More than a dozen optometrists have testified so far about their practice of turning over blank checks to the N.C. State Optometric Society’s political action committee.
The optometrists say they gave the money for poltical campaigns. The checks range from $25 to $100, and some of them ended up in the hands of political candidates — outside the context of their campaign committees.
Why did these optometrists give money in this way? One testified this morning that a colleague — M. Scott Edwards — said having the money available to hand out personally to candidates would be more effective than writing a single larger check.