House report details hug of page by Rep. Allred

RALEIGH, N.C. — The House sergeant-at-arms has completed apreliminary review of allegations that a state lawmaker embraced a page and drank alcohol before speeding to work last month.

The report, which House Speaker Joe Hackney's office released Wednesday, makes no recommendations about Rep. Cary Allred, R-Alamance. The Legislative Ethics Committee will decide whether Allred receives more scrutiny.

The report includes statements from Allred's fellow Republicans who called it inappropriate when he hugged and kissed a 17-year-old female page on the House floor.

House Minority Leader Paul Stam and Rep. Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, both said in the report that they smelled alcohol on Allred's breath and noticed he was behaving erratically.

Other House members referred to Allred's interaction with the page as "a gruesome bear hug," "a big full-body hug" and "a lingering embrace," and several said the page appeared to be uncomfortable or embarrassed.

Allred has denied any wrongdoing, noting the teen is a family friend whom he kissed on the cheek. He also said he had one drink that night but wasn't drunk.

A Highway Patrol trooper stopped him in Orange County on his way to Raleigh after clocking his car at 102 mph on the highway. The trooper left him off with a warning after Allred flashed his legislative identification.

The Highway Patrol ticketed Allred four days later and began an internal investigation into why the trooper didn't cite him initially.

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102 mph. 102 mph. Is that reckless endangerment? If the posted speed limit were 75 mph then his speed was 27 mph over the posted limit. 15mph over the posted limit is considered reckless. He should have been hauled away. There is no excuse for his excessive speed. I don't care who he is. Elected officials should never presume their position exempts them from the law. Ever.

blueridgerunner
May 21, 2009 3:57 p.m.

hpr641 -- We should all be concerned if a legislator is treating a high school page in an inappropriate way. The members of his own party were outraged at his behavior, and some complained that he reeked of alcohol. Moreover, anyone driving that fast should have been ticketed, if not arrested, no matter his or her position -- governor, legislator, or president.

NC Reader
May 21, 2009 9:53 a.m.

"Oh and if that "hug and kiss" looked so gruesome why didn't all those men with an opinion now come to the defense of that "uncomfortable page" then?" - affirmativediversity

A most EXCELLENT question, sir. I guess they just put it in their back pocket and decided to break it out when news of the 100mph warning came out?

Our great state is in AN ECONOMIC BUDGETARY CRISIS!!! Yet, we're worried about whether a state House member's hug and kiss on the cheek of a page was unrespectful? You think most us even care after the recent parade we've seen of state legislature members to the state AND federal jails?

hpr641
May 21, 2009 9:12 a.m.

As a member of the Legislature, this guy should be an example for the citizens of the state, especially those for whom he represents. he owes the state an apology as well as a resignation.

alx
May 21, 2009 8:35 a.m.

Now this man loves his booze. The night he was re-elected he got to drinking and called his opponent and had terrible talk to him. Trust me it was all over the newspaper then.