Earle: Anonymous document
'a new low' in Meck politics

March 23, 2010

At the end of Tuesday's Forum, several legislators spoke to two documents circulating in the public, one of them anonymous, that raise questions about Mecklenburg legislators' voting records in the N.C. General Assembly.

Rep. Beverly Earle, left, referred to the documents as "trash" and "garbage" and said that they represented "a new low" in Mecklenburg politics.

For more on the documents and the controversy, see the Observer story.

In her statement at the Forum, Earle said the documents noted Mecklenburg Rep. Becky Carney's serious illness that led to the largest number of missed votes, but did not note that most of Earle's absences were when she had two back surgeries. She said she had the second-largest number of missed votes.

Rep. Martha Alexander, noting that she was third on the list, said she had not seen the list before Tuesday but asked Rep. Nick Mackey who had authored the documents and received a copy from him.

Rep. Nick Mackey did not identify the author of the documents during his Forum statement. He noted that he had a 100% voting record.

Here are links to four audio clips from the session.

First, Rep. Beverly Earle's opening statement.

Second, Rep. Martha Alexander's statement.

Third, Rep. Nick Mackey's statement.

Finally, Rep. Beverly Earle's rejoinder to Mackey and her closing comments.

Other members of the Mecklenburg delegation were not present at the Forum.