RALEIGH – The sometimes controversial chairman of the board that regulates North Carolina liquor sales held a campaign event at his home this month for gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue, even as Perdue was distancing herself from the liquor industry and speculation that she had promised to reappoint the chairman if she's elected.

Doug Fox, chairman of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, held a Perdue campaign event at his home April 18. The event came two months after a liquor company executive sent e-mail to other liquor brokers asking them to contribute to Perdue's campaign because she would reappoint Fox and ensure changes that benefit the industry.

Fox initially denied he was raising money for Perdue during an interview on the day of the event at his home but then responded: "I'm not going to answer that."

Perdue said last week that the event was a "meet and greet," not a fundraiser.

"It was local people," Perdue said, "a lot of folks I hadn't met." (more…)