Raleigh – Senator Tillis earlier this year skipped a Veterans’ Affairs hearing that discussed “bills addressing veterans’ mental health care, homeless veterans and a bill that would address exposure to potentially toxic substances at Camp Lejeune” to instead attend a political fundraiser – yet another example of how Tillis has failed North Carolina’s military families.

As our state continues to reflect on the service and sacrifices of our veterans this week, a look back at Senator Tillis’ record shows that he puts his reelection chances ahead of North Carolina’s military families – from his flip-flop on the emergency declaration which cost North Carolina’s military bases $80 million in funding to skipping a Veterans’ Affairs hearing for a political fundraiser.

Tillis and his campaign “attacked his then-opponent for doing the same thing in 2014,” calling it “absolutely unacceptable” and “unbelivabl[e].” Tillis was later forced to admit he skipped the hearing to fundraise with Washington Republicans by saying he was “there in the morning” … at a hearing for a different committee. Making a bad situation worse for Tillis, he didn’t benefit from the fundraiser at all – any money raised “went to Trump Victory and not to Tillis.”

Tillis’ primary challenger Garland Tucker has also slammed Tillis for his hypocritical move, calling it “more Swamp politics.” “Actually, the Vice President didn’t come to North Carolina for a fundraiser to elect Thom Tillis. He came for a fundraiser to raise money for President Trump’s campaign. But that’s not the story Thom Tillis spun to the press. Tillis’ spin was more Swamp politics,” Tucker told Conservative HQ.

WBTV: Tillis skipped Senate VA Committee hearing to attend fundraiser in Greensboro
By Nick Ochsner
May 27, 2019

Key Points:

• Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) missed a hearing of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee last week to attend a fundraiser in Greensboro.

• Tillis is a member of the committee, which held a hearing last Wednesday afternoon to consider a range of legislation, including bills addressing veterans’ mental health care, homeless veterans and a bill that would address exposure to potentially toxic substances at Camp Lejeune, a Marine base in eastern North Carolina.

• Later on Wednesday, Tillis missed a number of floor votes in the Senate, including one to confirm a new federal judge in the Western District of North Carolina.

• When asked why Tillis decided to skip the VA Committee hearing, a spokesman for the senator did not directly answer the question.

• Tillis’ decision to skip Wednesday’s hearing to raise money for his political campaign comes after he attacked his then-opponent for doing the same thing in 2014.