Well, I guess we'll hear all kinds of hue and cry from The Deciders over what may be happening to the Federal Prosecutor looking into John Edwards and the former (Democrat) Governor of North Carolina.

The process gives a key role in the decision to U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat who was in the state Senate leadership for several years until she unseated Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole in November. Already, Hagan has formed a panel to screen candidates. It is led by Burley Mitchell, former chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court who now works at the Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice law firm.

Interviews were scheduled for last week and this one, and Mitchell said he expects to forward the name of a preferred candidate to Hagan by midweek. "We're definitely working on those right now," Hagan said in an interview Wednesday. "And hopefully within the next few weeks we can go forward."

Hagan said any movement is coincidental to continuing investigations.

"The president has asked us to submit nominations for these positions, ... so we've been working on this," Hagan said. "It doesn't have anything to do with any cases that are going on. But we're certainly trying to move forward."

Edwards, a former senator, vice presidential nominee and presidential candidate, has acknowledged the federal investigation into whether any money given to his presidential campaign -- or to nonprofits connected to his campaign -- was funneled to his girlfriend, Rielle Hunter. Edwards has admitted having an affair with Hunter, who was hired to make short videos for the campaign.

Easley, governor from 2001 until January, was the subject of a federal subpoena issued Friday to the state Highway Patrol. The FBI wants records and information related to Easley's private air travel. A separate state Board of Elections inquiry also is under way into a range of activities.

Those probes follow reports in The News & Observer about Easley receiving the free use of cars, free flights on jets owned by supporters, and his relationship with McQueen Campbell. Campbell was chairman of the N.C. State University Board of Trustees until he resigned Friday. Federal investigators have asked for information about the cars and about a Carteret County land development where Easley bought a lot.

Posted by: eddiebear at 09:49 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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