Former Gov. Mike Easley has unwittingly instigated the latest round of political reform in North Carolina. The scandals surrounding his two-term administration -- and the political consequences they could spawn in November -- were enough to push legislators into passing several key improvements this month.
It took until the wee hours of the 2010 session, but in several different bills, lawmakers continued the reform movement that began more than 20 years ago.
Easley will be remembered most for spurring ethics reforms. In addition, the legislature reacted to news of political favoritism in state government hiring and promotions and to a U.S. Supreme Court case.
The ethics legislation toughens penalties for illegal campaign contributions of more than $10,000. For years, big contributors have been skirting the state's limits with near impunity. They'll think twice, however, now that tougher penalties are in place.
The law will also institute new reporting requirements for members of key boards and commissions who raised money for the elected officials who eventually appointed them. These reports will reveal who are the truly most important supporters an elected official has and those most likely to benefit from that support.
Finally, the new law expands the amount of information available on state employees. We're all for a respectable level of privacy for the average state worker, but the public also has a right to know about salary and promotion history.
North Carolina had been one of the most secretive states in this regard. Now, a lot more information will be available and it should provide key insights into who is getting favored treatment.
Unfortunately, legislators did not address the potential conflict of interest that arises when vendors contribute to the campaigns of officials who can, in turn, award them state business. The new ethics law does not address this issue.
Legislators did promise to study the issue, however. We hope they will find the appropriate course between competing goals of protecting free speech rights and clamping down on pay-to-play favoritism in the awarding of state contracts.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that third-party groups may spend to support or defeat political candidates. So, the General Assembly repealed the state law that violated that decision. But legislators put in place new expenditure reporting requirements. This is a good move. The public has the right to know whence the money that funds independent campaigns came. This bill will help greatly in that regard.
Political reform does not come easily in this state. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a scandal to prompt action.
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