North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue has asked state Democratic Party Chairman David Parker to resign over allegations that he authorized secret payments to keep a former aide quiet about sexual harassment claims.
According to the
Raleigh News & Observer, Perdue told Parker “he had lost the confidence of Democratic leaders” and asked him “to step aside for the good of the party.”
Party executive director Jay Parmley resigned on Sunday as the scandal heated up, although he denied any wrongdoing.
According to the News & Observer, Parker role in the growing scandal is “murky.” But he is alleged to have signed off on a secret deal to pay off the former aide who left last November after accusing a senior party member of sexual harassment. None of the employees involved in the scandal have been identified.
Gov. Perdue was the latest of a growing number of state party leaders to call for Parker’s resignation. So far, he has resisted. But with the state preparing to host the Democratic National Convention this September in Charlotte, North Carolina State University political analyst Andy Taylor said, “It’s just a matter of time.”
“This is a distraction and unfortunately for him, chairs of state parties tend to be dispensable,” Taylor told the News & Observer.
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