Democrats fire early salvo in governor's race

By Rob Christensen, Lynn Bonner and Jane Stancill, Staff Writers
July 18, 2006
The News & Observer

The Democrats who want to succeed Gov. Mike Easley in 2008 engaged in a little one-upmanship Monday.

State Treasurer Richard Moore's campaign was so proud of its fundraising that it put out the word Monday -- more than a week before it was required to disclose its campaign finances -- that it raised nearly $500,000 this year.

When the campaign of Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue learned that Moore's campaign was touting its fundraising numbers, Perdue's campaign disclosed that it raised $650,000 this year.

The Moore campaign said it would report $1.9 million on hand, while the Perdue camp said it would report having almost $1.6 million on hand.

Easley is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

The Democratic field has been narrowed with Attorney General Roy Cooper's announcement last week that he would seek re-election rather than run for governor.

An encouraging trip to Asia

Moore is at the tail end of a five-week trip that took him to China, Taiwan and India as part of an Eisenhower Fellowship.

Moore, who is now in India, has been learning about government pension systems in the three countries and meeting with executives of companies that have plants or offices in North Carolina.

The fellowship sends U.S. politicians, policymakers and academics abroad to study topics of interest and enhance their international contacts.

Moore said the highlight of his trip was the day he spent at Lenovo, the Chinese company that purchased IBM's personal computer division in 2005. Moore said he had dinner with Lenovo's former chairman, Liu Chuanzhi, who told him the company "had no plans to leave the Triangle" and would add employees over the next five years.

The company moved its headquarters to Research Triangle Park this year.

Moore said he also talked to Bruce Cheng, president of Delta Electronics, about moving a manufacturing plant to North Carolina.

Moore said he has been in daily touch with his office since he left June 19.

"If something came up," he said, "I could be home in 24 hours."

Minutes on phone add up

An assistant vice chancellor at N.C. A&T State University ran up 2,447 minutes of personal phone calls in 2005 on a state-issued mobile phone, a state audit showed recently.

Curtis W. Bigelow, assistant vice chancellor for police and public safety, reimbursed the state for $1,101 in phone charges, according to a letter from N.C. A&T's interim chancellor, Lloyd V. Hackley. He was also given a letter of reprimand from the university.

The special review of Bigelow's telephone use was triggered by a report to the State Auditor's Hotline, according to a June 16 letter from State Auditor Les Merritt to Hackley.

The auditor's office analyzed Bigelow's phone records and zeroed in on 2,447 minutes of airtime to one number.

"At first, he indicated he may have received some personal phone calls on the university cell phone, but he tried to limit them in number and length," Merritt's letter said of Bigelow. "Later, he said he may have also placed some personal phone calls on the university cell phone, but always tried to limit them to five minutes or less."

The audit concluded that Bigelow, who serves as campus police chief, violated a university policy that prohibits personal calls on state cell phones except in case of an emergency.