Yesterday’s Under the Dome devoted some virtual ink to remarks by State Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry about Roy Cooper’s use of taxpayer dollars to pay two Washington, D.C., law firms millions in legal fees to litigate against the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Berry highlighted one expense — $5.50 for a beer — that ran afoul of state law, and also unused hotel fees (see a Carolina Journal story on that here). These expenses, though, are only a microcosm of the amounts Cooper has devoted to these firms for the TVA case (more details here).
The Council of State ended up approving an additional $103,771 in new expenses for the law firms. Berry voted against it, according to the N&O.
The interesting part is Cooper?s defense of the expense, and particularly the bolded statement below from his spokesman:
?Those invoices were scrubbed a long time ago,” Cooper said. “The state did not pay anything it was not supposed to pay. The bottom line here is that we have succeeded in forcing TVA to significantly reduce pollution coming in to North Carolina. The people of North Carolina are big winners as a result of this lawsuit.?
Cooper’s spokesman later said the state never reimbursed the firm for the beer, nor did the firm ever submit the beer as an expense. [Emphasis mine].
That stands in direct contrast to documents I have and previous statements made to me by Cooper?s spokesperson. According to an expense reimbursement form marked July 13, 2007, the law group in question did request to be reimbursed for the beer (PDF download). The expense report even includes a check mark next to the beer expense, which was included on a receipt with a $17 seafood cobb.
Additionally, back when I wrote the first story on the TVA expenses and sought comment from Cooper?s office on the beer expense, this was the answer spokeswoman Noelle Talley provided:
Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursable by the State and the State will be reimbursed by the law firm for this purchase.
So, either the N&O misquoted Cooper?s spokesperson or Cooper?s office is lying about the expenses.
Adding insult to injury, there still has been no explanation from Cooper for why his office reimbursed a law firm $4,000 in unused hotel room fees.
I?ve put in a call to Talley for an explanation but haven?t heard back yet.