Tim Moore
Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
Assumed office
January 14, 2015
Preceded byThom Tillis
Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives
from the 111th district
Assumed office
January 1, 2003
Preceded byAndy Dedmon (redistricting)
Personal details
Born
Timothy Keith Moore

(1970-10-02) October 2, 1970
Kings Mountain, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationCampbell University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA)
Oklahoma City University (JD)

Timothy Keith Moore (born October 2, 1970)[1] is an American attorney and politician who has been the speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives since 2015.[2] A Republican, Moore represents the 111th State House District, which includes Cleveland County. Moore was first elected to the state House in 2002.

Early life and education

Moore was born on October 2, 1970, in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, in the western part of the state.[1] As a teenager, Moore worked at the state General Assembly as a page, later interning for a state senator.[2]

Moore first attended Campbell College, where he joined the College Republicans. After two years he transferred to University of North Carolina, where he completed a B.A. in 1992. He was active in the student government at both colleges. He took a fight to the UNC student Supreme Court in an effort to add more members to the Student Congress.[2] In 1995, Moore graduated from the Oklahoma City University School of Law.[2]

In 1995, Moore joined a law firm in the Cleveland County town of Shelby. He opened his own law practice in Kings Mountain in 2009, representing business and individual clients.[2]

In 2015, Moore was hired by the Cleveland County Commission as an attorney for the county, serving in this role simultaneously with his position as speaker of the state House.[3]

Moore co-owns 67 Motors, a Forsyth County metal recycling business.[1]

Early political career

Moore's 2013 portrait

When Moore was 26, he was elected chair of the Cleveland County Republican Party in 1997. That same year, he was also appointed to the UNC Board of Governors; he was the youngest person to be appointed to that position.[2]

North Carolina House of Representatives

Moore was first elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 2002,[2] after defeating the incumbent House Majority Whip, Democratic Representative Andy Dedmon.[1] A staunch conservative Republican, Moore spent his first four terms in office in the minority party, as Democrats then controlled the House.[2] In 2010, the Republicans won control of the House, and Speaker Thom Tillis appointed Moore to the powerful post of chairman of the Rules Committee, where he became known for abruptly cutting off many floor debates.[2]

As part of the Republican leadership team in the House, Moore helped pass "sweeping legislation to lower taxes on business, tighten rules on abortion and voting, and decline to extend Medicaid coverage to 500,000 uninsured North Carolinians."[2] Moore opposes same-sex marriage, supported a state constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in 2012, and joined legal efforts to defend the ban.[2] However, in 2017, when a group of the state House's most conservative Republicans proposed legislation that would declare "null and void" the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) (which held that there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage), Moore blocked the bill from advancing in the state House.[4]

In 2014 Moore was one of the state House's biggest campaign fundraisers.[2] His skill at fundraising for the Republican Party contributed to his election as speaker of the North Carolina House in 2015.[2]

Moore and State Senator Harry Brown were the top two North Carolina lawmakers to gain substantial earmarked funding for their districts in the 2015 state budget, securing a collective total of $19 million. Moore defended his use of earmarks for projects in his district.[5]

Speaker of the House

Moore was a sponsor in 2016 of House Bill 2,[6] a controversial "bathroom bill" barring transgender individuals from using bathrooms that conform to their gender identity. After the U.S. Department of Justice said that the legislation violated federal anti-discrimination law and demanded that the state cease implementation,[7] Moore rejected the DOJ's position and accused the Obama administration of "bullying", saying, "The deadline will come and go. We will take no action."[8]

Moore has opposed curbs on gerrymandering in North Carolina. In a legal suit against partisan gerrymandering in the state, Moore and his state Senate counterpart (Republican Phil Berger) urged the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court's ruling that the partisan gerrymandering of North Carolina's congressional districts was unconstitutional.[9][10]

In 2018, Moore won a third term as speaker of the House.[11]

