A Democratic North Carolina legislator accused of engaging in sexual activity with a minor is now facing mounting calls for his resignation from the state House of Representatives.
State Rep. Cecil Brockman was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts of a statutory sex offense with a child and two additional counts of indecent liberties with a child, court records show. Brockman was being held in Guilford County, the documents said.
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He was initially scheduled for a court appearance Thursday, but that hearing was rescheduled for Friday after court documents said Brockman was in the hospital, but didn't say why.
Brockman, a 41-year-old who has represented High Point in the state legislature for more than a decade, wasn't allowed to be released on bond. Authorities alleged in court documents that he attempted to contact a victim in the hospital and that he attempted to “use his status to gain information on the whereabouts of the victim.”
The court documents don't explain why the alleged victim, who is 15, was hospitalized. The victim wasn’t identified in the documents.
Brockman didn’t respond to messages seeking comment. His legislative office also didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Public officials reactions
After news of the charges broke Thursday, the top Republican and Democratic leaders in the state House each said Brockman should resign. So did Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, telling WRAL News in a statement that Brockman's charges are "extremely serious and deeply troubling."
"While the legal process has yet to play out, it’s clear he cannot effectively serve his constituents and should resign immediately," Stein said. House Minority Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, originally said the allegations against Brockman are serious and "if true, would disqualify him from public office."
In an updated statement later Thursday, Reives added: "As we continue to learn more about the allegations against Rep. Brockman this morning, it has become clear that he is unable to continue serving in the House of Representatives. Rep. Brockman must resign immediately."
The North Carolina Democratic Party also called on Brockman to resign. “The profound seriousness of these criminal charges makes it impossible for him to effectively represent his community,” the party said in a statement.
State House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, called the charges “shocking and extremely serious.”
“Given the evidence that’s publicly known,” Hall said in a statement, “he should resign immediately so these charges do not distract from the work of the North Carolina House.”
Many of the state’s top officials were in Durham for a celebration at pharmaceutical company Biogen as news of the arrest spread Thursday morning. Stein and Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt were there along with state lawmakers of both parties.
The news trickled through the plugged-in crowd, through constantly buzzing cell phones and whispered conversations in the corners. Legislators who attended the event declined to comment on the allegations against their colleague, with several Democrats referring back to Reives’ statement.
Legislative math
Brockman’s arrest comes as Democrats are trying to block Republican-written bills from becoming law. And Brockman’s case could have an impact on those efforts.
Stein earlier this year vetoed several bills opposed by Democrats. One would allow North Carolinians over the age of 18 to carry guns without a concealed carry permit.
Another would require state and local government agencies to cooperate with deportation efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Other vetoed bills would eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies in state agencies and higher education.
Legislators can override Stein’s vetoes by passing bills with 60% support. Republicans hold a veto-proof majority in the Senate but not in the House of Representatives, where they came one seat short in the most recent elections.
If Brockman is out and all other House members are present, Republicans only need one Democrat to vote with the GOP, or to be absent from the vote, to override Stein's veto.
Brockman typically votes with Democrats on contentious issues, but not always. He voted with Republicans earlier this year to override Stein’s veto of Senate Bill 254, which Stein had criticized for weakening oversight of charter schools.
Brockman was among a small group of Democrats who sided with Republicans for several key pro-business votes during the 2023 session. Those included new laws to roll back environmental protections for wetlands, ban new energy efficiency rules for home construction and allow consumer lending companies to charge higher fees and interest rates.
Those votes prompted a primary challenge against Brockman in last year’s election. He defeated Democratic challenger James Adams by 85 votes, or less than one percentage point. Brockman's victory came despite opposition from progressive groups, and after a conservative political group tied to business interests and former Republican House Speaker Tim Moore spent heavily to help Brockman's reelection campaign. Brockman went on to easily win the general election in his heavily Democratic district and secure a sixth term in the House.