Monday, June 5, 2023
By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice on May 26, 2023
Representative Keith Kidwell, a Republican who represents part of Dare County as well as Hyde County in the NC House of Representatives, resigned his leadership position there in the wake of recent remarks he made regarding a Democratic state representative, according to multiple media reports.
Kidwell had been serving as deputy majority whip, and he will still remain a member of the NC House of Representatives.
According to those reports, after Democratic Representative Diamond Staton-Williams spoke of her church and having had an abortion during a discussion of that issue, Kidwell made a reference to Staton-Williams being a member of the “Church of Satan.”
Kidwell’s office did not respond to several Voice inquiries seeking comment on his remarks and subsequent leadership resignation.
Along with Kidwell, Representative Jeffrey McNeely also resigned his Republican leadership position after asking Black Democratic Representative Abe Jones, during a discussion of school vouchers, whether he would have been able to attend Harvard University and Harvard Law School “If you were not an athlete or a minority…”
In a widely circulated statement after the two resignations, NC House Republican Majority Leader John Bell said, “As elected officials, we must serve by example and be accountable for our actions, especially as leaders of the caucus. While apologies have been made and accepted, we believe this is an appropriate action and step forward.”
A story on WITN.com quoted NC Senate Leader Phil Berger as saying, “I think everybody was concerned about comments” made by Kidwell and McNeely. “It would be my expectation that our members would not do those sorts of things.”
Kidwell, who resides in Chocowinity, is a businessman and former Beaufort County GOP Chairman and Third Congressional District Treasurer, who was elected to the NC House in 2018. He defeated Edwin Hege in the 2022 Republican primary for a newly redrawn House district that includes the southern half of Dare County after the county had been divided into two parts during the redistricting process. He faced no opposition in the 2022 general election.
Comments
Go to comments
Just a mom
While I can understand the idea behind the Republican Party base saying no to such types of flippant language, I am mortified at the idea of taking power away from a man/woman who speaks his truth. Many people don’t believe in abortion and certainly don’t want our taxes paying for it. And posing a question to a man who is an athlete or a minority or special interest group if their intellectual merit alone would have landed them in an Ivy League school isn’t saying anything but one man’s questioning or wonder.
What is horrifying is these transgressions are nothing compared to the left’s actual push for rights to murder babies in utero for any reason at any point , or for litter boxes for children in bathrooms, or the abuse and maiming of children and their gender, or the laws on the books already allowing for boys in girls bathrooms…
CRAZY!
I am disappointed and terrified of our future as the radicals are winning in the destruction of our country.
The representative admittedly killed her unborn. The rep thought it contradictory to espousing religious beliefs. The other man did not go to college by the context of the article based on just book smarts… what is wrong with saying one’s truth.
I have been given opportunities for things in my life because of my unique situation and so a spade is a spade.
If you want true equality we should apply for things like college based on merit via anonymity. As for controversial moral issues I think if you are allowing one type of killing how do you say it is wrong for another. And if you allow for it than you should pay for it on your own dirty dollar.
Bebe Reposo
Kidwell is a local, state and national embarrassment. He is cerrtainly a hippocite-at least, I would wager that he calls himself a christian. The NC Republican party keeps trying to prove their so-called conservatism, with insults and policies that attempt to demean others. Please see comments made by the Lt Governor.
It always makes me laugh to remember the idiot head of the state republicans when he tried to make fun of Sen. Caine’s lapel pin, and he later found out that it represented the fact that Caine’s son was in the military.
WindyBill
Surprise! Republicans showing their true colors! Of course they should resign for showing us their truths.
Sandflea
Just a mom;
Wow!! That post was 100% full on Q crazy! Where to begin…
Yes, these two MAGA’s should step down for racist and bigoted statements. The democrat representatives church is most certainly not named “The Church of Satan”; so therefore, the congressman lied.
Most people are actually ok with giving the woman the right to choose… about 70%.
Babies aren’t being murdered. They’re mostly a gob of goo until about the 12th week. You can’t kill something that can’t take a breath on its own. But folks like you don’t give a **** about them once they’re outside the uterus.
ZERO tax dollars fund abortions unless the life of the mother is in danger…FACT.
There are exactly ZERO litter boxes in schools. Seriously?! Wt_?!
If you’re not smart enough to gather the context of the going to school on a athletic scholarship, well, you can’t fix that.
Yes, I too am worried about the right wing MAGA radicals trying everything they can to overthrow our democracy. The election WASN’T stolen! 64 federal court cases in which numerous judges were appointed by your Cheeto Jesus affirmed this FACT. I assume you support the disgraced, twice impeached, indicted, convicted sexual assault predator and soon to be even more seriously indicted former guy. Nothing speaks “Christian Values” like what I just listed; especially when you can grab women by the p****.
Sarah
Sandflea – WELL SAID!! Unfortunately extremists like “just a mom” won’t do the work to learn the facts on their own so they can actually be informed. Tragic.
Just a mom
Sandflea,
You are an angry elf. Your response is filled with the very radical craziness spoken of in my comment. I am sorry you are victim of life and not a survivor. Your words are the kind that shut people down personally. You do not believe in free speech or solving problems. I will likely not see print of this but it should be said because I was speaking to the article and upon many real issues we actually do face in this country. You so nastily focus on trying to injure the commenter not your view on the article. And the few points you made are blatantly fake made up statistics. Be careful people get sewed now for lies in media…Another radical idea.
