Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) was confronted on camera over his vote against the SAVE Act and campaign money he was accused of receiving from industries tied to illegal labor. BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales asked Tillis whether the money was connected to his opposition to the bill. Tillis rejected the question and called it “remarkably silly.”
The confrontation began with Gonzales asking Tillis about nearly $700,000 she said he had received from what she called the “illegal labor lobby.” Tillis stopped and asked her to explain what she meant by that phrase. Gonzales identified the groups she was referring to as contractors, general contractors, hospitality companies, construction companies, and related industries. She then tied the question directly to his vote against the legislation.
“Senator, you’ve received almost $700,000 from the illegal labor lobby,” Gonzales said. “Is that why you voted against the Save America Act?” Tillis responded, “Can you tell me who the illegal labor lobby is?” Gonzales answered, “Yes, it’s contractors, general contractors, hospitality companies, industries, construction companies, and industries.”
Tillis asked her which bill she was talking about. “Which Save America Act are you talking about?” he asked. Gonzales answered, “The one that you voted against, sir.” Tillis continued, “You’re asking me if I voted, I was against it because-” Gonzalez cut him off saying, “because you’re receiving almost $700,000 from these lobbyists”. Tillis responded “Do you have any idea what a remarkably silly question that is?” Gonzales replied, “I think it’s a pretty important one.” She added, “I think your constituents want to know why you’re betraying them.”
Tillis then pointed to the cost of his 2020 Senate race. “Some math,” Tillis said. “You know what my election cycle, the total all-in election cycle cost was in 2020.” He said, “It’s 300 million dollars.” Tillis followed with, “Do you honestly believe that I would make a policy decision based on that?” which Gonzales seemed to take as an implication that $700,000 simply wasn’t enough money.
Watch the confrontation with Tillis here:
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Gonzales continued pressing Tillis after his answer. “I don’t know why you’re betraying your constituents,” she said. Tillis then asked, “Who do you work for?” Gonzales answered, “I’m independent.” As Tillis walked away, Gonzales kept asking him why he opposed the election-security measure. “Why are you betraying your constituents?” she asked. “Why are you betraying your constituents, Senator?” Tillis responded, “Good luck on the clicks.” Gonzales answered, “We just want secure elections, Senator.”
Gonzales then accused Tillis of blocking the legislation. “You’re preventing us from getting that,” she said. “You’re betraying America.” Tillis replied as he walked away from the tense exchange, “Good luck on your job.” Gonzales answered back in kind saying, “Good luck on yours.”
After the exchange, Gonzales criticized Tillis for how he answered the question about the nearly $700,000 figure. “What a strange thing for Senator Tillis to say,” she said. “$700,000 is not enough.” She continued, “He’s a sellout, but not that amount because he receives 300 million.” Gonzales then said, “If I were an honest person and I were answering that question, I would just say I’m not a sellout to anyone.”
Gonzales finished her commentary by saying Tillis’ response did not deny the accusation. “I don’t sell out for any amount of money,” she said, describing how she would have answered. She then returned to Tillis’s response about the larger campaign number. “But Thom Tillis, Thom Tillis says he sells out, but not for that amount.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.