Freshman Representative Madison Cawthorn has been hit with countless rounds of negative press, as stories reveal “allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct by several women” and his record of “making false statements about his background, issuing baseless allegations about voter fraud and demonizing his political opponents.” In new reporting this morning from the Washington Post, the North Carolina Republican Party Chair is staying silent on their scandal-embroiled congressman: “I don’t want to talk about that on the record.” 

It tells you everything you need to know about the current state of the NC GOP. 

The Washington Post writes: “Those who are perceived as attacking Trump are being disowned by the party’s leaders. Those who are seen as embracing the former president — notwithstanding serious allegations such as those against Cawthorn — are embraced or at least tolerated.”

They have made the choice that alienating independent and unaffiliated voters by racing further and further to the right is a necessary tradeoff to secure approval from Donald Trump. Some say it’s not surprising behavior from a party that follows Trump.

• An official from the Reagan and Bush administrations said: “One of the regrettable lessons Republicans have learned from the Trump years is there’s no need to apologize. The shame or embarrassment can get in the way of your political ascendancy. They don’t feel the need to explain themselves because might makes right.”
• Judge Bob Orr, who recently joined the thousands of Republican voters to leave the party and change their affiliation said: “I think hell freezes over before they say something” and won’t “be saying or doing things that are potentially detrimental to Cawthorn or anybody else that supports Trump.”

“The North Carolina Republican Party’s silence on Cawthorn speaks volumes,” said Kate Frauenfelder, a spokeswoman for the North Carolina Democratic Party. “If you’ve pledged loyalty to Trump, the NC GOP will accept you — even if you’re facing sexual harassment allegations and built a career on lies. As Republicans continue to race to the right, they’re getting further and further away from the people of North Carolina and it could cost them an election.”

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