NC Legislature's opening day features talk of Magna Carta, Robin Hood

Apex Republican Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam’s love of the Magna Carta has become an inside joke at the N.C. General Assembly. So no one was surprised when he gave a speech about it Wednesday morning after being reelected as House speaker pro tem.

After getting the obligatory thanks out of the way, the ever-professorial legislator reminded his colleagues that 2015 will mark the 800th anniversary of the document in which England’s King John promised religious and other freedoms.

Stam spent about 10 minutes reflecting on how the Magna Carta reflects important values for the state legislature – making reference to Robin Hood along the way.

“The old principles will often suggest the way forward,” Stam concluded.

In keeping with one theme of the 800-year-old charter, Stam announced that he’ll hold a legislative briefing on religious freedom on Jan. 28, when the General Assembly returns and gets down to business.

Stam’s other notable Magna Carta shout-out was back in 2007, when he made a speech blasting former House Speaker Jim Black, who was embroiled in a scandal that would land him in prison.

This story was originally published January 14, 2015 at 12:32 PM with the headline "NC Legislature's opening day features talk of Magna Carta, Robin Hood."