A federal grand jury today charged Ruffin Poole, former Gov. Mike Easley's counsel and close aide, on 51 counts of corruption.

The 64-page indictment alleges that Poole, 37, of Raleigh, extorted money from key Easley supporters and took corresponding action on environmental permits. It charges him with bribery, use of the mail in aid of racketeering, and says his actions deprived North Carolina citizens of his "honest services."
The indictment says that Poole was a silent investor in development projects pushed by developers in Wilmington and Charlotte, making tens of thousands of dollars in profits on projects that he influenced in his government work.