In a new piece published today, the Capitol Broadcasting Company’s Editorial board slammed Republican Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis for trying to curry favor with President Trump instead of addressing the immediate needs of their constituents as millions of Americans remain out of work.

“In recent weeks the two seem to make it a bigger priority to back up President Donald Trump than attending to the needs of North Carolinians,” the editorial board wrote. “No one should believe, for a minute, that there is ANY connection between the selfish self-interested priorities of Trump and the most urgent needs, concerns or benefits of North Carolina’s citizens.”

The authors also slammed President Trump and the Republican Senate for having “done nothing” to support unemployed workers as federal unemployment benefits are set to expire this week. 

Tillis notably oversaw and orchestrated savage cuts to North Carolina’s unemployment benefits while he was Speaker of the state House of Representatives. Last week campaign filings showed that Tillis was outraised by Cal Cunningham by nearly $5 million in the second quarter of the year. 

CBC: Editorial: Burr and Tillis need to help N.C. more than appease Trump
 

• North Carolinians may want to issue a “silver alert” to find U.S. senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis. They’ve been off the radar when it comes to addressing the coronavirus pandemic. There’s some important business they need to attend to.

• In just days, key unemployment benefits for more than 800,000 North Carolinians will end. It is a benefit that has added $600-a week to weekly unemployment benefits paid in the “worst state to be unemployed.”

• Tillis has offered milk-toast platitudes about getting people back to work as soon as possible. Burr has not made any public comments. They must be waiting on directions from the White House to let them know what’s best to do. The concern for North Carolinians is just who are Burr and Tillis looking to please and serve?

• The Trump administration and the Senate, other than complain about the House’s plan, have done nothing. Their negligence and failure to act has resulted in an emergency.

• It is time to stop playing politics with the lives of North Carolinians. The conceptual White House relief package is larded with contingencies such as: requiring schools open in return for aid; rejecting funding states to increase testing and tracing; and cutting a payroll tax that provides NO relief to those who need it most NOW.

• Richard Burr and Thom Tillis: Offer up a clear voice in support of what North Carolina needs to survive. Just as clearly, reject what Donald Trump’s self-interests demand.

Read the full editorial HERE.