Easley Has Ethics Complaint Filed Agaist Him

WRAL A community group has accused Gov. Mike Easley in an ethics complaint of giving favorable treatment in a marina lease deal to a pair of developers with business ties to one of his campaign donors. Perry Newson, executive director of the State Board of Ethics, said Friday that the board will consider the complaint at its meeting Wednesday. He declined additional comment. Through a spokeswoman, Easley denied the allegations. Members of a community group in Southport, Easley's hometown, asked the State Board of Ethics in a March 30 letter to review Easley's role in allowing the private investors to take control of the deteriorating state-owned Southport Marina. Members of the Committee to Save Southport Marina had wanted the state to sell the marina to the town. "We felt like the governor was showing some favoritism toward these people," said Bill Duke, one of the community members who mailed the complaint. "We feel like he's been playing political football with it and he's doing some payback with our marina."