The recent statement by the Rev. Anthony Spearman of the North Carolina NAACP about Senate Bill 473 filed by Sen. Lisa Barnes was as unnecessarily caustic as it was unhinged.

For those who thought the nasty accusations about State Auditor Beth Wood regarding her audit of the city of Rocky Mount could not get any nastier, Rev. Spearman proves them wrong, dragging the discussion of SB 473 even further into the gutter. The NAACP’s statement plays the race card as hard as it can possibly be played.

If it isn’t obvious already, the NAACP reveals it has no credible or substantive critique of SB 473. Instead, the NAACP hopes its ad hominem attacks on Sen. Barnes and Auditor Wood will distract from the bill’s call for accountability and transparency in local government.

The Nash County Republican Party calls on Rev. Spearman and the NAACP to apologize to Republican Sen. Barnes for its unfounded accusations.

We hope N.C. Democratic Party Chair Bobbie Richardson and Rep. James Gailliard will similarly defend their fellow Democrat. To remain silent in the face of such accusations will call into question if they too believe Wood wants to suppress Black elected officials, businesses and voters, in which case they should call for her immediate resignation.

Mark Edwards

Nashville

The writer is chairman of the Nash County Republican Party.