Raleigh

Garrett Perdue’s hiring by Womble Carlyle, the state’s largest law firm, immediately raised eyebrows.

His mother had only been elected governor a few months before. Political insiders in Raleigh knew that the law firm had its fingers in both legislative and executive branch lobbying, including business recruiting and incentives.

At the time, the firm announced that the 34-year-old Perdue would be lobbying the federal rather than the state government.

As The News & Observer of Raleigh recently reported, that hasn’t exactly been the case. He’s been working in the business recruiting arena advising clients looking at building or expanding in North Carolina.

Perdue and top lawyers at the firm told the newspaper that he has not lobbied elected officials. Gov. Beverly Perdue says that she and her son don’t discuss his legal work.

What the governor has done, on at least two occasions, is recuse herself from discussions about state incentive packages for firms — Facebook and security management consultant IEM. She did so because of worries that her son might be involved in representing the companies.

More than a year ago, The Insider, a state government newsletter for which I serve as editor, reported that the governor stepped aside when it came to IEM’s recruitment because of the potential for a conflict of interest involving her son. Perdue spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson said then that the recruitment began and ended within the Department of Commerce, that the governor recused “herself from dealing with this company.”

In the New & Observer’s recent piece, the governor clarified that she had no dealings with IEM regarding incentives. Apparently she did have some face-to-face meetings with the CEO as the company considered moving to North Carolina.

Regardless, the episode shows that the governor couldn’t or shouldn’t have acted in an unfettered way when it comes to fulfilling a key role as the state’s chief industrial recruiter.

Living up to an ethical pledge meant not performing, to the best of her abilities, a top duty as governor; performing that duty without concern about the potential for a conflict meant acting unethically.

As long as her son works representing clients who have an interest in her administration’s decision-making, Beverly Perdue is in a Catch-22. She can’t be both fully effective and act ethically.

A subtle tension also exists regarding Womble Carlyle’s role.

Among Garrett Perdue’s superiors there are former Gov. Jim Hunt and ­former state Chief Justice Burly Mitchell.

Hunt, of course, will forever be known as one of the most effective governors in the state’s history; the Mitchell court will be remembered for the historic Leandro school funding decision.

From conversations and e-mail exchanges, I know that Mitchell believes Womble Carlyle’s work and the incentives offered by the state are critical to landing big companies and the jobs that they bring.

Maybe. But getting the best deal for your clients, when it involves taxpayer money, and doing the best for the home state seem at odds with one another.

Scott Mooneyham writes for Capitol Press Association in Raleigh. Contact him at smooneyh@ncinsider.com.