Remember, I am just a mom.
Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
What is an “angry elf?”
Johnny B. Good
He told the truth but in this day and time, we have lost our freedom of free speech!
Jesse Wayne
To Just a Mom, all I can say is WOW to espousing so much vitriol and misinformation. If anything, it’s the radical right and MAGA Republicans who are endangering this country. My question is why can’t the Republicans control those insulting comments that come from their mouths? It’s like a dog whistle, and then they apologize?? It makes me think it’s entirely intentional. They love the cruelty (which is the point), not to mention the attention they receive because folks like Just a Mom thrive on it. The lack of civility in this country seems to be at an all time high. Why wouldn’t it be when so much of the Republican leadership, all the way up to the past president, have set such horrible examples, to include a complete disregard for the rule of law. Trump lost and is facing multiple criminal indictments and was found guilty of sexual assault. A majority of Americans support a woman’s right to choose. Those are facts. When the radical right talks about Christian values, sorry but I don’t see it. I see cruelty and hypocrisy on a large scale. That’s an opinion.
Sandflea
Just a mom;
Lol! It seems you just had a violent autonomic reaction to facts. That little cell phone that you have clutched in your hands; it’s actually a Super Computer. There’s a Google Machine in it. I suggest you try and use it sometime.
Angry Elf
Jesse Wayne
Johnny B. Good, regarding “we have lost our freedom of free speech”???? I believe that is one thing we haven’t lost. The thing about free speech is that it can come with consequences. It appears you are mistaking the two. I can bad mouth my boss and/or co-workers all I want, but that doesn’t mean my boss doesn’t have the right to fire me for my speech. Elected officials, in my view, should strive to be good role models and held to an even higher standard than us mere “mortals”. Kidwell did the right thing, but has also created a firestorm over his unfortunate comments. It does beg the question, why can’t they seem to control what comes out of their mouths in the first place??
Just a mom
Mark,
“You’re an angry elf,” is from the movie Elf with Will Farrell.
Funny scene. Probably politically incorrect just like the mentioned transgressions in the article. Thankfully I own a copy in case it gets taken off air.
And the only thing I would like to apologize for is that the litter boxes appear to be a sham. I didn’t fact check that. I recant my incorrect statement.
As for why I didn’t look it up is because it doesn’t seem anymore insane as letting men play in women’s sports or letting them go in girls bathrooms. Both facts.
I however was wrong and I have to eat that part.
Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
Mom, I appreciate you taking back the incorrect information about the litter boxes, which is a myth. Somehow I missed that part of your comment, or I wouldn’t have posted it. Anyway, it’s a rarity these days for anyone to admit they were wrong.
Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice
Johnny, you can try till the cows come home. You are permanently banned from posting on the Voice site. You move on anywhere you like. For your sake, I hope you’re a Russian bot.
One
The ties that Unites us is the rule of law, and an agreed upon civility with each other. The lowest form of solving a problem is to attack other people. That is what this representative has done, and it should not be condoned by any of us. One of the comments stated “ what is wrong with saying one’s truth.”
In the 1930s, Hitler told his truth and millions of people died. That kind of lie could happen here in this country and is germinating right now. There has been a war to make your neighbor, an enemy and it wraps itself self in the flag of morality.
True Christian are not fooled by a message that says hate your neighbor. They don’t believe that liberals are the reason the economy is failing. That socialist are trying to take your job that people of color are a threat to your well-being.
Seize the opportunity to love thy neighbor, and vote out anyone who stands on the rhetoric of hate.
Pearl
Banning abortion has nothing to do with saving a life. If you cared about the lives of children you would like programs to see they are well nourished and housed and educated. It is about CONTROL.
Controlling someone’s sex life.
Women who don’t want other women to have pleasure or control of their own bodies. They anti abortion women are the ones who marry young and want others to be miserable and controlled by men too.
You do not want government controlling your guns BUT you want to control what people READ, WEAR and THEIR SEX LIFES.
Bunch of miserable MAGA hypocrites.
charlie
I know the Voice will gadly post a comment from Kidwell where he defends himself or apologizes…
Unitl then……well, until then…..He sure does not deserve to be our representative…
ps: do we have a Church of Satan nearby?
102
Okay folks alot of banter between the liberals and real people that actually work and don’t live on parents or an enharitance. I don’t support any bigot.Don’t care what color. I’m was raised a papist. If a women dies due to someone taking pot shots at them or even an accident, and is pregnant, the perpetrator is charged with 2 counts of murder or manslaughter. You figure it out. Our elected officials need to remember we are not stupid. Was the comment wrong,maybe. Was hiding behind a church and claiming redemption because of an act performed against humanity is ok, but a person who has real moral fiber says something that can always be used against them will have to take the fall because some people hide behind their race or nationality to gain an upper hand. Anyone, and I mean, everyone pink, green, blue black, yellow or some that consider themselves a person of color should take a good look in the mirror and decide are they going to do what is right for all or just keep up the bigotry. Have a nice day