A North Carolina prosecutor said Monday that she found no wrongdoing related to payments from a pharmaceutical company and a bail agents’ group to House Speaker Tim Moore.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said she’s closing the inquiry she began last fall without further action. She had asked the State Bureau of Investigation to look into the matters involving Moore, a Cleveland County attorney.
One involved Moore’s legal work for a company called Know Bio. Know Bio had hired Moore in 2017 and paid him $40,000 for four months of work largely related the treatment of startups in federal tax law. Previously, when Moore was the House Rules Committee chairman, he helped get legislation through that had rescued a Durham development project involving the company’s co-founder, Neal Hunter.
Freeman also looked at Moore’s legal work for the North Carolina Bail Agents Association in 2012. The News & Observer of Raleigh had received an anonymous letter that alleged the not-for-profit association had paid $10,000 to win his support for legislation that would prevent a for-profit competitor from offering training.
Freeman’s written statement says the fees that Moore received were for legal services as an attorney.
“This review found no misuse of public office for private gain or other wrongdoing as to these payments, and we therefore are closing the inquiry into this matter without further action,” Freeman wrote.
Moore said in October that his work “as a private attorney and businessman has never conflicted with my public service in the General Assembly.” He had acknowledged being paid $10,000 by the bail agents’ group but said the letter was otherwise full of lies.
Upon hearing of Freeman’s statement Monday, Moore said in a news release that he appreciated “the careful and professional way the district attorney and the SBI handled the anonymous allegations that were made against me.”
Related Stories
‹

Four-Term North Carolina Gov. Jim Hunt, a Leader in Education Reform, Dies at 88Former Gov. Jim Hunt, a towering figure in North Carolina politics in the late 20th century who helped leaders from both major parties strive for public education reform, died Thursday at the age of 88.

Chapel Hill Educator, Historian and UNC Statistician Freddie Kiger Inducted Into Order of Longleaf PineMembers of the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club surprised Freddie Kiger with his induction into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine during its holiday party on Dec. 5.

North Carolina Gov. Stein Cancels Medicaid Rate Cuts Amid Legal and Legislative BattlesNorth Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein is canceling Medicaid reimbursement rate reductions he initiated over two months ago, preserving in the short term access to care for vulnerable patients.

French Manufacturer Shares Plans to Relocate U.S. Operations to HillsboroughGov. Josh Stein’s office shared the French manufacturing company CITEL is planning on relocating its U.S. business to Hillsborough and will invest $12.5 million in the project.

Federal Judges Uphold Several North Carolina US House Districts Drawn by RepublicansWritten by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Federal judges on Thursday upheld several U.S. House districts that North Carolina Republicans drew in 2023 that helped the GOP gain additional seats the following year. They rejected accusations the lines unlawfully fractured and packed Black voters to weaken their voting power. The order by three judges — […]

On the Porch: Dr. Jim Crawford - October News RoundupThis Week:
Born into a blue collar and agricultural clan in rural Pennsylvania, Dr. Jim Crawford was the first in his family to graduate from college. Earning his PhD from the University of North Carolina, he taught US and World History at several universities in the piedmont North Carolina for several decades. He served as chairman of the Chatham County board of commissioners. He is a firm believer in American democracy and trusts that the constitution will hold firm now as it has in past crises despite the broken, distempered electorate.

North Carolina Adopts New Trump-Backed US House Districts Aimed at Gaining a Republican SeatWritten by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders completed their remapping of the state’s U.S. House districts on Wednesday, intent on picking up one more seat to help President Donald Trump’s efforts to retain GOP control of Congress in next year’s midterm elections. The new boundaries approved by the […]

Democrats Look to Long Term as North Carolina GOP Redistricting Plan Seeks Another Seat for TrumpDemocrats rallied Tuesday against a new U.S. House map proposed by North Carolina Republicans that would likely reap another GOP seat.

North Carolina GOP’s Proposed Map Seeks to Thwart Democratic Incumbent’s ReelectionNorth Carolina's Republican legislators are offering a redrawn U.S. House district map to help the GOP retain control of Congress.

North Carolina Court: GOP Can Narrow Governor’s Appointment Powers on Some BoardsWritten by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Decade-long political quarrels over legislative and executive powers in North Carolina advanced Wednesday as a state appeals court permitted the Republican-controlled General Assembly to chip away at the Democratic governor’s appointment authority for several key commissions. The judges also said lawmakers went too far remaking other boards. A […]
›