North Carolina state Rep. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford, was arrested Wednesday on charges of taking indecent liberties with a child and rape. Leaders of both parties in the State House have called for his resignation.
According to the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, Brockman is expected to appear in court Thursday after being booked into the High Point Jail.
House Speaker Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, and Minority Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham, have both called for Brockman to resign.
“The accusations against Rep. Brockman are shocking and extremely serious,” Hall said. “Given the publicly known evidence, he should resign immediately so that these accusations do not distract from the work of the North Carolina House.”
Reives posted on social media at 8:44 a.m. that the accusations against Brockman were “serious and, if true, would disqualify him from public office.” At that time, Reives said “it’s important to let the legal process play out.”
At 11:47 a.m., Reives updated his response. “As we continue to learn more about the allegations against Rep. Brockman this morning, it has become clear that he is unable to continue serving in the House of Representatives. Rep. Brockman must resign immediately.”
A Democrat from High Point, Brockman has represented North Carolina’s 60th District since 2015, covering parts of Guilford County, including Greensboro and High Point. A UNC-Charlotte political science graduate, Brockman began his career working on political campaigns and as a legislative aide before winning his seat in the General Assembly. He has served on several key committees, including Appropriations, Education (K-12), Health, and Redistricting, and held leadership positions such as vice chair of the K-12 Education Committee.
Brockman has recently sponsored measures such as the Marriage Equality Act and a constitutional marriage equality amendment. He has sometimes clashed with Democratic leaders, recently accusing party members of “scapegoating” him following a missed vote to override the veto due to illness.
This is a developing story.
