

The campaign watchdog group Democracy North Carolina is urging federal and state investigations into campaign contributions from the sweepstakes gambling industry during the 2012 elections.

Democracy NC made the announcement Thursday, in a press release and a news conference at the Federal Courthouse in Raleigh.

From the News& Observer:

Last month the state Board of Elections released a report detailing its long probe of the issue, concluding that no state campaign finance laws had been broken. The report showed that over a four-year period sweepstakes owners and operators pumped $10 million into a network of lawyers, lobbyists, consultants and politicians in an unsuccessful effort to keep the games legal in North Carolina. Gov. Pat McCrory, Senate Leader Phil Berger, former House Speaker Thom Tillis were among the many candidates who received sweeps industry money. They later disgorged contributions that had come from sweeps executive Chase Burns, who was indicted in Florida on state charges.

In his letter to US Attorney Thomas G. Walker and Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman, Democracy NC Executive Director Bob Hall expressed dissatisfaction with a lengthy State Board of Elections investigation of sweepstakes mogul Chase Burns, which concluded in July of this year. The investigation led to the resignation of Elections Board member Paul Foley.

You can read Hall’s Aug. 6 letter here:

LetterUSAttyDASweeps (1)