Perdue Refuses to Release Findings of Flightgate Investigation

Erratic Behavior Continues

Raleigh, N.C. – After pledging to run state government in a more open and transparent manner than former Governor Mike Easley, Governor Beverly Perdue has broken another campaign promise by refusing to release the results of the Highway Patrol’s internal investigation into the Flightgate scandal.

Governor Perdue suggested to the News & Observer that she did not have the legal authority to do so:

“Perdue did not directly answer a reporter’s question as to whether she would order the report released. She suggested she did not have the legal authority to do so.

‘I’m not a lawyer,’ said Perdue, a New Bern Democrat. ‘I’m trying to follow the rules of the law. … I’m constantly told this is privileged information.’”  (“Patrol pressed over records,” News & Observer, 8/26/09)

This is not true. Governor Perdue has the authority to release the results of internal personnel investigations to protect the integrity of an agency. (N.C. General Statute §126-24)

Governor Perdue recently confessed to breaking the same campaign finance laws that are at the center of the Easley Flightgate investigation.  (“17 flights for Perdue repaid,” News & Observer, 8/5/09)

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) continues to call 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 made the following statement:

“Governor Perdue’s erratic behavior continues.  First, Governor Perdue promised to restore confidence in state government by making it more transparent.  Now, Governor Perdue is refusing to release the findings of an internal investigation into why the Highway Patrol destroyed more than a year’s worth of Governor Easley’s travel records related to the Flightgate scandal.  This abrupt change of course further erodes public confidence and makes it look like she’s hiding something.  Governor Perdue should release the findings of the Flightgate investigation immediately.  Otherwise people will start to ask: Is she trying to protect Governor Easley or is she trying to protect herself?”

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