Tin-Ear Tillis
2012-05-18 - by
Thom Tillis once looked like a formidable statewide candidate.
First he overcame the birthers, flat-earthers and Skip Stam to get elected Speaker. He ran the House with crisp – if sometimes heavy-handed – efficiency. He went on a statewide tour that gave him an aura of openness. He seemed to have something of a Senator Burr-type image of some moderation in a rabidly conservative party – a good quality for a Republican running statewide. A couple of weeks ago, he sounded a bit like Jim Hunt when he talked about developing his own economic-development program.
Then came the Charles Thomas disaster. Tillis did move quickly to cut Thomas loose and minimize the damage. He stumbled when he thought he could escape without an outside investigation. But he seemed to be getting off with minimal damage.
Now comes Tillis’ decision to favor his friends with a sweet parting gift, courtesy of the hard-pressed taxpayer he professes to defend. And he has given any opponent – Democrat or Republican – a club to bash him with.
I repeat: the worst wounds in politics are self-inflicted.
No, it’s not a lot of money. But it does smell like favoritism, special treatment for special cronies.
Then we hear that Thomas arranged himself a very lucrative landing spot anyway, where he will no doubt make big bucks trading on his access to Tillis.
Notably, the female lobbyist involved with Thomas didn’t do nearly as well. No severance and, so far, no lobbying firm.
She clearly didn’t have the right relationship with the right people.
Posted in General, North Carolina - Republicans
Tin-Ear Tillis
2012-05-18/
Thom Tillis once looked like a formidable statewide candidate.
First he overcame the birthers, flat-earthers and Skip Stam to get elected Speaker. He ran the House with crisp – if sometimes heavy-handed – efficiency. He went on a statewide tour that gave him an aura of openness. He seemed to have something of a Senator Burr-type image of some moderation in a rabidly conservative party – a good quality for a Republican running statewide. A couple of weeks ago, he sounded a bit like Jim Hunt when he talked about developing his own economic-development program.
Then came the Charles Thomas disaster. Tillis did move quickly to cut Thomas loose and minimize the damage. He stumbled when he thought he could escape without an outside investigation. But he seemed to be getting off with minimal damage.
Now comes Tillis’ decision to favor his friends with a sweet parting gift, courtesy of the hard-pressed taxpayer he professes to defend. And he has given any opponent – Democrat or Republican – a club to bash him with.
I repeat: the worst wounds in politics are self-inflicted.
No, it’s not a lot of money. But it does smell like favoritism, special treatment for special cronies.
Then we hear that Thomas arranged himself a very lucrative landing spot anyway, where he will no doubt make big bucks trading on his access to Tillis.
Notably, the female lobbyist involved with Thomas didn’t do nearly as well. No severance and, so far, no lobbying firm.
She clearly didn’t have the right relationship with the right people.
Posted in General, North Carolina - Republicans