An optometrist has testified that he gave 12 blank checks totaling $1,200 to the man described this morning as the “honcho” of the N.C. Optometric Society political action committee.

Five of those checks ended up being paid to former state Rep. Michael Decker or his campaign committee.

That’s despite the fact that the optometrist — Dr. Eric Raynor of Benson — never met Decker.

Raynor says he gave the checks to the Optometric Society’s Scott Edwards in September 2002. Raynor says he trusted Edwards to use the blank $100 checks to “help protect optometry.” Raynor testified that it was his understanding that this was how the process worked.

Raynor also testified that he has given the optometrists’ group money in similar ways in the past.