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NC’s Speaker of the House ‘resigns’ from ‘progressive liberal media’

In an odd statement from Rep. Thom Tillis, the State Speaker of the House told media Saturday he was “embracing (the) reality” of a media allegedly controlled by the left-wing.

Jordan Shaw, Tillis' spokesman, said Eyewitness News was the first news agency to inform him of Rep. Tillis' email.

Shaw does not think this message was targeted directly at the media and said all of his supporters received the email Saturdaymorning. Tillis also posted a link to the statement on his Facebook page.

“His message is in response to some stories that have had a tangible bias in them,” Shaw said.

According to Shaw, Tillis has had some “heartburn” from the media in the past and believes that some reports are left-winged and show clear bias. Shaw said his job puts him in a hard position. There are a collection of reporters who work directly with the elected officials in Raleigh every day and he thinks there are examples of press bias.

He also said, “There are examples of the press doing what we think they should do, which is reporting the facts.”

Shaw said Tillis will not sugarcoat what he feels and also enjoys being in conversation on social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook.

"The phrase 'I resign myself to the fact that the press is going to be biased' is just a phrase, and nothing else. In the end, Tillis is not resigning from his position; but he is allegedly resigning from accepting that the media reports unbiased stories," Shaw said.

Around 2 p.m. Saturday, Shaw said he had spoken with Tillis who told him the resignation was a "tongue-in-cheek effort at a joke."

“Speaker Tillis is a very outspoken and direct person,” Shaw said.

Shaw initially attributed the released from Tillis as having been potentially triggered by an interaction, possibly even with the press. However, he later said Tillis told him nothing had triggered the statement, he was just using his website, Facebook and Twitter to engage as many people as possible on a Saturday.

"It's just his personality," Shaw said.

Tillis has not issued a subsequent statement outlining what a resignation from the media means for the Speaker’s office. He has committed to a phone call interview Saturday afternoon.

Here is his statement:

"Friends, 

I have concluded that most (but not all) of the mainstream media will not report on a balanced basis.  Either through deadline calls, sloppy reporting, and/or momentary memory lapses, many will continue to report with a bias towards a liberal or progressive liberal stance.  You need only peruse their blogs, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts to see clear evidence of this.  The continued partisan and sometimes ruthless antics of the left aided by some in the mainstream press, will continue to threaten or stifle legitimate efforts to improve the situation in North Carolina for all involved. 

Therefore, effective today, I have resigned myself to embracing this reality and making the best of it.

Wait a minute, you weren't thinking something else were you?  In fact, my resignation has inspired me to adapt an old joke I heard years ago--all in fun.

A newspaper reporter saw a man walking out of the Democratic National Convention when he saw a vicious pit bull had broken away from its owner.  The dog was charging a small child who would have almost certainly been killed but the man grabbed the dog and threw it over a ledge to its death.

The reporter rushed up to the man and said, "Sir, you are a true hero.  Tomorrow the headlines will read BRAVE DEMOCRATIC ACTIVIST RISKS LIFE TO SAVE TODDLER."

The man said "Actually, I'm a republican."

The reporter said "Okay but it still was brave so we will run with LOCAL CITIZEN ADVERTS DOG BITE."

The man said "That is very nice of you but in the spirit of full disclosure I must tell you I am the republican Speaker of the House in North Carolina and I'm just leaving a peaceful protest at the Democratic Convention."

The reporter looked at the man, closed his notebook, and walked away.

The next morning the headlines read "RIGHT WING EXTREMIST PROTESTER KILLS FAMILY PET."

Have a great weekend,  Thom T."

The statement was posted on Tillis' website, Facebook page and sent to media outlets across the state.

Customer beaten during armed robbery in Granite Falls

Granite Falls Police are looking for two suspects accused of brutally beating a customer during a robbery Saturday morning. 

It happened at the Citgo on South Main Street, just off Highway 321.  Police said the suspects beat the customer so badly he had to be hospitalized.  

Investigators tell Eyewitness News they believe the same suspects are connected to another robbery Saturday morning at a Tastee Freez restaurant a few miles away in Hudson.

We are talking with police and working to get more information about the suspects and the condition of the customer.   

Stay with Eyewitness News for more on this developing story.

Race for governor could be a Charlotte showdown

Charlotte mayor Anthony Foxx is exploring a possible candidacy for governor, but political experts told Eyewitness News it would be tough for him to succeed in a statewide race.

Thursday, Foxx said he's discussing the decision with his family and friends.

If he decides to run, voter Shannon Kee said he'd be doing a disservice to the city, given the region's 10 percent unemployment rate.

"I think Mayor Foxx is doing a great job in Charlotte and should stay right here in Charlotte. I don't think he's done doing what he has to do here yet," Kee said.

But other voters said even if Foxx decides he wants to serve the entire state, it reflects positively on the Queen City.

"The bigger, the better. If he's going to do big things, he's still representing Charlotte," said voter Kelly Norris. "He came from Charlotte, he's a Charlotte resident, he's representing us still, no matter what he does."

Political science professor Joseph Ellis says name recognition would be a big problem for Foxx.

"You're going from a mayoral race, where you're the voice, the candidate of a city, to the governor of North Carolina," Ellis said.

But the Wingate University professor said the spotlight of the DNC in September would help Foxx's electability.

"Anthony Foxx certainly has that sort of wow factor that you can promote. You can promote that almost nationally," Ellis said.

The last three Charlotte mayors, including Republican hopeful Pat McCrory, lost their bids for statewide office.

Mayor Foxx has $356,000 left over from his mayoral race that he could use in a run for governor.