Thomas Cowart Goolsby (born September 11, 1961) is a former Republican North Carolina State Senator representing New Hanover County.
A graduate of The Citadel and regimental commander of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets, Goolsby served as a Marine Corps officer after college. Governor Jim Martin appointed him counsel to the State Crime Commission before he opened his legal practice, the Goolsby Law Firm, in Wilmington. He is a former chairman of the New Hanover County Republican Party and an adjunct professor of law at Campbell University.
Goolsby earned an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the president of Empowered Investor Inc. However, the investment adviser registrations of Goolsby, his partner James Upham, and the firm were revoked for at least ten years in 2014. Empowered Investor, Upham and Goolsby also were ordered to cease and desist from engaging in any practice involving securities or financial services business in North Carolina. At that time Goolsby claimed that the business was closed.[2] He lives in Wilmington with his wife Rachael and three children, Fleming, Lilli, and Alabama.[3]
Political career
Election 2010
Goolsby won the race for District 9 of the North Carolina State Senate in the November 2, 2010 general election. He defeated James Leutze (D) with 57% of the vote.[4]
In polling prior to the election, Goolsby held a significant lead over Leutze. Both candidates campaigned on the need to cut state spending and control taxes.[5]
Campaign contributions
In 2010, Goolsby raised $394,588 in campaign contributions.[6]
Election 2012
Goolsby was unopposed in the Republican primary on May 8, 2012. He faced Democratic nominee Deb Butler in the general election on November 6, 2012.[7]
During the general election campaign, Goolsby was criticized for his support of mandatory, trans-vaginal ultrasounds for women seeking abortions. Though Goolsby went on to win re-election, Butler's campaign ad on this topic generated national and international attention.[8]
As state senator
Goolsby sponsored legislation that repealed the state's Racial Justice Act, which had prohibited the imposition of the death penalty on the basis of race.[9] As a member of the University of North Board of Governors he favored the re-installation of the controversial statue "Silent Sam" following its toppling by protesters.[10]
Goolsby has penned a number of opinion columns in local newspapers critical of the Moral Mondays protests, calling them "Moron Mondays" and later "Money Mondays", and referring to protestors as "mostly white, angry, aged former hippies."[11][12][13]
Goolsby chose not to run for re-election in 2014, and he resigned from the legislature in August 2014, before the expiration of his term.[14] His resignation followed the revocation by the secretary of state of his registration as an investment adviser, and his consent to the order. Clients had reportedly complained about losing money in volatile investments they never wanted.[15][16]
Committees
Goolsby served as vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary I committee and chairman of both the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety and the Appropriations Committee on Justice and Public Safety. He chaired interim committees on pharmaceutical liability, retitling of manufactured homes and consolidation of judicial and prosecutorial districts. He was a member of interim committees on government operations, modernization of banking, energy policy and marine fisheries.[17]
External links
- Official Senate Website
- Senator Thom Goolsby: Committees
- Thom Goolsby's official campaign Web site
- Profile at Vote Smart
References
- ^ NC General Assembly. Accessed Aug. 6, 2014.
- ^ "Goolsby, partner ordered to stop work as investment advisers".
- ^ Senator Thom Goolsby: Bio Archived 2012-09-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ General Election Results
- ^ Carolina Journal: N.C. Senate candidates call for budget cuts
- ^ 2010 campaign contributions
- ^ North Carolina Board of Elections "Candidate lists," Accessed March 9, 2012 Archived March 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Washington Post' ' "North Carolina campaign ad shows transvaginal probe, latest war on women weapon" Accessed June 8, 2013
- ^ "Goolsby Defends Potential Racial Justice Act Repeal". Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ "UNC Board of Governors Says Silent Sam Will Be Reinstalled". 24 August 2018.
- ^ "Goolsby rips NAACP protests as 'Moron Monday'". 10 June 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
- ^ Thom Goolsby (2013-06-07). "Moron Monday shows radical Left just doesn't get it". Chatam Journal.
- ^ Thom Goolsby. "'Moron Monday' Remarks Way Off Base". Elkin Tribune.
- ^ News & Observer Archived 2014-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "N.C. Senator, partner lose investment adviser tags".
- ^ "Goolsby, partner ordered to stop investment services". 23 May 2014.
- ^ Senator Thom Goolsby: Committees