Further evidence of North Carolina’s mob government comes courtesy of the Raleigh News & Observer this morning.
The newspaper reports that George Tatum, former Division of Motor Vehicles commissioner, might have illegally tapped into his employees’ phone lines and listened to their conversations.
Former internal affairs director Greg Lockamy also reportedly had a phone set up for eavesdropping.
The FBI is investigating ? a phrase that has become a frequent refrain of stories about public officials in North Carolina.
There are tie-ins to the Easley scandal, too, as the N&O reports:
Tatum, 57, might be of interest to the federal prosecutors investigating Easley because he dismissed a serious violation against an auto inspection station owned by McQueen Campbell, who resigned as a N.C. State University trustee last year. Campbell quit amid questions about his role in hiring the governor’s wife for a high-paying job at the university.
Campbell, a pilot, was subpoenaed before the State Board of Elections in October to testify about flights provided to Easley in his private plane, and repairs he paid for at the governor’s house.
SNIP
Tatum was seen in August entering the federal courthouse in Raleigh while the grand jury was in session, though it is not clear whether he testified.
The DMV has been one of the most scandal-plagued agencies in the sea of scandal that North Carolina government has become. For example, it appears that DMV employees accepted booze and other gifts from a private company, Verizon, even while the company was negotiating a multi-million dollar contract with the state.
