Civil Rights Record

CIVIL RIGHTS RECORD:
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue's record on civil rights again
came under fire Friday, with the campaign of Democratic rival Richard Moore targeting the lieutenant governorfor goods sold at Georgia convenience stores owned by her family and a 1989 legislative move opposed by the Legislative Black Caucus. During a news conference that Moore, the state treasurer, did not attend, Moore's campaign displayed Confederate flag-emblazoned goods purchased from Perdue family stores. "Is this a hat that Bev Perdue would let her campaign staff wear?" said Jay Reiff, Moore's campaign manager, pointing to a
row of three baseball caps with different "Stars and Bars" variations. Perdue's husband, Bob Eaves, owns a chain of "The Right Stuff Food Stores" in Georgia. Until last year, Perdue was an officer in the company. Moore's campaign staff said they purchased the goods at two locations and displayed receipts. They supplied photographs of merchandise in the store. Moore's staff spotlighted the convenience store goods hours after distributing copies of a 1989 newspaper article recounting how Perdue watered down a bill that was the Legislative Black Caucus' top priority that year: making it easier for candidates to avoid a runoff election in a primary.
Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, at the time said Perdue's move was "a slap in the face of black people." On Friday, Michaux, a Perdue supporter, said her change to the legislation is an exception to an otherwise positive record on civil rights. "She made a couple of mistakes, but that doesn't necessarily undercut the good job she's done particularly when it comes to those matters affecting the minority community," he said. On Thursday Moore's campaign criticized a 1987 vote in which Perdue opposed a bill that made it easier for the State Bureau
of Investigation to investigate hate crimes. Perdue's campaign responded by accusing Moore of using "Jesse Helms" tactics – a claim Perdue spokesman David Kochman reiterated Friday. Kochman said that the most recent attack was "so low that Richard Moore himself wouldn't even attend the press conference announcing it." Kochman said the stores are run by Perdue's stepson and that while her husband retains partial ownership, is not involved in day-to-day management of the company. (THE NEWS & OBSERVER, 4/25/08).