Tillis staffer disciplined for response to constituent's request

IN THE FOOTHILLS ARE PREPARING

TO EVACUATE, NATIONAL GUARD

CHOPPERS TRANSPORTED MORE

THAN 140 PEOPLE FROM REMOTE

HIKING TRAILS AND THERE IS NO

RAIN IN THE FORECAST.

>>> IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC

THE PROSPECT OF NOT ONLY LOSING

YOUR JOB BUT ALSO YOUR

HEALTHCARE CAN BE FRIGHTENING.

>> ONE WOMAN REACHED OUT TO

LAWMAKERS FOR HELP AND INSTEAD

SHE GOT AN INSENSITIVE RESPONSE

FROM A STAFFER.

SOMETHING SHE RECORDED.

IT'S A STORY YOU WILL ONLY SEE

HERE ON WRAL INVESTIGATES,

CULLEN BROWDER JOINS US AND THE

STAFFER HAS SINCE BEEN

DISCIPLINED.

>> Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT

CATHERINE, AFTER WE QUESTIONED

SEN.

TOM TILLIS'S OFFICE ABOUT THIS

ENCOUNTER WE WERE TOLD THAT

THIS STAFFER WAS IN FACT

REPRIMANDED.

THIS REALLY SPEAKS TO THE

TENSION RIGHT NOW OVER

HEALTHCARE IN THE PANDEMIC AND

IN THIS CASE YOU HAVE A CANCER

SURVIVOR WHO WAS REACHING OUT

FOR HELP.

>> BECAUSE I'VE SEEN JUST ABOUT

EVERYTHING HEALTHCARE HAS TO

THROW AT A PERSON.

>> Reporter: OVER THE PAST 20

YEARS BEV FIELDS BEAT CANCER

THREE TIMES, IT A JOURNEY THAT

INCLUDED STRUGGLES TO GET THERE

AND MEDICAL BANKRUPTCY.

WHEN HER HUSBAND WAS FURLOUGHED

IN MARCH DO TO COVID SHE WAS

WORRIED ABOUT LOSING HEALTH

INSURANCE.

>> I WANTED ANSWERS BECAUSE THE

THOUGHT OF HAVING NO HEALTHCARE

RIGHT NOW AND POSSIBLY GETTING

SICK WITH COVID IS EXTREMELY

FRIGHTENING.

>> Reporter: SHE STARTED

CALLING HER LAWMAKERS FOR

GUIDANCE AND CAME ACROSS A

WASHINGTON DC STAFFER FOR SEN.

TOM TILLIS.

FRUSTRATED BY THE LACK OF

EMPATHY SHE STARTED RECORDING.

>> YOU ARE SAYING IF YOU CAN'T

AFFORD IT, YOU DON'T GET TO

HAVE IT.

THAT INCLUDES HEALTHCARE?

>>

IF I CAN'T AFFORD THAT DRESS

SHIRT I DON'T GET TO GET IT.

>> BUT HEALTHCARE IS SOMETHING

THAT PEOPLE NEED ESPECIALLY IF

THEY HAVE CANCER.

>> THEN YOU HAVE TO FIND A WAY

TO GET IT.

>> TO COMPARE IT TO A DRESS

SHIRT MADE ME INCREDIBLY ANGRY

AND HURT.

SO WHAT WHY DO IN THE MEANTIME

SIR?

>> --

>> Reporter: WE SENT THE VIDEO

TO TILLIS'S OFFICE AND

REQUESTED AN INTERVIEW WITH THE

SENATOR BUT INSTEAD WE RECEIVED

A STATEMENT AND AN APOLOGY TO

THE CONSTITUENT.

THE WAY MISSES BEALS WAS TALKED

TO BY A STAFF ASSISTANT IN OUR

WASHINGTON OFFICE WAS

COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE AND

VIOLATES THE CODE OF CONDUCT

SENATOR TILLIS HAS FOR STAFF

WHICH IS WHY IMMEDIATE

DISCIPLINARY ACTION HAS BEEN

TAKEN.

THIS CANCER SURVIVOR WANTS TO NO

SHE CAN HAVE MORE THAN APOLOGY.

>> WE NEED LEGISLATORS TO

LISTEN TO US AND HELP US SOLVE

THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT

JUST MY PROBLEM.

NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD

HEALTHCARE.

IT'S A PROBLEM OF HUNDREDS OF

THOUSANDS OF NORTH CAROLINIANS.

>> Reporter: AFTER SHE MADE HER

RECORDING SHE SAYS THE NONPROFIT

PIEDMONT RISING REACHED OUT TO

HER.

PIEDMONT RISING IS ACTIVELY

CAMPAIGNING AGAINST SENATOR

TILLIS BECAUSE OF HIS

OPPOSITION TO THINGS LIKE THE

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND

MEDICAID EXPANSION.

PIEDMONT RISING SHARED THAT

VIDEO WITH WRAL INVESTIGATES

AND AS FOR THE BEALS FAMILY WE

ARE TOLD THAT RIGHT NOW SHE IS

HOPING TO KEEP THE HEALTH

INSURANCE BY TAPPING INTO THEIR

RETIREMENT PLAN AND SHE IS

HOPING THAT HER HUSBAND WILL

SOON BE ABLE TO GET HIS JOB

BACK.

>>> CULLEN BROWDER REPORTING,