Edwards holds kick-off fundraiser in Chapel Hill
Edwards holds kick-off fundraiser in Chapel Hill Edwards
Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina began his presidential fundraising effort Wednesday night with a reception at his newly opened campaign headquarters at Southern Village in Chapel Hill.About 300 people were expected, with donations up to $2,100 per person. The event was expected to raise more than $100,000.
The Chapel Hill event is the first of what will likely be dozens of fundraisers across the country in the coming months as Edwards builds a war chest to compete with Sen. Hillary Clinton and others in the primary and caucus states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina in 2008.
Edwards, a former vice presidential candidate, spent last year helping raise about $8 million for legislative and congressional candidates and party committees. But it was only after he jumped into the Democratic presidential race last week that he filed the campaign committee papers that allow him to begin raising money.
"Fundraising will be a heavy but not exclusive emphasis for the next three months," said Jennifer Palmieri, an Edwards campaign spokeswoman. "The campaign has been planning for this phase for a while. We feel good about his ability to raise a robust number of dollars."
The Edwards campaign would not say how robust. But Edwards gained national attention when he raised $7.4 million during the first three months of 2003 -- the comparable period to the upcoming three months. Edwards raised $33 million in his presidential bid.
The Edwards campaign does not expect to raise as much money as Clinton, but it does think it will be competitive. Clinton will start her campaign with at least the $10 million left over from last year's Senate campaign.
Ed Turlington, a Raleigh attorney and Edwards adviser, said the Chapel Hill event was for North Carolina supporters.
Audit turns up bogus IDs
State Auditor Les Merritt continues to turn up interesting information on state employees by checking their Social Security numbers.
On Wednesday, Merritt released two special reviews involving Social Security numbers. A review at the N.C. Department of Justice found that a retired law enforcement officer received pension benefits for 20 months after he died Nov. 14, 2004. The department has since received full repayment of the $20,589 and has put in place a system to make sure it doesn't happen again, the review said.
A review of N.C. State University found that one employee was using the Social Security number of a dead person. University officials fired that person after the employee could not obtain a valid Social Security number. Because it involves personnel issues, an NCSU spokesman declined to say whether the employee was an illegal immigrant.
The review otherwise praised N.C. State for having a good system to catch irregularities in employees' Social Security numbers.
Merritt's office conducted a similar review of N.C. Central University last year, finding that several employees were using Social Security numbers that belonged to dead people. Employees confirmed those cards had been purchased.
Nostalgia for Ford
Longtime congressman and former U.S. Sen. Jim Broyhill was among the guests at President Ford's funeral Tuesday at the National Cathedral in Washington. Broyhill served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1963-86. He was appointed the next year to complete a Senate term but lost a bid to return.
Broyhill recalled Ford as a man of integrity and good judgment.
"For five-and-a-half terms, I was with him every day," Broyhill said Wednesday. Broyhill represented Southern Republicans on the GOP policy committee; Ford was a member of the party leadership.
"He was a great help to me in my early years," Broyhill said.
Broyhill and his wife, Louise, had just received a Christmas card from Ford and his wife, Betty, when Ford died. Broyhill called the Senate sergeant-at-arms to request an invitation to the funeral.
Briefly:
Fred Hartman, a former press secretary to Gov. Mike Easley, has gone to work as as public relations director for Brogan & Partners Convergence Marketing in Raleigh. ... Beryl Wade, an administrative law judge, has retired. She is a former legal counsel to Gov. Jim Hunt.
By staff writers Rob Christensen, Dan Kane and Barbara Barrett. Christensen can be reached at 829-4532 or robc@newsobserver.com.
http://www.newsobserver.com/114/story/528388.html
Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina began his presidential fundraising effort Wednesday night with a reception at his newly opened campaign headquarters at Southern Village in Chapel Hill.About 300 people were expected, with donations up to $2,100 per person. The event was expected to raise more than $100,000.
The Chapel Hill event is the first of what will likely be dozens of fundraisers across the country in the coming months as Edwards builds a war chest to compete with Sen. Hillary Clinton and others in the primary and caucus states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina in 2008.
Edwards, a former vice presidential candidate, spent last year helping raise about $8 million for legislative and congressional candidates and party committees. But it was only after he jumped into the Democratic presidential race last week that he filed the campaign committee papers that allow him to begin raising money.
"Fundraising will be a heavy but not exclusive emphasis for the next three months," said Jennifer Palmieri, an Edwards campaign spokeswoman. "The campaign has been planning for this phase for a while. We feel good about his ability to raise a robust number of dollars."
The Edwards campaign would not say how robust. But Edwards gained national attention when he raised $7.4 million during the first three months of 2003 -- the comparable period to the upcoming three months. Edwards raised $33 million in his presidential bid.
The Edwards campaign does not expect to raise as much money as Clinton, but it does think it will be competitive. Clinton will start her campaign with at least the $10 million left over from last year's Senate campaign.
Ed Turlington, a Raleigh attorney and Edwards adviser, said the Chapel Hill event was for North Carolina supporters.
Audit turns up bogus IDs
State Auditor Les Merritt continues to turn up interesting information on state employees by checking their Social Security numbers.
On Wednesday, Merritt released two special reviews involving Social Security numbers. A review at the N.C. Department of Justice found that a retired law enforcement officer received pension benefits for 20 months after he died Nov. 14, 2004. The department has since received full repayment of the $20,589 and has put in place a system to make sure it doesn't happen again, the review said.
A review of N.C. State University found that one employee was using the Social Security number of a dead person. University officials fired that person after the employee could not obtain a valid Social Security number. Because it involves personnel issues, an NCSU spokesman declined to say whether the employee was an illegal immigrant.
The review otherwise praised N.C. State for having a good system to catch irregularities in employees' Social Security numbers.
Merritt's office conducted a similar review of N.C. Central University last year, finding that several employees were using Social Security numbers that belonged to dead people. Employees confirmed those cards had been purchased.
Nostalgia for Ford
Longtime congressman and former U.S. Sen. Jim Broyhill was among the guests at President Ford's funeral Tuesday at the National Cathedral in Washington. Broyhill served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1963-86. He was appointed the next year to complete a Senate term but lost a bid to return.
Broyhill recalled Ford as a man of integrity and good judgment.
"For five-and-a-half terms, I was with him every day," Broyhill said Wednesday. Broyhill represented Southern Republicans on the GOP policy committee; Ford was a member of the party leadership.
"He was a great help to me in my early years," Broyhill said.
Broyhill and his wife, Louise, had just received a Christmas card from Ford and his wife, Betty, when Ford died. Broyhill called the Senate sergeant-at-arms to request an invitation to the funeral.
Briefly:
Fred Hartman, a former press secretary to Gov. Mike Easley, has gone to work as as public relations director for Brogan & Partners Convergence Marketing in Raleigh. ... Beryl Wade, an administrative law judge, has retired. She is a former legal counsel to Gov. Jim Hunt.
By staff writers Rob Christensen, Dan Kane and Barbara Barrett. Christensen can be reached at 829-4532 or robc@newsobserver.com.
http://www.newsobserver.com/114/story/528388.html
posted by presgore19 at 12:53 AM
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