More Indictments Coming in NCGOP ‘Insurance-Gate’ Scandal?

RALEIGH – The NCGOP Chairman, a major political donor, and others, have been indicted on charges including bribery. The scandal is causing observers to extrapolate potential electoral fall out for other politicians that took money from the donor, what the scandal may mean for the NCGOP in 2020 elections, and whether or not investigators have bothered to look at a former statewide elected official that very well may have had a shady relationship with this same special interest donor.

But wait, before fires up their crystal balls to see how this scandal plays in the future, we might want to make sure there aren’t more shoes to drop. After all, according to Republican Commissioner of Insurance Mike Causey, who blow the lid off this whole crony donor scheme, there could be more indictments yet to come.

Federal indictments against the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, a top political donor and two of his associates on bribery charges could be just the beginning of the scandal that’s rocked the state’s political landscape once again.

“There could be more indictments to come,” said Republican Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, the public official who the four are accused of trying to bribe.“We don’t know what may happen. And with a case this complex and complicated, it may takes months and months and months or years to get everything sorted out.” […]

Some party officials are begging Hayes to resign, to clear way for new leadership and begin the process of earning back the confidence of voters before the 2020 elections.

“[…] at least one member of the NC GOP central committee who called for Hayes to resign. Others called for the same thing, though the state party’s lack of succession plans and complex meeting rules made resigning less of an option, several Republican officials said.

“He should in the interest of the party divorce himself completely from the party,” said Carl Mischka, the GOP chairman in the 3rd District. “Robin’s got to resign. We’ve got to be able to create a distance between his indictment and the party and go on with the party work.” […]”

While most of the attention is being paid Hayes and Lindberg (and rightly so), too easily lost in the discussion is the flip side of the coin. While Hayes exhibited horrible, unethical judgement, that stands to seriously damage the party, Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey stands out as a public servant with integrity.

Some have suggested that it is Causey that has hurt the party by playing the role of ‘snitch.’ But if we are to hold ourselves to the kind of standard we profess to want in public office, we must be acknowledge that what Causey did was absolutely honorable. As much as Hayes should be made an example of what not to do, Causey should be a case study in leading with honor.

Causey’s actions – resisting unethical or illegal ploys under immense pressure from his party leader and a huge donor, and cooperating with law enforcement to hold those men accountable for such transgressions – are something Republicans can be proud of. It is not often that politicians have the spine to resist such shady dealings, especially when those dealings promise a huge pile of reelection campaign funds.

As the scandal plays out, with more indictments possible, Mike Causey should be applauded for his loyalty to doing the right thing. It is only with more guys like Causey, and less like Hayes, that the Republican Party of North Carolina will be successful.