The incredible double standard of two-faced Thom Tillis
Tillis uses police to evict citizens from 2nd floor of their house
After our Rein Them In rally ahead of an expensive, do-nothing "special" session of the North Carolina General Assembly on Thursday, Feb. 16, about 50-70 people filed into the building to deliver messages printed on simple sheets of paper to Speaker Thom Tillis. What happened next was another example of how out of control our state legislature has gotten.
Laura Leslie, reporting for WRAL:
"First, protestors say, they were told their signs violated building rules - hard to believe in a building that's utterly awash in pieces of 8.5 x 11" paper.
"Then they were told the public isn't allowed on the second floor of the legislative building without an appointment.
"That was news to the dozens of lobbyists who frequent the second floor, and to reporters like me who've seen any number of groups gather unchallenged outside the Speaker's office over the years. Some may have had appointments, but others were clearly impromptu. I can't remember any of them being dispersed by GA police."
John Frank, a reporter with the News & Observer who witnessed the scene was more blunt:
"At the statehouse, North Carolina's people are prohibited from visiting the second floor - the floor where lobbyists lobby and lawmakers make laws."
Only weeks earlier had Tillis told reporters who questioned whether he really expected the public to show up for surprise votes at 1 o'clock in the morning, "Uhhh…they’re welcome. Uh…they’re probably not here but everybody should know, the public should know, or any of the vested interests..."
Apparently that welcome only extends to corporate lobbyists - like the Time Warner Cable lobbyists waiting for Tillis at the same time in the very same hallway from which he evicted his critics - or to Tea Party activists. Video recorded outside Tillis' office by his pals at the Civitas Institute in March 2011 shows Tillis then as all-too-happy to speak to a crowd of conservative protesters.
Learn more and take action to rein in our out-of-control state legislature at outofcontrolnc.com.