NC House Speaker Tim Moore orders removal of fellow Republican from leadership role
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore removed fellow Republican Rep. Julia Howard from her position as a senior finance committee chair Tuesday.
The move comes after Howard, one of the longest-serving members of North Carolina’s General Assembly, publicly opposed a bill that was backed by Moore and would benefit some North Carolina lawmakers who received federal coronavirus relief money from the Paycheck Protection Program. The bill, if signed into law, would give tax breaks to businesses that received those loans, including dozens of lawmakers’ businesses.
By revoking Howard’s chairmanship, Moore acted swiftly to punish a challenge to his control. With the legislature sharply divided along party lines, infighting in the speaker’s party presents a challenge to his ability to advance his, and his party’s, agenda.
A statement from House leaders on Tuesday said House Republicans in a private meeting several weeks ago “overwhelmingly voted to move forward” on the bill, only to have Howard defy that sentiment.
“Against the will of the caucus, Rep. Julia Howard in her role as one of four Senior House Finance Chairs did not move the bill,” says the statement, which says it is from the offices of Moore, Rep. Sarah Stevens and Rep. John Bell. “While we respect different viewpoints, committee chairs must be willing to put personal agendas aside and move forward with the will of the caucus.”
One key supporter of House Bill 334, Rep. John Bradford, stands to gain some $20,000 if the bill passes. Moore would also benefit from the legislation.
Howard raised concerns about the ethics of House members advancing legislation they benefited from. Supporters say it’s common for lawmakers to back legislation when they are among a large group of people who would be affected.
Unusually public dispute
The dispute between Howard and Moore over the tax legislation was an usually public show of disagreement among House leadership in North Carolina’s Republican-controlled legislature.
As House speaker, Moore is tasked with doling out committee appointments that are used to advance both his agenda and that of his party. Appointments can also be used to reward members for loyalty. Moore isn’t the only speaker to have revoked a chairmanship to punish lawmakers who do not fall in line. Nor is it the only time Moore removed Howard from a powerful position.
In 2014, former Rep. Robert Brawley resigned from his post and issued an apology after criticizing then-House Speaker Thom Tillis.
House Republicans then moved to censure Brawley, which the former lawmaker later suggested to The News & Observer was orchestrated by the speaker himself.
And in 2015, when Moore became House speaker he removed Howard from her post as finance chair. She had since returned to the position.
Now, the House finance committee will be led by three men — Reps. John Szoka, Mitchell Setzer and Bradford — who all support the legislation. Bradford also spoke alongside Moore in support of the bill at a press conference Thursday.
Forced to advance the bill?
In a committee meeting April 13, after the bill had stalled in committee for two weeks, Howard said Moore forced her to advance the bill. Moore later denied that.
“I was given orders from the speaker that we would hear this PPP bill today,” Howard said before bringing up the bill.
The bill went on to win tentative approval in the House on Thursday with Howard one of just two lawmakers voting against it.
In addition to ethical concerns, Howard said the bill left out North Carolinians who receive PPP loans after 2020 or receive unemployment insurance.
The House passed an amendment Tuesday addressing those concerns. Now the state, if the bill becomes law, would not tax unemployment insurance as income.
The N&O was not able to reach Howard or Moore early Tuesday afternoon, but the House principal clerk confirmed the speaker ordered Howard’s removal.
“At the direction of the speaker we removed Howard from the finance committee and added her to the appropriations committee,” James White told The News & Observer.
This story was originally published April 20, 2021 at 2:23 PM with the headline "NC House Speaker Tim Moore orders removal of fellow Republican from leadership role."
