Mary Easley not resigning from N.C. State

[Tygrys 143]

WHAT A BI-ATCH!!!

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/5188562/

<H1 class=headline>Mary Easley not resigning from N.C. State</H1>

Posted: Today at 9:30 a.m.

Updated: 3 minutes ago

RALEIGH, N.C. — Former North Carolina first lady Mary Easley intends to continue her job at North Carolina State University, despite a controversy that has led to the resignations of two top university officials, her attorney said Thursday.

Meanwhile, N.C. State officials didn't appear Thursday before a federal grand jury investigating Easley's hiring and promotion and former Gov. Mike Easley's dealings with friends and contributors while in office.

"Mary Easley plans to continue making contributions to North Carolina State University and the state of North Carolina," attorney Marvin Schiller said during a news conference.

Easley stood silently at Schiller's side but didn't answer questions.

Federal investigators ordered N.C. State Chancellor James Oblinger, Provost Larry Nielsen and the university's records custodian to appear before a grand jury Thursday morning to testify about her hiring and promotion. University spokesman Keith Nichols said the officials needed more time to prepare the records requested in the subpoenas and wouldn't appear.

Mary Easley began working as a part-time instructor at N.C. State in 2002. Since 2005, she has served as an executive-in-residence and senior lecturer, developing the Millennium Seminars speakers program and teaching a graduate course in public administration and courses in the Administrative Officers Management Program, which provides leadership training to law enforcement officers.

Last year, she received an 88 percent pay increase, to $170,000 a year. N.C. State officials defended the move, saying she had taken on additional duties, such as directing pre-law services at the university and serving as a liaison to area law firms and law schools at other universities as she developed a dual degree program.

Schiller quoted from Mary Easley's annual reviews, in which university administrators spoke in glowing terms about her job performance.

"The indisputable evidence is that Mary is doing an outstanding job for North Carolina State University and the state of North Carolina," he said.

Nielsen, who hired Mary Easley, decided last week to step down, citing the stress over questions about the hiring and his subsequent promotion to provost. His resignation takes effect on Friday, when he will take a faculty position in N.C. State's College of Natural Resources.

McQueen Campbell stepped down as chairman of N.C. State's Board of Trustees. Mike Easley twice appointed Campbell to the board, and The News & Observer newspaper has reported that the former governor often flew in Campbell's private plane.

N.C. State's board on Wednesday appointed former Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan as its new chairman.

Neilsen and Campbell have maintained they did nothing wrong in Mary Easley's hiring, although Campbell did tell Bowles last week that, when N.C. State officials were looking for someone to oversee the speakers series, he mentioned to Oblinger that Mary Easley was looking for a new job.

Oblinger and University of North Carolina President Erskine Bowles have called on Mary Easley to step down as well.

Schiller said Mary Easley intends to complete her five-year contract with the university.

"The reason she is continuing is that North Carolina State University ... entered into a valid contract with Mary Easley," he said. "We believe that the university should uphold its promise."

The federal grand jury also is investigating former Mike Easley's dealings in office.

Investigators also subpoenaed the former governor's travel records to determine whether any laws were broken. The News & Observer has reported that some campaign donors, including Campbell, flew the governor in their private planes but never disclosed the flights in campaign finance reports.

Highway Patrol Capt. Alan Melvin was inside the federal courthouse in Raleigh on Thursday, sources told WRAL News, but it was unclear if he appeared before the grand jury.

The Easley family's use of vehicles provided by car dealerships and a land deal on the coast also are under investigation.

Mike Easley has said he is confident in the outcome of the investigation.

• Reporter: Cullen Browder
• Web Editor: Matthew Burns

[almaty 19]

terrible and just wrong

[Tygrys 143]

terrible and just wrong

Oh, well... just another Dem with no conscience.

[almaty 19]

yikes..a democrat and liberal..well, she probably deserves all she can get...