NC’s Mike Causey faces allegations of inappropriate texts. Here’s what to know

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is facing allegations that he sent suggestive text messages to a former state employee over several years. The Republican official denies recalling the texts, but the controversy has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and a call for his resignation.

Here are key takeaways:

• April Taylor, a former eight-year employee of the N.C. Department of Insurance, says Causey sent her text messages she found inappropriate, including one in April 2018 that read, “I might jump your bones. Watch out!!!” followed by a heart emoji.

• Causey, a Guilford County Republican now in his ninth year in office, told The News & Observer he has no recollection of sending the comments or emojis regarding Taylor’s appearance and denied asking her for hugs or trying to kiss her.
• Taylor was hired in 2017 through a political connection — her great-uncle was a Causey supporter — and texts show Causey told her she could write her own job description despite having no experience in insurance.
• A spokeswoman for Gov. Josh Stein called the allegations “deeply troubling and inappropriate,” while state Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch said State Auditor Dave Boliek should be investigating Taylor’s claims, which also include improper political activity and procedural failures at the department.
• Taylor left the department in March after raising concerns about workplace procedures and has filed whistleblower complaints with the State Bureau of Investigation, state auditor, State Ethics Commission and several lawmakers, receiving only an acknowledgment from the auditor’s office. In recent days, she filed a more detailed complaint to the ethics commission including the text messages. This week, the insurance department said it had received notice of Taylor’s complaint, WRAL reported.
• Carolina Forward, a left-leaning think tank based in Carrboro, weighed in on social media saying the texts show “an obvious and very gross pattern of sexual harassment” and called on Causey to resign immediately.

The summary points above, based on reporting by staff writer Dan Kane, were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists, including politics editor Jordan Schrader. It includes links to full stories that were reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.