From the Vote FOR Marriage NC campaign:

Today, Vote FOR Marriage NC demanded a public apology from UNC Greensboro Provost David Perrin, along with taxpayer reimbursement for his use of state resources to campaign against the marriage Protection Amendment on the May ballot. Failing this, the campaign has called on UNC trustees to remove Perrin from his position.

“This is an outrageous use of taxpayer resources in violation of university policy and state law,” said Tami Fitzgerald, Chair of the Vote FOR Marriage NC campaign, which supports the marriage amendment on next week’s ballot. “We’re pleased that the university has launched an investigation. Meanwhile, Provost Perrin should immediately issue a public apology and write a check to taxpayers for his misuse of state resources to campaign against the marriage protection amendment. If he fails to do so, then we call on university trustees to remove him from his position.”

On April 13, Perrin sent an email from his official state account to other state employees and the university’s Dean’s Council, titled “Vote Against Amendment One.” In the email, Perrin encouraged readers to watch an anti-marriage amendment video he called “wonderful” and to forward it to others. Using state resources to campaign against the amendment is both illegal and against university policy. A university spokesman says they are investigating.

“These academics are so insulated and live in such an ivory tower that they think they can do and say anything they want at our expense,” Fitzgerald said. “This is an example of why the marriage amendment is so necessary. It puts voters in charge of our definition of marriage and protects marriage from being redefined by the elite in academia, and activist judges on our courts.”