Thom Tillis’s latest maddening — but unsurprising — flipflop

Paula Wolf, NC Newsline
30 January
Thom Tillis (By United States Senate Photography - United States Senate, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38695252)

The Wall Street Journal reported on January 27 (the story is protected by a pay wall — click here to read a Vanity Fair summary) that North Carolina’s senior senator Thom Tillis set a new standard for disingenuous flipflops last week with his vote to confirm Trump nominee Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.

This from the Journal story:

“Tillis personally assured Danielle Hegseth in a call on Jan. 19, witnessed by two other people, that if she signed the statement testifying that she believed her former brother-in-law Pete Hegseth has an alcohol abuse problem and was abusive to his second wife, it would carry weight, and potentially move three votes – his own, along with the votes of Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).”

The story continued: “On Friday, Tillis became the 50th senator to vote ‘yes’ on Hegseth, clinching his confirmation to lead the Pentagon.”

When I started lobbying in the North Carolina General Assembly in 1994, my “Rookie Guide” contained the following instructions that were non-negotiable:

You are not allowed to wear pants or a pantsuit; only dresses and skirts.You are not allowed to wear a hat.You should not talk freely about strategy in the Legislative Cafeteria, for the walls have ears.Never lie to a legislator. That act, in and of itself, is a career-ender.

What I learned over the decades of my career, however, was that none of this advice, especially Number 4, went both ways. But every single time a legislator lied to my face or on the floor of the House or the Senate, I was surprised and disappointed. My father worked for Chicago’s legendary Mayor Richard J. Daley — yet I still expected honesty and integrity from politicians.

When I explained to a Democratic lawmaker that a restrictive abortion bill that was about to be debated on the House floor did not have an exception for rape or incest, he appeared flabbergasted. He then looked me in the eye to assure me that he would only vote for a bill that contained those exceptions. The bill did not have any such exceptions. This legislator cast his YES vote anyway. Far from being a career-ending vote, he was rewarded with a committee chairmanship when the Republicans took the majority in the House.

A typical refrain from a legislator managing his/her bill on the floor of the House was, “Mr. Speaker, this bill has been agreed to by all of the parties involved. I know of no opposition to this bill.” More than once, I would sit in the gallery listening to this and say to myself, “Oh yeah?! What about me?!”

I was a nonprofit lobbyist. I spoke for children and the poor and often voiceless constituencies. Even before it was prohibited by laws I helped to create, I did not have a long or wealthy list of clients who would contribute to legislative reelection campaigns. I did not have an expense account to wine and dine legislators after session. All I had was my reputation for providing excellent research and information that was reliable. Even a legislator who was on the opposite side of an issue from me would be the first to tell you that I always told them the truth.

So sadly, I was not shocked to read that Sen. Tillis told this woman one thing and then did just the opposite.

Even with two witnesses.

Even with his unwavering allegiance to the first-ever convicted felon to be elected President of the United States.

Even though his was the deciding vote to confirm an utterly unqualified and flawed man to lead the biggest and most complex department in our government.

Because even while so many of our laws are being broken by the very people who have sworn to uphold them, there is no law against a lawmaker lying.

NC Newsline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. NC Newsline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Rob Schofield for questions: info@ncnewsline.com.

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