Thom Tillis tries to mansplain away his contraceptives contradiction
In last week's North Carolina Senate debate, Speaker Thom Tillis declared his support for over the counter access to birth control, a statement that flies in the face of not only his earlier comments on contraceptives in particular, but his broader record on reproductive rights. Tillis' proclamation in last week's debate, no doubt a deliberate attempt to whitewash his position on these issues in the face of a significant gender gap in the race, rightfully earned the scorn of his hometown paper, the Charlotte Observer. The paper's Sunday editorial referred to Tillis' contraceptives comments as having the "pungent odor of politicking," considering his previous support for defunding Planned Parenthood and dangerous personhood amendments that could severely limit access to or even criminalize women's health services. The Observer notes that his support for over the counter birth control is "quite the turnaround," given that earlier this year, during his bid to secure the GOP nomination for Senate, Tillis agreed with his fellow GOP candidates that states should be able to ban contraceptives, according to a report from the Raleigh News & Observer.
Cory Gardner and Thom Tillis: Insulting Women’s Intelligence
"At a GOP forum last month, candidates also said they thought states had the right to ban contraceptives. Tillis, who skipped the event, later said he agreed." [News & Observer, 1/31/14]
"When pressed specifically to rebut Brown’s assertion that S.B. 143 would have resulted in longer sentences for abortion providers than rapists and whether that is something Gardner still supports, Siciliano did not respond further." [KDVR, 9/3/14]
Thom Tillis believes that states have the right to ban contraceptives. Cory Gardner sponsored a bill that would have resulted in longer sentences for doctors who provide care for rape victims than to for the rapists themselves. Those are facts. And that is only the tip of the iceberg for each Senate candidate's record on women's issues. Now, both candidates are suddenly supporting over-the-counter birth control and claiming they are the better choice for women than their opponents. It's desperate election-year pandering. It's insulting. And it's fooling nobody. No two senate candidates have been more strongly committed in their careers to taking away women's access to health care and ability to make their own decisions.New Web Ad: Thom Tillis Forgot To Tell You A Few Things
Thom Tillis released a new TV ad today telling you a few things about his background and his record. The only problem? He forgot the facts. Nearly everything Tillis says in the ad is completely undermined by the truth about his record as Speaker of the North Carolina State House. From massive education cuts and budget shortfalls to tax cuts for the wealthiest North Carolinians in a perfectly Koch-aligned agenda, one thing is clear: Tillis does not want to talk to you about his record in the legislature. It's a record he's obviously so proud of that in this new ad he conveniently fails to mention that he has anything to do with the very legislative body he presides over. So we decided to help Speaker Tillis out and fill in some of the crucial context he was unable to fit into his new ad.
Shot/Chaser: Speaker Tillis Goes To Washington
"[Tillis] previously told The Insider, a political newsletter, that there is a chance that the legislature would adjourn its 2014 lawmaking session without approving a budget, a prospect that would leave teachers without raises."
Thom Tillis Is Back And More Racially Divisive Than Ever
You may remember him from his hit single "Divide and Conquer." Well he's back with an all new track. Your…
Thom Tillis Is Frustrated By "Emotional" Female Colleague
Thom Tillis has a clear record when it comes to women. And it's not good. Tillis supports a personhood amendment that could make some forms of birth control illegal. He passed legislation that threatened to close women's health care clinics in North Carolina. And he even believes states should have the right to make birth control illegal entirely. So it's no surprise when Tillis's attacks on women extend beyond his legislation and into his personal comments and behavior. Coming under fire this week after a film tax credit that supports North Carolina was killed in committee, Tillis let his true colors shine though. While he previously supported the credit, Tillis was notably quiet after the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity railed against it--a group that has also poured millions upon millions into false advertisements attacking his Senate opponent. So when a female legislator, Susi Hamilton, called Tillis out for betraying North Carolina's film community, he brushed her criticism off as being "born out of emotions." Thom Tillis. No friend of women.
Thom Tillis is a Fraidycat
Speaker Tillis, what do you have to hide, sir?
But the House isn’t making it easy on the Democratic group – prohibiting them from filming at times in the center gallery above the chamber and imposing tougher restrictions. Under new informal rules from the sergeant-at-arms and Tillis’ office, the trackers are not allowed to set up tripods and use the center gallery area, which they say is reserved for credentialed media. No such restrictions exist in the Senate.You can read the whole report at the News & Observer here.
Thom Tillis: Clueless On North Carolina Teacher Pay
Since Thom Tillis became Speaker in of the North Carolina House of Representatives, teachers have suffered. Proving his extreme conservative…
MEMO: Thom Tillis? Bring it On
North Carolina Senate candidate Thom Tillis, foe of working families and wannabe Tea Party hero, managed to drag his feet across the finish line in today's Republican primary thanks to $2.5 million in support from establishment GOP groups like Crossroads. Now that Tillis has sufficiently touted his extreme conservative positions and record to advance from this far right primary, he is well on his way to defeat in November. Don't take my word for it - take a look at Tillis's abysmal track record in the state house and his extreme rhetoric on the campaign trail. In the state legislature, Tillis has cut education funding by nearly $500 million, bragged about rejecting federal funds for Medicaid expansion, raised taxes on 80% of North Carolinians, made it harder for North Carolinians to exercise their right to vote, and slashed funding for women's health clinics. As he scurried to the right in this bruising primary, Tillis's extreme rhetoric has been on full display. Tillis has said he would consider eliminating the minimum wage, recently claimed that climate change is not a proven fact, has said he thinks states should have the right to ban birth control, supports personhood, and joined national Tea Party leaders in supporting last fall's government shutdown. Couple Tillis's extreme views with his well documented ethical lapses and history of pay-to-play and you have a recipe for his defeat in the Tar Heel state.
Tillis's Electricity Tax Omission from Tuesday Night Debate
At last night's Republican primary debate in the North Carolina Senate race, Thom Tillis credited low North Carolina electricity prices for growing the state's manufacturing sector. What Tillis failed to mention in his answer, however, is that he helped push through the legislature a tax package last year that raised the combined state sales tax on electricity to 7%.