Charlton L. Allen, Pat McCrory’s controversial nominee

for the state Industrial Commission answered

questions yesterday in front of irate Senate Democrats

in the Commerce Committee about his racist, anti-semitic,

anti-Arab acts and anti-worker views.

Allen rebuffed accusations of anti-semitism by saying his grandfather

liberated Jews from concentration camps during World War II.

The questioning was spurred by an INDY article from

yesterday’s paper exposing Allen’s past exploits as a UNC grad student and as founder of the provocative conservative campus journal, the Carolina Review.

The Mooresville lawyer and former head of the Iredell County Republican Party

called the INDY article “grossly unfair” and said it “mischaracterized” him.

He was shielded from many of the Democrats questions by

co-chair of the commerce committee Sen. Wesley Meredith.

Greg Flynn, a public policy researcher, has authored a post further

bringing to light Allen’s dubious views and misuse of homophobic smear tactics

as political weapons. As head of the Carolina Review at UNC, Allen

attacked the Gay Straight Alliance with giant inflatable sheep, equating

homosexuality with bestiality, and put up signs around campus that said

“God Created Adam and Eve—Not Adam and Steve.”

Ian Palmquist, a Carolina student and member of the gay-straight

campus alliance at the time said, “I do remember Carolina Review under his leadership putting

out some really horrible homophobic things that contributed

to an unwelcoming environment on Carolina’s campus. It’s

disappointing to see someone like that appointed to a powerful

position within this administration.”

Flynn revealed that in Allen’s 2012 candidate questionnaire for NC Family

Policy Council, Allen doesn’t believe in providing homosexuals legal

protections in areas like housing or employment.

He further stated that he believes a person’s religious beliefs should influence a person’s

political decisions in office.

Flynn further revealed that in 2004, as Chair of the New Hanover Republican

Party, Allen ran anti-gay smears against Julia Boseman, running for a state

senate seat, suggesting she would pursue a “liberal, activist, homosexual agenda”

writing phrases like “known lesbian activists” and “radical homosexual

rights and privileges.”

Boseman went on to win the State Senate seat.