As many of you know, it has emerged over the past few days that North Carolina State Senator James Forrester, the principal author of the proposed state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, was lying about his medical credentials. He claims to be a fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine and an associate fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association--but we now know that he isn't even a member of either body.
Well, late Friday afternoon, WRAL-TV state capitol bureau chief Laura Leslie dug up yet another lie.
The senator's campaign website also says he is a member of the American Medical Association. An AMA spokesperson says Forrester is not a member.
Forrester claims these are merely inadvertent errors. That's awfully hard to believe, considering that this is the THIRD one to come to light, and the fact that the "errors" are still on his campaign Website. Moreover, ACPM executive director Michael Barry told Leslie that Forrester was a fellow of that organization back in 1984, but hasn't been a dues-paying member since at least the mid-1990s. At this point, it can be safely said that Forrester's lies have gotten to the point that he is no longer fit for office.
Think about it, folks. People in the private sector have been fired for lesser misrepresentations than this. Should elected officials be any different?
It's hard to believe, but this guy is the deputy president pro tem of the state senate--the second-ranking Republican in the chamber. If he's in office for much longer, it'll tell us a lot about the North Carolina GOP. The signal must go out to the state senate Republican leadership--this guy needs to go. Now.
Here's contact information for the Republican state senate leadership:
President Pro Tem: Phil Berger
Email: Phil.Berger@ncleg.net
Phone: (919) 733-5708
Majority Leader: Harry Brown
Email: Harry.Brown@ncleg.net
Phone: (919) 715-3034
Majority Whip: Jerry Tillman
Email: Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net
Phone: (919) 733-5870
Oh, and for good measure, here's Forrester's contact info:
Email: James.Forrester@ncleg.net
Phone: (919) 715-3050