Another lawmaker named in hearing

Another ally of N.C. House Speaker Jim Black has been named as part of this morning’s campaign finance hearings.

Optometrist Eric Raynor of Benson testified that he handed a check to then state Rep. Alex Warner in January 2003. Raynor testified that Warner was a neighbor of his practice in Hope Mills. The check for Warner was originally one of 12 blank checks Raynor had turned over to the N.C. Optometric Society. Raynor testified that the society’s leader returned that check to Raynor for distribution to Warner.

Warner was also an ally of the speaker. He was Black’s seatmate during the opening days of the 2003 legislative session, before Black finalized a power-sharing agreement with Rep. Richard Morgan to share the speaker’s job.

Warner lost a Democratic primary race in the 2004 election.