In 2018, following a mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Moore established a North Carolina House Select Committee on School Safety.[12][13] Moore rejected Democratic proposals to discuss changes to gun laws,[14] and the committee never took up gun control proposals.[13] Moore instead proposed the use of volunteer officers to guard schools.[14]

In 2019, a controversy took place after emails came to light, showing that in 2016, a high-ranking aide to Moore had corresponded with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) about a Siler City chicken processing plant co-owned by Moore that was being offered for sale.[15][16] At the aide's request, DEQ approved the plant's participation in a state subsidy program that provided $22,000 for the repair of a leaking underground storage tank at the factory,[16] which may have aided in the sale of the plant.[15] The revelation prompted the Campaign for Accountability to file a complaint with the North Carolina State Ethics Commission.[15][16] Moore denied knowledge of the emails.[15][16] A previous complaint against Moore regarding the Siler City chicken plant was dismissed in 2018.[17]

In 2019, Democratic Governor Roy Cooper vetoed the state budget. On the morning of September 11, 2019, during a calendared legislative session Moore called a vote to override the veto of the state budget. The override passed on a vote of 55–9. Nearly half of members were absent during the vote, most of the absent members were Democrats.[18] Democrats in the state House were greatly angered by the Republicans' move, saying that Moore and other House Republican leaders had made assurances that no votes would be called during the morning session. Moore defended the vote and said that he had made no pledges that no vote would take place.[18][19]

In 2021, a new 13th congressional district was created that included Moore's home of Cleveland County. While Moore was expected to run for the seat, he said he would not after Madison Cawthorn announced his candidacy. Moore said he would run for another House term.[20]

Ethics investigations

Moore has been investigated for state ethics violations. None of the allegations have resulted in charges of wrongdoing.

In 2015, an article[21] written by a local journalist prompted an FBI inquiry into Moore's campaign reports.[22] The FBI declined to comment on the inquiry and the bureau never filed charges regarding the allegations of wrongdoing.[22]

In 2019, Moore's legislative aides engaged with the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in regards to a property Moore owned.[23] Moore and his business partners sold that property to Mountaire Farms, an Arkansas-based poultry conglomerate that is a donor to North Carolina Republicans, for a 650% profit.[24] The North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics reviewed the complaint and information resulting from the staff's investigation. The investigating panel from the State Elections and Ethics Board unanimously voted to dismiss the complaint upon conclusion of their inquiry.[25]

In 2023, a suit was brought by Scott Lassiter, a Wake Soil and Water Conservation District and former Apex Town Council member, alleging that Moore had enticed Lassiter's wife into an affair. Moore said the lawsuit was baseless.[26]

Personal life

Moore is divorced and has two sons.[1]

Electoral history

2020

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2020[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 24,491 63.52%
Democratic Jennifer Childers 14,063 36.48%
Total votes 38,554 100%
Republican hold

2018

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2018[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 16,511 65.41%
Democratic David C. Brinkley 8,733 34.59%
Total votes 25,244 100%
Republican hold

2016

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2016[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 25,398 100%
Total votes 25,398 100%
Republican hold

2014

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2014[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 15,338 100%
Total votes 15,338 100%
Republican hold

2012

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2012[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 22,441 100%
Total votes 22,441 100%
Republican hold

2010

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2010[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 11,972 65.12%
Democratic Mary S. Accor 6,413 34.88%
Total votes 18,385 100%
Republican hold

2008

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2008[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 20,077 100%
Total votes 20,077 100%
Republican hold

2006

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2006[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 9,841 60.72%
Democratic Betsy H. Fonvielle 6,367 39.28%
Total votes 16,208 100%
Republican hold

2004

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2004[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore (incumbent) 14,392 55.45%
Democratic Kathryn H. Hamrick 11,565 44.55%
Total votes 25,957 100%
Republican hold

