Close friend of Perdue pleads not guilty

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A close friend of Gov. Bev Perdue has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges related to unreported flights on private planes he provided.

Trawick H. “Buzzy” Stubbs Jr. of New Bern pleaded on Monday. Stubbs is the former law partner of Perdue’s late first husband.

Stubbs is accused of contributing more than $28,000 through his law firm by paying for chartered flights for Perdue’s 2008 campaign and then attempting to hide it. State law limits individual contributions to $4,000 per election cycle.

Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby said Stubbs entered a written plea through his lawyer and did not appear in court.

Stubbs was indicted in November along with two Perdue fundraisers. Peter Reichard pleaded guilty in December and received a suspended sentence. Juleigh Sitton has not yet pleaded.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)