RALEIGH, N.C.  – Vendors in some state contracts approved by North Carolina’s top elected officials would be limited in making campaign donations in a bill recommended by a House committee.

The House Ethics Committee agreed Wednesday to the plan. Donations to Council of State members by executives and groups associated with a vendor would be limited to $1,000 during the contract’s life.

Primary bill sponsor Rep. Rick Glazier of Cumberland County says the measure would attempt to remove impressions that Council of State members or candidates could receive donations in exchange for a contract award.

The limits would apply on contracts of more than $25,000 and wouldn’t include many contracts approved by Cabinet-level agencies in the governor’s administration.

The measure now goes to a House judiciary panel.

WASHINGTON – When the Republican Party decided to coordinate expenses with John McCain’s presidential campaign, who knew it would be color coordinated.

The Republican National Committee spent about $150,000 on clothing, hair styling, makeup and other “campaign accessories” in September for the McCain campaign after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin joined the ticket as his running mate.

The McCain campaign now says the clothing will go to a “charitable purpose” after the campaign.

The expenses include $75,062 spent at Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis Minn., and $41,850 in St. Louis in early September. The committee also reported spending $4,100 for makeup and hair consulting. The expenses were first reported by Politico.com.
 
“With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it’s remarkable that we’re spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses,” said McCain spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt, who has been traveling with Palin. “It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign.”

In 2007, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards sparked Internet derision and jokes from late-night TV comics after his campaign for the party’s nomination paid for two $400 haircuts by a stylist from Beverly Hills, Calif. His campaign said the bill was paid by the campaign by mistake and that Edwards would reimburse the campaign.

The RNC has been helping the McCain campaign financially now that McCain is locked into spending only $84 million for the fall campaign under his agreement to accept public financing. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, chose not to participate in the public system and raised a whopping $150 million in September.

The RNC is allowed to spend up to $19 million in “coordinated expenses” with the campaign. In September, it spent a a total of $4.4 million. The clothing and styling was part of that, but most was spent on postage for campaign mailings.

So why did the RNC and not McCain’s committee pay for the accessories?

Federal campaign finance law prohibits the use of candidate campaign funds for personal use, including clothes. But a quirk in the law has no such restriction on the use of party money for such expenses.

RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change said that it will begin accepting non-perishables and other materials at its 16 statewide offices on Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort to assist families affected by Hurricane Gustav.
 
“We wanted to give North Carolinians another way to provide support to families that may be in need in the aftermath of Gustav,” stated Marc Farinella, Obama’s North Carolina State Director.  “Our grassroots organization is ready and willing to pitch in and use its resources to help in any way we can.” 

Local residents are encouraged to bring non-perishables such as canned food, bottled water, first-aid supplies and other materials that may help people in the wake of the storm to their local Campaign for Change office. The supplies will be distributed to aid foundations that can ensure they are delivered to families in need.
 
Here is the full  list of offices accepting items:  
Asheville
107 Merrimon Ave., Suite A
Asheville, NC 28801
828.254.2379

Charlotte
1523 Elizabeth Ave
Charlotte, NC 28204
 
Mt. Airy
228 Franklin St.
Mt. Airy, NC 27030

Rocky Mount
2517 Sunset Ave.
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
252.443.7902
 
Durham
112 W. Main St.|
Durham, NC 27701
919.530.1401
 
Greenville
414 S. Evans St.
Greenville, NC 27858
 
Elizabeth City
427 South Hughes Blvd.
Elizabeth City, NC 27909

Hickory
46 3rd St NW
Hickory, NC 28601
 
Fayetteville
1712 Owen Dr.
Fayetteville, NC 28304
910.484.2832

Greensboro
318 S. Elm St.
Greensboro, NC 27401
336.275.1964
 
Winston-Salem
500 West 4th St.
Winston-Salem, NC
336.723.0866
 
Cary
215 E. Chatham
Cary, NC 27511
 
Raleigh
130 E. Morgan St.
Raleigh, NC 37601
919.821.4875
 
Chapel Hill
337 W. Rosemary St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919.929.0737
 
Raleigh-North Carolina HQ
3600 Glenwood Ave, Ste 150
Raleigh, NC 27612
Phone: 919.423.0593

Wilmington
1302 S. 39th St.
Wilmington, NC
910.392.1907

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