Plunkett had ‘inappropriate’ relationship with member of house speaker’s staff
The Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina has ended its relationship with lobbyist Dean Plunkett, who admitting May 2 to having an improper relationship with a staff member of Rep. Thom Tillis (R-Charlotte), the N.C. General Assembly’s Speaker of the House.
Plunkett was asked to resign by CCA officials and did so almost immediately. A CCA-NC official said that if Plunkett hadn’t resigned, the organization that represents North Carolina’s recreational saltwater anglers would have dismissed him.
“CCA of North Carolina has terminated its agreement with lobbyist Dean Plunkett,” Stephen Ammons, CCA-NC’s executive director, said in a news release.
“This decision was based on statements made by Speaker Thom Tillis on May 1 regarding Mr. Plunkett.
“We have requested and received Dean Plunkett’s resignation. Our organization was unaware of the situation that Speaker Tillis referenced…. CCA has never received special treatment from the Speaker’s office or anyone else at the General Assembly.”
A lobbyist who represented different clients on a contract basis, Plunkett represented CCA-NC in its attempts to get the saltwater gamefish-status bill (H 353) passed. The bill would make it illegal for commercial fishermen to catch and sell spotted sea trout, red drum and striped bass from North Carolina waters.
Plunkett also represented the recreational fishing group during a discussion earlier this year by the Joint Legislative Committee on Marine Resources of possible changes in saltwater fisheries management in the state.
Tillis said he questioned staff members last week and discovered one of his policy advisers, Amy Hobbs, had a romantic relationship with Plunkett. Hobbs later resigned.
Earlier, Tillis had to ask for the resignation of his chief of staff, Charles Thomas, who had an alleged affair with Jessica Hayes, lobbyist for the N.C. Homebuilders Association.
According to the Raleigh News & Observer, Plunkett also lost another lobbying client after the disclosure of his relationship with Hobbs.
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