Larry Pittman

Background

In February 2017, Pittman co-sponsored a bill allowing the removal of the ban on North Carolina seceding from the Union ever again. In March 2017 he co-sponsored a bill to once again make gay marriages not valid in North Carolina. Responding to criticisms to both bills, Pittman made controversial statements that were widely reported in the news media. In March 2016, Pittman was a co-sponsor of North Carolina's Bathroom bill.

HB 147

In February 2017, Pittman joined with Representatives Michael Speciale (R-Craven) and George Cleveland (R-Jacksonville) in proposing a constitutional amendment that would allow North Carolina voters to repeal Article I, Section 4 of the North Carolina Constitution. This article declares that "This State shall ever remain a member of the American Union; the people thereof are part of the American nation," and prohibits the state from seceding from the United States of America; its inclusion in North Carolina’s 1868 constitution was a condition for being readmitted into the Union after the Civil War. The bill passed the first reading on February 22, 2017, and was referred to the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.

HB 780

Pittman, Speciale, and Representative Carl Ford (R-China Grove) sponsored House Bill 780, which was introduced on March 14, 2017. This bill would end North Carolina's recognition of same sex marriage in disregard of the US Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges and cites the Bible as justification for this disregard. The bill passed the first reading on April 13, 2017, and was referred to the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House. On the same day, however, state house speaker Tim Moore stated that the bill would not proceed further due to concerns about its constitutionality. In North Carolina, it is a common practice for bills that lack the support of party leadership to be sent to the Rules Committee to die.

Controversial statements

On March 22, 2017, Pittman posted a newsletter on his Facebook page, giving his constituents an update on his activities. Numerous constituents posted comments, and Pittman responded with two controversial statements.

U.S. Supreme Court "opinion"

In response to a commenter's criticism of HB 780, Pittman posted a comment on April 11, 2017, stating that North Carolina should uphold traditional marriage "in spite of the opinion of a federal court that had no business interfering."

Lincoln-Hitler comparison

Pittman's post in reference to the U.S. Supreme Court led to several comments on states' rights and a post telling Pittman that the Civil War was over, the Union had won, and to "get over it". Pittman responded in a post on April 12, 2017, comparing President Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler. He wrote: "And if Hitler had won, should the world just get over it? Lincoln was the same sort if [sic] tyrant, and personally responsible for the deaths of over 800,000 Americans in a war that was unnecessary and unconstitutional." He later deleted the post.

Climate change statement

In July 2012, Pittman issued a dubious and factually inaccurate statement regarding climate change: "Our climate runs on a cycle. It goes up and it goes down and the Lord designed it that way. And the main thing that causes global warming is the Earth's relationship to a big ball of gas that's burning out there that we call the Sun. And it is the height of hubris for human beings to think that we can have any effect on that."