Flightgate Investigation Must Be Independent and Impartial

Incompetence, Conflicts of Interest Taint Inquiry to Date

Raleigh, N.C. – Prompted by public revelations in news reports, State Crime Control Secretary Reuben Young has finally requested an independent investigation into the missing travel records from former Democratic Governor Mike Easley’s tenure. Young’s about-face comes after months of refusing to have inquiries performed by independent personnel.

 

In addition to requesting an independent investigation, Young on Monday again placed the patrol captain directly involved in the “loss” of the Easley travel records on leave as a supervisor in the technical support unit that maintains computer networks.  Captain Alan Melvin had been restored to active duty despite the fact that the paper records were shredded and the electronic records deleted from the administration’s computers at his direction.

 

According to the Raleigh News & Observer: “Diane Bumgardner, a secretary assigned to the governor’s security detail, said in the internal inquiry that Melvin had told her in February 2006 to download flight records from 2003 to 2005 onto a computer disk and then give it to him. He told her to then delete the files to ‘free up space on the computer.’  Bumgardner said in an interview with The N&O that she had never expressed a problem with the computer that would require the need to free up space.”  (“Probe sought of Easley flight records,” News & Observer, 8/25/09)

 

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) has consistently called on Governor Perdue, Attorney General Roy Cooper, Secretary Young, and Democratic legislative leaders to investigate the “loss” of Easley’s travel records.  Senator Berger has requested in the past and continues to call for the following three steps to be taken to get to the bottom of the Flightgate scandal:

 

1. Conduct an independent outside investigation of the “lost” records.

2. Democratic legislative leaders should convene appropriate committee oversight hearings and call Secretary Young and the Highway Patrol Commander before the committee to explain the “loss” of the records and explain the steps taken to avoid future incidents of “lost” records.

3. Attorney General Roy Cooper and the Wake County District Attorney should cooperate to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Flightgate.

 

Senator Berger issued the following statement:

 

“Governor Perdue and Attorney General Cooper’s actions so far do not inspire public confidence.  It is hard to tell if incompetence or conflicts of interest from investigating a fellow Democrat are to blame for their failure to actively pursue an independent investigation. Add to that the recent reinstatement of the officer responsible for illegally destroying the records at the center of the Flightgate scandal and there is little wonder that public skepticism about state government is at an all-time high.”

 

“To address these concerns and restore public confidence, Governor Perdue, Attorney General Cooper and the Democratic leaders in the legislature need to take the following three steps:  1. Make sure the outside investigator requested by Secretary Young is truly independent.  2. Convene legislative oversight hearings and call Secretary Young and the Highway Patrol Commander before the committee to explain the procedures they have put in place to avoid future incidents like Flightgate.  3. Appoint an independent special prosecutor to conduct a thorough examination and, if necessary, prosecution, in this case.”

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