Public officials who are willing to put their own interests aside to serve the people are few and far between. That is why I want to recognize and thank Representative Wiley Nickel for setting the right example when he gave up his personal stocks upon his election to Congress. His actions avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, which is high moral ground.
Here's an editorial from WRAL summarizing the many lies and hypocrisy of Tricia Cotham.
Expedient politicians conveniently have short memories. State Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County is the latest exhibit #1. Her failure to stand and be counted for one of the most critical votes of this legislative session along with her subsequent defection from the Democratic Party and embrace of the Republican Party reflects a stark abandonment of the integrity and honesty she owes her constituents.
FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTERS MUST BE STOPPED BEFORE THEY HAPPEN: When a train operated by Norfolk Southern carrying toxic chemicals was derailed in eastern Ohio, nearly 2,000 residents of East Palestine were told to evacuate due to the threat of an explosion. While officials reported no clear evidence of groundwater contamination due to the incident, residents who have returned to the area have reported symptoms such as headaches and vomiting. The clean up of the crash sites involves shipping millions of gallons of wastewater and contaminated soil out of state. It hasn’t been made entirely clear to what extent the derailment was due to gross negligence of Norfolk Southern or the train operators – in fact, the preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board seem to dismiss this case as nothing more than a fluke accident. But we’ve seen these “fluke” accidents happen before – caused by a lack of regulation and oversight, ultimately leading to dangerous environmental disasters. Another “fluke” accident? The notorious Duke Energy coal ash spill of 2014 — a pipe that randomly burst leading to ash release from one of Duke Energy’s coal ash ponds into the Dan River. In the case of Norfolk Southern, the train derailment comes after a 2015 Obama administration rule requiring the installation of electronic braking systems was overturned by the Trump administration. Whether Duke Energy or Norfolk Southern, it’s only after the disaster has happened that we recognize the dangers of cost cutting and the lack of vital safety protocols. These corporations will continue to cut corners, they will continue to not show up and politicians will continue to let them get away with it. It will come as no surprise to readers that 3 of the 4 NTSB Board members are Trump appointees serving out their 5 year terms. Of course they would call the derailment a "fluke," because they should have raised hell when the rule was overturned. https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2023/04/opinion-mary-blake-nobles-maya-ticku-environmental-disa...
When personal power is your only motivation, it's easy to fall from whatever moral foundation you might once have had. The allure of being one of the Cool Kids is compelling, the power is yours for the taking. Just sell what's left of your soul -- a little sex here, a little redistricting there, a secret handshake. All good, all doable, as long as you don't have to look in the mirror.
It's hard to know what Tricia Cotham sees when she looks in the mirror. A traitor or a truthteller? A savior or a snowflake? A patriot or a prostitute?
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