Charlotte Observer apparently deep sixes the story first reported by Carolina Journal that the “handling of a $250,644 stimulus grant received by a company co-owned by Democratic U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan’s husband has been referred to the state auditor by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources for “further legal review.”

CJ reports:

The review suggests these actions may pose legal problems for the Hagan companies, based on “several provisions regarding self-dealing” in the grant agreement. One notes that “the state requires compliance with self-dealing rules for grantees and their contractors and subcontractors. These rules require, among other things, that no one with direct lineal relations may receive incentive payment. For example, the mother, father, brother, sister, son or daughter of a contractor working in this program cannot receive awards, contracts, and subcontracts” (emphasis in original).

Meanwhile the N&R —a biased Hagan supporter from the get-go —says (yawn) Hagan/Tillis political are getting old:

This year’s batch of political attack ads make the campaigns for Flaming Hot Cheetos and Axe Body Spray seem like “Charlie Rose” and “Masterpiece Theatre.”

I’m sure you’ve seen my favorite recent example, courtesy of conservative political guru Karl Rove’s American Crossroads PAC.

A little girl stands on stage at a spelling bee and is asked to spell “Hagan.”
An image of U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan appears behind her as she asks for a definition.

“Hagan: a Washington liberal out of touch with North Carolina, voted for the Obama agenda 96 percent,” one of the judges says.

Some more political attack lines are provided before the little girl finally spells Hagan as “O-B-A-M-A.”

“Close enough,” the judges all agree.

It’s perverse enough to turn the Norman Rockwell setting of a child’s spelling bee into a political attack ad. Why not just bake some maggots into an apple pie?

Funny Joe Killian doesn’t mention the Democratic attack ad suggesting that Thom Tillis is indirectly responsible for the Trayvon Martin’s death.

Then again, what else would we expect?