#ncga: Hager targets MeckGOP chairman

It appears Curtis Watkins brought a knife to a gunfight. ( Mike Hager appears to be packin’ heat.)  The majority leader has responded to Watkins’s tactics via an email to colleagues and supportershager

It was reported yesterday in the Daily Haymaker that Curtis Watkins, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County GOP, has been calling Republicans in Rutherford County seeking someone to primary me. A very trusted close friend was called and related the following to me;

“An individual called identifying himself as Curtis Watkins, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County GOP. He continued by saying, “NC House Leadership is not happy with your current representative”. He asked if I would primary you. Informed me that he could make sure I was “fully funded” to run a campaign against the incumbent Majority Leader. I told him that we didn’t operate that way in Rutherford County.”

As you can immediately conclude, Curtis Watkins is in violation of the Party’s Plan of Organization in addition to the unwritten rules with regard to the proper conduct of a county party chairman. I have lodged my complaints with the state party and local party officials. I believe Curtis Watkins should be removed from his chairmanship. I ask you to call the state party to voice your opinion also. 

If the above infractions are not enough, Curtis Watkins attempted to speak for House Leadership of which I am a member. Through this action he lied and propagated a story that casts a negative light on all of us. Under NO circumstances or scenario do I believe that anyone in NC House Leadership (Moore, Jeter, Stam, Avila, Hurley Arp, Fraley, Bradford, or anyone else) is involved in motivating Curtis Watkins to seek a primary opponent against me! […] 

Hager then turns his fire on Charlotte billionaire businessman / environmentalist Jay Faison:

[…] However, Curtis Watkins does have outside motivation for his actions… He is employed by Clear Path, an organization founded and financed by Jay Faison (www.clearpath.org). Mr. Faison is a wealthy businessman from Charlotte that is heavily connected with Big Solar in NC. Mr. Faison through Clear Path has pledged large sums of money to convince Republicans the overall (unfounded) value of renewables in reducing carbon emissions.curtis1-270x250

Mr. Faison is disingenuous, basing his support of renewables as the best measure to reduce carbon emissions. In the several conversations I have had with Mr. Faison he has consistently avoided discussing Nuclear, Hydro, or Natural Gas and how they are the cleanest (and cheapest) forms of energy production. If a reduction in carbon emissions was indeed his end goal why would he not begin the conversation discussing the cleanest forms of energy production?

I believe the truth is Mr. Faison is just another proponent of Solar Mandates and Subsidies with a desire to leverage state law to fund their personal profiteering off the backs of taxpayers and energy ratepayers.

I represent a major roadblock to Mr. Faison’s ability to achieve his objectives successfully, because I will NOT be bribed by any special interest to fund their desires at the cost of our citizens! I refuse to use the force of law to make the citizens of North Carolina (who are also energy ratepayers) subsidize solar while being forced to forced to purchase a more expensive and unreliable form of energy! 

I wanted to let each of you know the violation of trust by Curtis Watkins and let you know about Jay Faison (and his objectives). More importantly I wanted to let each of you know that I do not believe anyone within leadership or the caucus had anything to do with the actions of Curtis Watkins.

Sincerely,

 mike h sig 10001
Representative Mike Hager
House Majority Leader
District 112