Because one day of speculation about the former gub-nah, his former aide, and the aide’s new job heading Golden LEAF just isn’t enough, here are some additional fun facts that might cause some to ask more questions:

Was former president Valeria Lee pressured to leave? Triangle Business Journal:

The organization’s money has gone to projects large and small around
the state, though not everyone is happy with its methods. Lee has come
under criticism, including from Gov. Mike Easley, for not making sure
that more grants have gone to depressed communities that have been hit
by the hardest by the downturn in tobacco production.

Why did Gov. Easley (who once said Golden LEAF “operates outside the grasp of political pressure“) and Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight have the power to halt Golden LEAF’s search for Lee’s replacement so Dan Gerlach could be considered? Philanthropy Journal in June 2008:

Eleventh-hour requests from Gov. Mike
Easley and state Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight have extended
by three months the search for a new leader for the Golden LEAF, laying
the foundation open to charges of political meddling.

The
board had already interviewed four finalists for the job of president
of the foundation, but it granted the requests of Easley and Basnight
to suspend the search until it can consider one of Easley’s advisers
for the post.

The vote by the board, two-thirds of which was
appointed by either the governor or Senate president pro tem, was
unanimous, says Tommy Bunn, chair of the foundation and general manager
of the Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corp.

Easley
and Basnight specifically asked the board to consider Dan Gerlach,
Easley’s top economic advisor, who did not submit an application during
the initial search, says Bunn, and who has not submitted one since the
board voted to extend the search.

Wonder if he’s submitted an application even now. Bunn didn’t even try to deny the political pressure:

“It is an organization appointed by political people, and you expect
from time to time for the board to receive political opinions,” Bunn
says of Golden LEAF. “When you’re appointed every four years by elected
officials, you expect some politics to seep into the situation
occasionally.”

Still, Bunn sustained the charade:

“The intent is to get the best person possible to lead the
organization,” he says. “This is a very important search. If there’s
talent we haven’t reviewed, it’s probably in the best interest of the
organization to get the best person we can find.”

So once Gerlach got the job, it’s not surprising that he would be tasked with protecting the organization former Attorney General Easley wanted to be created to handle half the state’s tobacco settlement funds. Philanthropy Journal in September ’08:

And following a legislative session that saw the introduction of two
bills that could threaten the foundation, Gerlach’s relationships with
lawmakers and his knowledge of the legislative process could serve the
foundation well.

So looking at the makeup of Golden LEAF’s 15-member board (5 each appointed by the governor, Basnight, and the Speaker of the House), what else do we learn? Well, more than 2/3 of them are the same characters who served on the board from the beginning (or close to it).

The newbies? Two of them are from the McGuire/Woods law firm: Ruffin Poole , who worked for Easley both when he was Attorney General and governor; and Edgar Roach Jr. Another crony from his former administration (during his first term) who has been on the board a while is also with McGuire/Woods: John Merritt. Don’t know why Merritt is not identified as associated with the law firm on Golden LEAF’s site (unless the News & Observer has incorrect or outdated info). Easley appointed all three members from the McGuire/Woods cabal.

And how do we complete this perfect little circle? With Easley himself getting hired by McGuire/Woods. Anyone care to request public emails over this cozy relationship between the law firm, Golden LEAF, Easley’s appointments, and the hiring of Gerlach? Feel free to ask Dan whether he’s got anything on his Hotmail account about any of this.