell fixed up the house at a cost of $11,000 or more. Campbell testified that when he asked Easley for money, he understood the governor wanted him to file a false invoice for a flight.

WASN'T ME: Easley's defense may be geared around putting blame on others. Easley's lawyer took pains to point out that Easley never told Campbell to falsify invoices and that Easley's campaign didn't pay for flights because Campbell never submitted invoices for them.

WISH LIST: Fundraiser Lanny Wilson briefed Easley on a host of helpful facts to get him ready for his meeting with Gary Allen, a Charlotte fundraiser. Easley needed to know that Allen wanted to keep his seat on the Wildlife Commission and was trying to get a permit for a boat dock. The meeting went well. Allen gave $50,000 to the N.C. Democratic Party.

PARTY MAN: Easley fundraisers said they were told by Easley's campaign that big checks given to the party would go to the Easley campaign. The message was delivered Wilson said, by Easley attorney and aide Ruffin Poole.

Former Gov. Mike Easley never specifically asked McQueen Campbell to file false bills for flights.

Under cross-examination from Easley's lawyer, Thomas Hicks, Campbell testified that he "understood" that Easley wanted him to file the invoices to reimburse himself for repairs done to Easley's Raleigh home.

"He never told you to file a false invoice to his committee?" Hicks asked. "No sir, but I understood what he meant."

"You understood what he meant," Hicks repeated.

The exchange may provide a clue to how Easley intends to defend himself.

Earlier in his questioning, Hicks pointed out that Campbell never issued an invoice to the Easley campaign. Easley may try to argue that the violations entirely the fault of Campbell.

McQueen Campbell takes the oath as he begins his testimony Monday in the State Board of Elections hearing on former Gov. Mike Easley.