Little Governor Sent to Prison

5/17/2011 – Ruffin Poole earned the nickname “Little Governor” because he was former Gov. Mike Easley’s patronage gatekeeper and often seemed to act on his behalf. Federal investigators targeting Easley eventually flipped some campaign donors in the patronage orbit, but the donors had more damning evidence against Poole than Easley – and Poole would not, in turn, bring down his boss, even when he was indicted on tax fraud and other charges. Now he’s paying the price for his crime. Says the News & Observer: “Ruffin Poole, a top aide to former Gov. Mike Easley, will spend the next year in prison for attempting to hide a $30,000 profit he made using his political position to boost a high-end coastal community [development] that was a key part of the federal investigation into his boss. . . . Lanny Wilson, a major fundraiser and former state Board of Transportation member who was a financial backer for the development, told authorities that he cut Poole in on the project as an investment opportunity to curry favor with him.”  As you read and watch the coverage, note that Lanny Wilson and other developer/donors in the corrupt scheme escaped prosecution – which, without adequate explanation, troubled the federal judge.