http://66.225.205.104/EASLEY_CAMPBELL.mp3
State elections officials are ready to open day two of their hearings into the campaign finances of former governor Mike Easley. At Monday's hearing beforethe state Elections Board, Easley supporter and pilot McQueen Campbell testified he gave Easley's campaign about $88,000 worth of free flights that were never reported as required. Campbell also testified he oversaw an $11,000 repair job at Easley's Raleigh home. He told elections board chairman Larry Leake the campaign paid for it under false pretenses. "I called Governor Easley and told him how much the repairs were, and he asked if there were any unbilled flights," Campbell said. Leake then asked Campbell what he understood Gov. Easley's statement to mean. "For me to bill the campaign for unbilled flights to cover those amounts," Campbell said. At the time in 2004, politicians could legally use campaign money for personal needs - but they had to disclose those expenditures to the public. The elections board is also looking at whether the Easley campaign funneled money through the state Democratic Party.