NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR’S STAFF MEMBERS INDICTED

Former campaign workers of North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue have recently been indicted on charges relating to previously undisclosed air travel during her successful 2008 gubernatorial campaign.

These charges stem from an investigation from Wake County prosecutor, Colon Willoughby, who was investigating flight payments following a probe of Perdue’s campaign committee. Prior to the indictments, there was a fine of $30,000 for failing to report over 40 flights, including many to visit campaign donors.

The Wake County district attorney has stated that the governor is not the focus of the inquiry. Instead, the attention is on the action of several staff workers who worked on the governor’s North Carolina election campaign. One such staff worker is accused of deceiving Perdue’s campaign by hiding the true source of funds used to pay for flights.

Political Campaign Misconduct Is Serious Criminal Matter

Political campaign requirements are such that properly documented donation sources and allocation of those funds are required of all candidates seeking public office. According to the indictment, one staff worker solicited a donation from an individual to use toward travel expenses, while reimbursing the donor in cash from an unknown source. Perdue’s year-end campaign report showed that this donor had given the donation, but it was known to have come from a different source.

White-collar crimes, especially crimes committed by political employees or campaign workers, have serious consequences. Fraud, embezzlement, campaign fund misappropriation, RICO, and racketeering allegations or indictments can result in a number of state and federal charges with sentences ranging from fines to prison time.

It’s expected that the investigation and subsequent indictment will reflect poorly on the governor, even though she is not the source of the investigation. The indictment may also affect the success of her re-election campaign. She is already receiving criticism relating to North Carolina’s third consecutive year of poor economic performance.

Despite the Governor’s assertion that she did not know about the illegal activity and the issues were related to sloppy monitoring efforts, many political insiders believe the Governor’s election campaign may not survive the allegations. The State Board of Elections Data also determined that other candidates in the 2008 campaign had flight reporting issues, but prosecutors declined to pursue charges or fines, allegedly because the violations weren’t as severe.

Contact a North Carolina Criminal Defense Lawyer

During an investigation or an indictment for a white-collar crime, it is critical to hire a knowledgeable North Carolina criminal defense attorney who can fight for the rights of the accused.