Gary wrote on Tuesday that State Treasurer Richard Moore faced a moment of truth. His first campaign crisis.

Moore failed.

Last month, Forbes Magazine revealed that Treasurer Moore has been shaking down the State’s Pension Fund managers who he hires for campaign contributions.  Last week, the News and Observer (4-1-07) reported Moore’s also shaking down the law-firms he hires to do state bond work.


The lawyers in these firms read like a who’s-who of the North Carolina Democratic Party: former Governor Jim Hunt, former Lt. Governor Dennis Wicker, former House Speaker Dan Blue and current Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand.
 
For instance, Moore paid former Governor Hunt’s firm – Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice – $183,000; attorneys in Hunt’s firm gave Moore $79,000 for his campaign.


Former Lt. Gov. Wicker faired considerably better than Governor Hunt.  Wicker’s firm – Helms, Mulliss and Wicker – gave Moore a thousand dollars less than Hunt’s – but got paid a million dollars, $800,000 more than Hunts.
 
How did Moore face this ‘moment of truth’ when the newspapers, in effect, accused him of misusing his office? He brushed aside the charges saying, “The State of North Carolina got good value and service from these firms.”
 
No doubt Governor Hunt’s law firm can write a bond issue as well as anyone else’s. But did they get the business – instead of some other competent firm – because they contributed to Moore?

Moore says he sees no conflict of interest when he gives former Lt. Gov. Wicker’s firm a million dollars in state business – then solicits campaign contributions from them.

It would have been more impressive if he had said, more candidly, Sure there’s a conflict. But I’m a realist. Those are the rules and I need the cash, so I’m playing by them. If the legislature wants to change the rules I’ll stop.

Moore’s problem – and where he failed the test – is he doesn’t think the rules need to be changed. If the legislature took away his power to solicit state pension fund managers and bond lawyers Moore’s campaign chest would be as empty as a Republicans.

Moore’s failure gives Republicans another opportunity to lead a campaign to clean up the corruption out of State government. Republican legislators in the House and Senate should immediately sponsor a bill to stop Moore from soliciting state contractors. It won’t pass. The Democratic leaders may not even let it come to a vote. But Republicans can challenge every legislator – plus Moore, Lt. Governor Perdue, Governor Easley – to support the bill. If they refuse, Republicans may start a debate that will lead them straight to the governor’s mansion in 2008.