He did more than fill in a name

State elections board members are signalling that they believe N.C. House Speaker Jim Black contributed $4,000 to then Rep. Michael Decker’s campaign in 2003, when he wrote Decker’s name on a $4,000 check from an optometrist.

Black’s lawyer — John Wallace — believes the speaker was simply passing along a contribution from optometrist M. Scott Edwards.

But elections board members do not accept that reasoning. In the words of bord member Charles Winfree:

I take exception with your saying that all Black did was fill in a name. He — in fact — made the decision on where the money was going. 

The distinction is important, since it could determine whether Black and his campaign committee broke the law.