Ruffin poole biography
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When Easley left office early this year after serving two terms as governor and joined McGuireWoods, Poole became a partner there, too.
Now, however, the 37-year-old lawyer’s stratospheric career is threatened by his federal indictment yesterday on corruption charges in Raleigh, N.C., according to the Associated Press and the News & Observer.
In January 2001, at age 28, with two years of practice experience, he became the new governor’s deputy press secretary. Poole’s family has operated a successful construction business for decades, it notes, alleging that payments made to the business by an unidentified “financier” and payments made by the business to Poole violated the law.
By accepting and failing to disclose personal benefits, including cash and plane trips, in connection with his work as a state official, the indictment contends, Poole violated federal law requiring a government official to provide honest services.
In response to the indictment, Easley has expressed confidence in Poole and says that he cannot imagine he would knowingly have violated the law.
Additional and related coverage:
Beaufort Observer: “The indictments begin.
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Probably the reality of it is never more clear than when you're standing in front of a federal judge," Kieran Shanahan, a Raleigh attorney and former federal prosecutor, said of Poole's appearance in federal court.After making a brief appearance before U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle, Poole surrendered his passport and was released on a $50,000 unsecured bond.
He declined to comment as he left the courthouse with his attorney, Joe Zeszotarski.
Poole, who turned 38 this week, is charged in a 64-page indictment with extortion, bribery, racketeering, mail fraud and money laundering.
The grand jury has in recent months been investigating Easley's dealings with friends and contributors while in office, but Easley wasn't named in the indictment.
The indictment notes that Poole became known among Easley's top contributors as "Little Governor" because he was the person tasked with resolving any problems donors faced with state regulators and with lining up appointments for them to serve on state boards and commissions.
In exchange for his work, the donors gave Poole gifts like free concert tickets and trips, according to the indictment.
One paid for Poole's bachelor party in New Orleans, and another bought $600 in liquor for his wedding.
Poole also was allowed to invest in coastal real estate developments at the same time as he was working to secure permits for those projects from state regulators, according to the indictment.
The indictment alleges Poole never reported any of the gifts on his annual financial disclosure forms to the state Ethics Commission and used his family's construction firm to handle money he received through the real estate investments.
Noting the low bond given to Poole and his handshake with Assistant U.S.
Attorney John Bruce as he left the courtroom, Shanahan said it's clear that federal investigators hope to work closely with Poole to build a case against Easley.
"Ruffin Poole would certainly be a blow to any defense Easley might try and put on," Shanahan said.
Ex-Easley aide completes prison sentence
A little more than 11 months after he reported to federal prison, a former top aide to then-North Carolina Gov.
Mike Easley is a free man.
Ruffin Poole pleaded guilty in 2010 to tax evasion, shortly before he was scheduled to go to trial on 57 public corruption-related charges, including extortion, bribery and money laundering.
The charge stemmed from $30,000 Poole made on a coastal investment and didn't report in 2005.
Easley's ex-aide led into courthouse in handcuffs
Federal agents led a longtime aide to former Democratic Gov. Mike Easley into the federal courthouse in Raleigh Thursday morning, a week after a grand jury indicted him on 51 corruption-related charges.
Ruffin Poole, who was Easley's legal counsel and trusted adviser during the governor's two terms in office, was handcuffed as he entered the courthouse.
"It's demoralizing.
It's humiliating. It was uncovered during a two-year federal investigation into Easley's dealings with friends and contributors while in office.
Federal authorities alleged that Poole became known among Easley's top contributors as "Little Governor" because he was the person tasked with resolving any problems donors faced with state regulators and with lining up appointments for them to serve on state boards and commissions.
In exchange for his work, the donors showered Poole with gifts.
A month later, he was promoted to a special assistant post and soon became known as the governor’s go-to guy in his role as special counsel. Easley’s legal counsel, Ruffin Poole is the first”
Investigations (News & Observer): “Poole out at McGuireWoods”
WTVD: “Former Easley aide indicted”
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.He also was allowed to invest in coastal real estate developments at the same time as he was working to secure permits for those projects from state regulators, according to federal indictments.
Wilmington developer Lanny Wilson allowed Poole to invest in the Cannonsgate development in Carteret County in 2005, and in an attempt to curry favor for permits and an appointment to a state board, Wilson quickly turned a $30,000 profit for Poole, prosecutors said.
Easley and his wife later purchased a waterfront lot in Cannonsgate at a below-market rate.
Poole reported to prison in July 2011 and was released on Friday, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
White-Collar Crime
Young Lawyer's Soaring Career Is Interrupted by Federal Indictment
By Martha Neil
After he graduated from a North Carolina law school in 1998, Charles Ruffin Poole’s legal career clearly was on an upward trajectory for which the sky seemed to be the limit.
Hired to work in the state attorney general’s office, he quickly gained a much higher political profile when former attorney general Mike Easley, was elected governor after reportedly helping to raise funds for his boss’s campaign.
Poole, who left his McGuireWoods job a month ago, is accused of bribery, extortion and money-laundering concerning allegations that he personally benefited from coastal developments approved by state regulators.
A copy of his indictment (PDF) provided by the newspaper details his legal career and his role, within Easley’s office, as the go-to guy for political supporters who needed help from the governor.