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Allred says he’s leaving Republican Party

Friday, May 22, 2009
(Updated 1:24 pm)

RALEIGH — State Rep. Cary Allred, facing calls from fellow Republicans to resign his seat, declared Thursday that he plans to reregister as unaffiliated after a report critical of his behavior on April 27.

In that report, other GOP lawmakers harshly assessed the Alamance County Republican’s actions. Some said he smelled of alcohol, and most said they thought he behaved inappropriately during debate and toward a young volunteer that evening.

“I think I’ve been stabbed in the back by my Republican colleagues,” Allred said Thursday.

When asked if he was sure he would switch his party affiliation to unaffiliated, Allred said, “I’m pretty damned sure.”

On his way to an evening session of the General Assembly on April 27, Allred was stopped by a state trooper for speeding102 mph on Interstate 40. He flashed his legislative identification and was only charged four days later after news of the stop became public.

Once he arrived in Raleigh, colleagues say that Allred was overly combative during floor debate, several times defying calls by House Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat, to focus on the bill under debate.

And finally, colleagues say Allred embraced a House page in what one colleague described as a “gruesome bear hug.” Accounts differ on whether Allred kissed the 17-year-old girl either on the cheek or lips.

Allred denies kissing the girl on the lips and said that he lives near the teenager and she is “like my granddaughter.”

Hackney ordered House Sergeant at Arms Robert Samuels to compile a report on the incident. In that report, it was Allred’s fellow Republicans who were most critical.

Rep. Daniel “Danny” McComas, a Republican from Wilmington, likened Allred to a “bomb that could explode at any time.”

Rep. Mitchell Setzer, a Catawba Republican, said of Allred’s behavior, “I have never witnessed anything as unsettling as this in the 11 years that I have been a member of the General Assembly.”

Allred said he was undecided on whether he would switch back to the GOP to run again in 2010 or whether he would run as an unaffiliated candidate.

“That would certainly be an historical event here in North Carolina, wouldn’t it?” Allred said. Unaffiliated candidates rarely make it on the ballot, much less win .

Fellow legislators said they don’t think Samuels’ report was overly harsh.

Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam, an Apex Republican and his party’s leader in the House, said he thought the report as a whole gave an accurate picture of the April 27 incident.

N.C. Republican Party Chairman Linda Daves called on Allred to resign his legislative seat Thursday, basing her call not on Allred’s threat to leave the party but the behavior detailed in the House report.

“I am asking Cary Allred to resign his seat in the N.C. General Assembly,” Daves wrote in an e-mail late Thursday. In a letter to Allred, Daves wrote, “By your actions, you have sacrificed the privilege you hold to serve in public office.”

Allred said he did not think he would be hampered in his job as a legislator by leaving the Republican party. He noted that members of the GOP were often hamstrung in their efforts by Democrats who hold the majority in the chamber.

“The Democrats can go to hell, and so can the Republicans,” Allred said.

 

Contact Mark Binker at (919) 832-5549 or mark.binker@news-record.com

Accompanying Photos

Photo Caption: Cary Allred

Comments

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greywolf

May 22, 2009 - 4:05 am EDT

Who voted for this gentleman? More importantly, would you ever do it again?

Doug Johnson

May 22, 2009 - 5:24 am EDT

It's good to see the republicans in Raleigh understand a problem.
Unlike democrats who let Black get away with his shams.
Not to mention Nifong.

Paul J

May 22, 2009 - 7:04 am EDT

If the slimy Republicans don;t want him I don't think anyone else would. The people of Alamance should be proud.

Gator

May 22, 2009 - 9:16 am EDT

Looks like he will fit right in with the Democratic party. All he has to do now is avoid paying taxes !

timflowers

May 22, 2009 - 10:29 am EDT

Whew! That was close. I thought Grandpa Munster was joining the Democratic Party but it looks like he'll be "unaffiliated". But his conduct is classic GOP: full of hypocrisy.

greywolf

May 23, 2009 - 10:05 pm EDT

Hey Tim, don't be insulting Grandpa Munster like that! He'd never stoop to the level of this Allred character!

MiMi

May 22, 2009 - 10:42 am EDT

What is going on with our legal system? There are too many leaders who need to step down....it should be the law that these people should serve a term and then step down....the country has gotten itself into a rut....it is run by attorneys who do not even live by the laws....so how on earth can they stay in Washington and try to help our country...and the oldie goldies should not be allowed to even run....sorry....but we need standards, morals and values back in this country...there should be absolutely no one who is above the law....and this includes all of us.......we also need faith, strength, hope, courage, love and peace and forgiveness..........we do not have the type of leaders that this country needs to survive......and we, the people, had better recognize this before it is too late....

GOD, you know just how much help we, the people, need....there is so much going on around us not only here in the USA but also in the world........We know we lack guidance in this country and we need YOU to direct us and lift us up here in America and provide us with the leaders who can give the country positive results and get us back on the right track Lord, that only YOU can do this ......Lord, we know that YOU should be in control and YOU alone can make a difference in this country and countries throughout the world.....and Lord, we also know that we must ASK for this direction........we also know Lord that only YOU can protect us.....

MAY GOD BLESS AND GUIDE THIS COUNTRY......to be the country we need to be....

MiMi

MiMi

May 22, 2009 - 12:34 pm EDT

I needed to say just one more thing.....our country also needs respect and justice....and we all need to remember just what our American Flag stands for........which I am sure many people do not even have a clue....

Paul J

May 22, 2009 - 12:47 pm EDT

MiMi you thinking back at a time when there was trust and honesty in America. That really started eroding with the Nixion era.

jsipe29

May 22, 2009 - 1:02 pm EDT

I have one word..............BYE!

Indy1776

May 22, 2009 - 5:05 pm EDT

There is a good reason he was elected, he can give the Democrats in the House hell for some of their actions...he is not afraid to speak his mind. It would be a shame to loose him because of a stupid stunt. He should repent so he can live on in the GA to keep the Dems straight...well he can try anyway, even if that is a tall order.

greywolf

May 23, 2009 - 6:23 pm EDT

Wow, Indy... That was a bold move! I am surprised that anyone would step up to defend him. Of course, Republicans aren't known to be rational, so I guess it figures that he'd have a lot of supporters.

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