Dr. Combs dedicated her life to public service at the local, state and federal levels, receiving five executive appointments under three presidents including Controller of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Treasury, Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation.
While I strongly condemn the cowardly attack and unprecedented brutality inflicted on the Israeli nation by a terrorist state, and stand in full support of Israel to take actions necessary to defend themselves against an unprovoked attack that has shocked the world, I could not, in good conscience, accept your invitation as a member of the Council of State to stand with you at your press conference this morning.
While I may not be an expert on public records laws, I agree with what former North Carolina Governor Jim Martin continues saying. Doing right is rarely wrong. As State Treasurer, keeper of the public purse and recipient of the N.C. Open Government Coalition’s Sunshine Award, I feel strongly that restricting public access to important public information reduces confidence in all levels of government, which is already at historical lows. It matters because in so many ways our society is at a crossroads, trying to decide whether to unite or divide.