Federal investigators have issued a subpoena for next week's grand jury that seeks a range of information touching on Department of Transportation people and issues in relation to former Gov. Mike Easley.
In addition, the subpoena indicates that feds are seeking information about Law Enforcement Associates, a company that has been in the news because of its ties to former state Sen. Tony Rand.
The subpoena asks for information on former Southport Mayor and longtime Easley friend Norman Holden. Holden had a $19,800-a-year contract with DOT as a liaison to 11 counties in southeastern North Carolina while Easley was in office.
The subpoena also asks for information about Easley's home on River Drive in Southport.
A subpoena means only that someone has been asked to provide information to authorities. It is not an allegation of wrongdoing.
The grand jury has been probing concerns surrounding Easley since last year. Its work is done in secret. An Easley aide, Ruffin Poole, was charged with 57 corruption counts as a result of the grand jury's work. Poole pleaded guilty to a tax evasion charge last month.
The grand jury meets next week.
Among the people who the federal authorities are seeking information about are some key figures in Easley's DOT administration: former Sec. Lyndo Tippett; former deputy secretary Dan DeVane; turnpike authority head and Easley campaign worker David Joyner; a division engineer in Wilmington, Allen Pope; former DOT board member Louis Sewell; former DMV commissioner George Tatum; and two HR officials.
Easley has said he is comfortable with authorities reviewing his years in public service.
The subpoena, which was drafted on April 28 and delivered to DOT on May 5, is attached.
— J. Andrew Curliss
J. Andrew Curliss covered state and local politics and government for The News & Observer for more than a decade before joining the investigative team in December 2008.
Contact him at
Comments
Whatever happened to being innocent until FOUND guilty?
Fri, 05/21/2010 - 16:03 — MSDFIELDSWhatever happened to being innocent until FOUND guilty?
why ...
Sat, 05/15/2010 - 20:38 — essequamviderino mention of Dems Tom & Susan Rabon ... Susan, who used to work in the Gov's office, and who now is a well-paid commissioner at the Utilities Commission?
And Tom, former State Rep. & now at Red Hat? Both very well-connected.
Your readers KNOW that a subpoena doesn't imply guilt. We are not poor uneducated hicks.
The biggest barn full of rats
Fri, 05/14/2010 - 22:02 — PlatowasrightGoing after the DOT? Wow.
DOT soubepna
Tue, 05/18/2010 - 21:21 — pencilpusher2Couldn't help but respond to your blog and can't believe I'm really blogging, finally-
In response to subject pertaining to the NC- DOT which you are calling "The Biggest Barn Full of Rats"........hehehehhe that's funny!
However, I feel that EASLEY is the BIGGEST RAT and all the other LITTLE RATS were merely "following orders" while the big guy was sitting back "snapping his fingers."
What some people wont do for money, control and false power.
You're funny!
And the net expands
Fri, 05/14/2010 - 20:59 — Notsurewhere_NCAnd the net keeps getting larger. People's Republic of North Carolina, #5 rated corrupt state in the USA.
I want that job
Fri, 05/14/2010 - 14:26 — The_Nags_HeadHmmm, $19,800 a year for "liaison" duties. Wonder if that means what I think it does - asking Democratic party cronies what driveways they want paved with state funds, or what roads built in order to open up their land to development.
At any rate, sounds like a cush job for a fair amount of pocket money. No wonder the state is broke.