McClatchy’s Paul Specht reports on the just-released ‘red flags’ that apparently kept former Gov. Pat McCrory out of the Trump administration.
Apparently McCrory was considered for Department of Energy secretary, but his ties to Duke Energy–McCrory worked for Duke Energy for nearly three decades—is an understandable red flag. However, some of the other ‘red flags’ are less understandable, given Trump administration policies over the last two-and-a-half years:
Trump’s team listed other red flags in this order:
*McCrory “refused to concede” the 2016 election. The file cites a Huffington Post story.
*McCrory “signed legislation removing an estimated 170,000 jobless workers from the unemployment benefit rolls.” The file cites a Washington Post story.
*He “signed legislation mandating a 72-hour waiting period before an abortion.” The file cites an MSNBC blog.
*He signed HB2, “banning transgender people from using bathrooms that match their gender identity.” The file cites a pair of Huffington Post stories.
*He was suspected of protecting Duke Energy, his former employer, after a coal ash spill. The file cites a (Greensboro) News & Record story and several others.
Last but not least, “Trump’s team also warned that McCrory has ‘thin skin'” who, as Rep. Charles Jeter is quoted, “takes criticism personally.” Indeed that was one of McCrory’s faults, at least in my opinion; but while President Trump is known as a battler and a fighter–and he is on many issues—he also shows a thin skin when some media attacks are better off just being ignored.
It’s worth noting that McCrory was just one of many potential administration employees who were “red flagged”—Axios obtained obtained vetting documents and, well—let’s just say McCrory was not the only individual who set off red flags. By far.