Fellow North Carolina state senators called a recent Facebook post by Sen. Bob Steinburg about invoking the Insurrection Act to keep President Donald Trump in office alarming, dangerous, undemocratic and embarrassing.
Steinburg is a Republican representing the 1st District, which includes Currituck and Dare counties. In the Facebook post, he paraphrased comments retired Gen. Thomas McInerney made earlier this month on a conservative talk show, WRAL reports. Among other things, McInerney suggested President Donald Trump declare a national emergency, invoke the Insurrection Act and suspend habeas corpus. He has since deleted the tweet.
Steinburg told WRAL News he wasn’t endorsing the idea, “just putting out there” options Republicans might consider.
“In an extended harangue, Steinburg also made it clear he believes the recent presidential election was stolen and that Trump is the victim of a conspiracy to which multiple countries, the media, U.S. government agencies, officials and judges are either a part or turning a blind eye,” WRAL wrote.
The news agency reported that Steinburg then offered, unprompted, to take a psychiatric evaluation. “He said the CIA and FBI both know there’s a coup d’etat going on in the country but won’t do anything about it,” WRAL said.
“They think we’re just bunch of boobs out here in the hinterland,” he was quoted as saying. “Well, these boobs are waking up.”
Sen. Natasha Marcus of Davidson, a Democrat, called Steinburg’s remarks undemocratic, irresponsible “and, frankly, alarming.”
“Elected officials shouldn’t be fueling baseless conspiracy theories that undermine our democratic process,” she told the News & Observer.
Democratic Sen. Sam Searcy of Wake County called for Steinburg’s fellow Republican to denounce his comments.
These statements from @BobSteinburg4NC are embarrassing & dangerous. Republicans in the #NCGA should immediately denounce these remarks. https://t.co/xOCuT9beDJ #ncpol
— Senator Sam Searcy (@ElectSamSearcy) December 16, 2020
