{"id":1071,"date":"2026-06-02T11:07:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T11:07:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1071"},"modified":"2026-06-02T11:07:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T11:07:56","slug":"inappropriate-texts-from-nc-insurance-commissioner-draw-heat-from-democrats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1071","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Inappropriate\u2019 texts from NC insurance commissioner draw heat from Democrats"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

Democrats are starting to weigh in on texts The News & Observer obtained from a former state insurance department employee that raise concerns about Republican N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey\u2019s treatment of women in the workplace.<\/p>\n

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April Taylor, an eight-year employee in the department who left in March, shared texts<\/a> showing Causey commenting suggestively about her looks. \u201cI might jump your bones. Watch out!!!,\u201d one text reads.<\/p>\n

Causey told The N&O in an interview before publication that he does not recall making the texts. He also denied seeking hugs and kisses from Taylor. In one text exchange he said he went into her office for a hug, and she responded, \u201cAnd a kiss!\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor told The N&O that she won the job through a political connection. Her great-uncle was a big Causey supporter. A text exchange shows Causey telling Taylor she could write her own job description. She had no experience in insurance.<\/p>\n

Onotse Omoyeni, a spokesperson for Gov. Josh Stein, a Raleigh Democrat, said in a statement that Stein \u201cbelieves that everyone deserves to be safe and free from harassment at work.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe allegations against Commissioner Causey are deeply troubling and are inappropriate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Taylor has asked several state officials and agencies to investigate the Department of Insurance over claims of improper political activity in the workplace and a failure to follow procedures in re-licensing bail bond agents. The only response she said she received was an acknowledgment from the state auditor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n

State Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch said in an email message that State Auditor Dave Boliek should be investigating Taylor\u2019s claims. Batch noted her colleagues in the GOP-controlled legislature gave his office more money to expand investigations.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has had no shortage of opinions about agencies, state employees, and programs across this state,\u201d Batch said of Boliek, a Republican. \u201cBut when an actual state employee comes forward alleging misconduct by a fellow statewide Republican official, suddenly the appetite for investigation disappears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Randy Brechbiel, a spokesperson for Boliek, did not respond to an N&O request for comment.<\/p>\n

Causey gained a reputation as a straight arrow after insurance company owner Greg Lindberg was charged in 2019 with trying to bribe him. Causey secretly recorded his conversations with Lindberg to help convict him. Last week, Lindberg was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a $2 billion fraud scheme that cheated thousands of policy holders.<\/p>\n

But some of Causey\u2019s moves in managing the insurance department struck critics as \u201cgood ol\u2019 boy\u201d politics.<\/p>\n

In late 2023, The N&O reported Causey had hired several people with personal or political connections to regional director jobs that did not exist before he took office. He also closed three regional offices in Charlotte, Asheville and Wilmington, while opening several in smaller communities that lean Republican.<\/p>\n

In early 2024, The N&O reported that Causey hired drivers<\/a> to take him around North Carolina, and as far away as Park City, Utah, on state business. Causey has said he can be more efficient with a driver.<\/p>\n

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Four road trips included stops in the small town of Portales, New Mexico. One of those drivers is a longtime friend and supporter who made $84,000 in one year and had been given the job title<\/a> of a deputy secretary\/commissioner.<\/p>\n

Brechbiel in an earlier message said the auditor\u2019s office did not look into the staffing or travel. \u201cWasn\u2019t on our radar,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Causey has not commented on The N&O\u2019s story about his texts since publication. Barry Smith, his deputy communications director, told the Insurance Journal, a trade publication, that Causey couldn\u2019t comment<\/a> because it was a personnel matter with a former employee.<\/p>\n

State law does not require the release of many personnel records, but it does give state agencies the option to release records to show they are operating with integrity.<\/p>\n

The N&O has asked Causey to produce his texts with Taylor. Smith said the department continues to work on that request.<\/p>\n

The N&O\u2019s report was published just as state lawmakers took up legislation to limit the governor\u2019s power to pick a replacement if a member of the Council of State steps down. That replacement would only serve until the next election.<\/p>\n

House Democratic Leader Robert Reives made a comment in a committee meeting that suggested he thought movement on the bill<\/a> was in response to the news report about Causey. The Assembly first reported his comments.<\/p>\n

He later told The Assembly and The N&O his remarks weren\u2019t related to Causey and the texts. He declined to comment on the texts to The N&O.<\/p>\n

House Speaker Destin Hall also denied to The Assembly that Causey\u2019s texts had prompted movement on the bill. Senate leader Phil Berger had no comment on Causey\u2019s texts when The Assembly asked.<\/p>\n

Neither Hall nor Berger responded to an N&O reporter\u2019s call and text message about Causey\u2019s texts.<\/p>\n

On Sunday, Carolina Forward, a left-leaning nonprofit think tank based in Carrboro, weighed in on social media<\/a>, saying the texts \u201cshow an obvious and very gross pattern of sexual harassment and cringey misconduct.<\/p>\n

\u201dHe should resign immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 5:30 AM<\/span> with the headline “\u2018Inappropriate\u2019 texts from NC insurance commissioner draw heat from Democrats.” <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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After The News & Observer published suggestive texts, a Democratic legislative leader demanded an investigation into Republican Mike Causey\u2019s conduct.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1070,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Inappropriate\u2019 texts from NC insurance commissioner draw heat from Democrats - \u0421harlotte Relocation Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/charlotterelocationguide.com\/?p=1071\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Inappropriate\u2019 texts from NC insurance commissioner draw heat from Democrats - 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