N.C. Rep. Cary Allred
The House is investigating a series of incidents Monday night in which a House member is accused of being intoxicated and inappropriately hugging a teenage page.
State Rep. Cary Allred, a Burlington Republican, denied in an interview Thursday any inappropriate behavior or being intoxicated. The page was a family friend and Allred said he hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.
Allred said that he remembers having one cocktail before leaving for Monday night's House session.
"That's all I remember," Allred said.
Allred was also stopped for speeding on the way to the House Monday afternoon. Allred said he was asked to produce identification beyond his drivers license and he showed the trooper his legislative ID. The trooper let Allred go with an admonishment to slow down, Allred said.
Allred said he is the subject of a "witch-hunt" because he is outspoken and frequently challenges House Speaker Joe Hackney.
"I think it's an effort to embarrass me because I am a conservative Republican from Alamance County, and he's a liberal Democrat from Chapel Hill," Allred said.
Hackney said he received various reports of the speeding incident, drinking by Allred and an "embrace" with a page. He asked the House sergeant at arms to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the matter.
"Speeding is not in my jurisdiction but the other two incidents it appear have to do with conduct on the House floor. I have simply asked the House sergeant-at-at arms, who is in charge of the House floor together with me to conduct what i would characterize as a preliminary inquiry to gather whatever facts there are to determine if any referral beyond this stage is appropriate," Hackney said.
As the House Session wound to a close Thursday, Allred told House members that he was proud of having sponsored the 17-year-old page.
"She's like my granddaughter," Allred said.
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