2002

North Carolina House of Representatives 111th district general election, 2002[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tim Moore 9,790 52.97%
Democratic Andy Dedmon (incumbent) 8,693 47.03%
Total votes 18,483 100%
Republican gain from Democratic

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gary D. Robertson, Likely NC speaker talks honesty, bipartisanship, Associated Press (January 2, 2015).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Jim Morrill, Tim Moore set to jump from small town to big stage of N.C. House speaker, News & Observer (January 10, 2015).
  3. ↑ Jim Morrill, NC House Speaker Tim Moore hired as Cleveland County attorney, Charlotte Observer (July 11, 2015).
  4. ↑ Colin Campbell, Proposed gay marriage ban is dead in NC House, speaker says, News & Observer (April 13, 2017).
  5. ↑ Colin Campbell, "NC House speaker, Senate budget writer send money home", Charlotte Observer, October 25, 2015, accessed May 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ "House Bill 2 / S.L. 2016-3". NCGA. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  7. ↑ Colin Campbell (May 5, 2016). "NC leaders divided on whether they'll meet Obama administration's deadline on House Bill 2". Charlotte Observer.
  8. ↑ Helmore, Edward (May 6, 2016). "North Carolina defiant over 'bathroom bill' deadline: 'We will take no action'". The Guardian. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  9. ↑ Will Doran, NC legislative leaders to ask Supreme Court to halt judges' order to redraw districts, Charlotte Observer (August 29, 2018).
  10. ↑ Tom Bullock, Speaker Moore Calls NC 'Model' For Redistricting, WFAE (January 17, 2018).
  11. ↑ Moore Is Republicans' Choice For Another Speaker Term, WUNC (December 13, 2018).
  12. ↑ Moore to create school safety committee, WRAL (February 16, 2018).
  13. 1 2 Lindsay Marchello, Democratic lawmakers urge conversation on gun-control legislation, Carolina Journal (August 6, 2018).
  14. 1 2 Lynn Bonner & Jordan Schrader, Dismissing gun law changes, a top lawmaker wants volunteer officers guarding NC schools, News & Observer (February 22, 2018).
  15. 1 2 3 4 Dana Terry & Frank Stasio, NC House Speaker's Ethics Challenged Again After The Discovery Of Emails To DEQ, WUNC January 10, 2019.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Dan Kane & Will Doran, The state was reviewing Speaker Tim Moore's chicken plant. Then Moore's aide got involved., News & Observer (January 9, 2019).
  17. ↑ Will Doran & Dan Kane, Moore denies knowledge of aide’s contacts with state; earlier ethics complaint dismissed, The Herald (January 10, 2019).
  18. 1 2 Dawn Baumgartner Vaughen, Lauren Horsche & Paul A. Specht, House overrides budget veto in surprise vote with almost half of lawmakers absent, News & Observer (September 11, 2019).
  19. ↑ NC House Speaker Moore defends vote to override budget veto, WTVD (September 11, 2019).
  20. ↑ Battaglia, Danielle; Murphy, Brian; Vaughn, Dawn Baumgartner (November 12, 2021). "Cawthorn announces he'll change districts for 2022, shaking up NC elections". News & Observer. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  21. ↑ Oschner, Nick (November 6, 2015). "NC House Speaker Tim Moore amends five years of campaign reports after state audit". WBTV. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  22. 1 2 FBI to probe top House Republicans after WBTV investigation
  23. ↑ Watchdog Again Calls for Investigation of House Speaker Tim Moore for Seeking Preferential Treatment from State Agency
  24. ↑ Chickens in Raleigh
  25. ↑ "Notice of Dismissal in The Case of Timothy K. Moore". North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  26. ↑ Specht, Paul; Lamb, Amanda (June 19, 2023). "NC House Speaker sued for alienation of affection". WRAL.com. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  27. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  28. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  29. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  30. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  31. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  32. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  33. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  34. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  35. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
  36. ↑ North Carolina State Board of Elections.
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