NC AG: Agents Involved in Probe Related to Easley

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Attorney General Roy Cooper’s office has acknowledged his department is investigating matters related to former North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley.

The affirmation is in a letter to Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger, who released it Wednesday.

Cooper’s Chief of Staff, Kristi Hyman, wrote that Cooper told the State Bureau of Investigation earlier this year to investigate. She says agents are working with federal attorneys and the FBI.

The state’s involvement is not unexpected. Cooper worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on corruption cases in recent years.

Federal prosecutors have issued subpoenas seeking information about Easley’s travel on private aircraft and a marina renovation. Prosecutors also want to know about former first lady Mary Easley’s
job at North Carolina State University.

NCSU: Oblinger e-mails deleted from Easley hiring

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Attorneys for North Carolina State University says they have found that e-mails during the hiring process of former first lady Mary Easley were deleted from the account of former Chancellor James Oblinger.

The university’s lawyers said in a letter to the U.S. attorney’s office released Wednesday that they have been able to determine how and why the e-mails sent from and received by Oblinger’s e-mail
account were deleted. They said there are periods of time in the first half of 2005 for which officials have been unable to recover e-mails.

Easley was hired in May of 2005.

Oblinger attorney Press Millen says the chancellor may have deleted e-mails to clean up his account but never engaged in any wholesale deletion of e-mails targeting those related to Easley.
   
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