Ellie Kinnaird; Photo Courtesy PBS
CHAPEL HILL – Sen. Ellie Kinnaird (Dem.), who served nine terms as state senator for Orange and Chatham Counties, announced Monday that she is resigning her position from the state senate. She served as the mayor of Carrboro from 1987 to 1996.
Hear the full interview, in two parts, below:
**Kinnaird released this letter Monday about her decision:
08-19-13
Dear Friends,
This is my last newsletter to you. After a great deal of thought, I have decided to resign my position in the North Carolina Senate. It has been a great privilege and I have been honored to be chosen to represent the people of this district. Thank you for the opportunity to serve in this way, thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas and for your support over the years.
It has also been a pleasure to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate and our superb, professional legislative staff as well as elected officials and their staff in the towns and counties in the district. I have years of happy memories working to make a difference in the lives of the people of North Carolina. I want to say a special thank you to Kathie Young, my Legislative Assistant, whom many of you know as the warm and welcoming voice to all who call or come to the office. Kathie and I have been friends and political workers together for over 30 years. When I was elected, I asked her to come with me on this journey and it has been a happy shared adventure and partnership for seventeen years.
What led me to this decision are the actions taken by the Republican majority in the legislature that has been a shocking reversal of the many progressive measures that I and many others have worked so hard to enact: measures that over the years had made North Carolina a model of moderate-to-progressive, pro-business but also pro-people public policy in the South. From the Republicans’ denial of health care security for our people to their failure to promote a vibrant work force through support for our education systems at all levels and from their tax cuts for the wealthy and their tax increases for the poor and middle class to their efforts to deny people their right to vote, they have been pursuing a divisive and, I think, immoral agenda. The needless pain and suffering the Republicans have brought upon us that I have written about add up to a huge setback for North Carolinians from all walks of life. My own personal sadness is the dismantling of my environmental, social justice and death penalty efforts.
I am heartened, however, by the many grassroots efforts to fight for the rights, the health and safety and the opportunities our people need and deserve from the Moral Monday movement to the many non-governmental organizations that advocate for the people of our state, not the special interests. It is here that I want and need to put my energy and efforts. I am working with others on a grass-roots project to make sure everyone in the state has a proper voter ID so that no votes are denied, even though the Voter ID bill is aimed at exactly that – repressing the vote. I am going to work for candidates in the next election who reflect our values. The values of all those who came to Moral Mondays and who have contacted me by emails, calls and letters expressing your dismay at what has happened to our progressive and forward-looking state. I look forward to working together to change this course and restore our state to the shining beacon it was for so long.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve the people of this district.
My best to each and every one of you.
Ellie
So, she could not any longer get her way so she is going to pout and go home! Do we have that right? Maybe the protesters in Egypt should take a lesson from Ellie and maybe the US Congress should withhold aid to North Carolina based on the actions of the protesters.
There – that will teach those smelly Republicans.
…or she decided to give up the seat she wasn’t going to run for again anyway in order to more effectively focus on an issue she cares about (voter registration and reversing voter ID). Ad hominem attacks are the last refuge of the thoughtless.
@ Anonymous Man
Well, I’ll see your ad hominem and raise you another. Kinnaird has spent way too much time in the sheltered workshop of democrat dominance in Carrboro/Chapel and the Democrat controlled legislature. She could just not deal with not being able to have it her way. She can spend her time, energy, talent and resources as she chooses as a private citizen. Hopefully the additional time she has will serve to improve her perspective as to the will of the people of North Carolina and not the will of the Carrboro Town Council.
The will of the people was demonstrated in 2012 when more Dem votes were cast that Repubs so if not the gerrymandering there would still be real freedom in this state.
YES ! If busing to get those I.D.’s is what it takes I will contribute $5 occasionally out of my fixed income for your effort. I like it > BUSING to help voters gain I.D.’s > This has been a good tool in the past. I will help anyway I can. I give you my admiration.
@ Pamela Gray –
Please apply your due diligence to how Ms. Kinnaird spends your ADMIRATION.
Working to get voter ID’s is the logical point to address next. I admire Ellie Kinnaird
and would be happy to join in her grassroots initiative.
We are quite sure she is accepting contributions. Knock yourself out!