Bill Culpepper returns PAC money

Bill Culpepper gets an a wake up call. In the wake of all the talk about Speaker Jim Black's campaign finance quagmire WRAL reports that former Rep. Bill Culpepper decided to return a questionable contribution he recieved from the Bell South PAC just before he was sworn in as a memeber of the state utilities commission ... that regulates Bell South.

"In a phone interview with WRAL, Culpepper intially downplayed the PAC money, stating: 'I said to them, â€ï¿½Go ahead and send it. I'll probably give the money to the Democratic Caucus. I don't see a conflict.' “ WRAL called Easley’s office on Thursday, asking him for a comment on the contribution. After they called Culpepper, he contacted WRAL later Wednesday, stressing there was no wrongful intent when he accepted the money. However, after more thought, he's now decided to give the donation back to the BellSouth PAC."

Good for you bill but should you really have taken a campaign contribution after you weren't going to campaign anymore?
Click on the video to watch WRAL show Culpepper sweating under the lights. Bill's a great guy and its not surprising he did the right thing. What is surprising is that he let himself get into the little pickle at all.

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Here is the story as told by the N&O. Apparently when this was written the decision to return the $2,000 had not been announced.