Former US Senator, Lillington native Robert Morgan dies

[Cooley Hurd]

http://www.wral.com/former-us-senator-lillington-native-robert-morgan-dies/15855727/

RALEIGH, N.C. — Robert Morgan became a U.S. Senator during the formative years in Washington after the Watergate scandal rocked the country.

On a cold December morning in 1974 when Morgan showed up to the Russell Senate Office Building in the nation's capital, he met a young Don Vaughan with a handshake. Vaughan, who was looking for a job, was hoping to make a good impression on the new senator.

"About an hour later, I was a member of the United States Senate staff," Vaughan said in a phone call on Saturday.

Vaughan added: "I was the luckiest guy in the world."

</snip>

Morgan died on Saturday. He was 90 years old.

“Ann and I want to express our deepest sympathies to the family of Robert Morgan," Gov. Pat McCrory said. "His years of service to the state of North Carolina as a state senator, Attorney General, United States Senator and Director of the State Bureau of Investigation will be remembered for his devotion and love for his native state. Ann and I offer our prayers to his family during this difficult time.”
</snip>

Cross gently, Senator.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R for an honest man...

Morgan pushed to reform campaign finance and spearheaded efforts to improve consumer protection laws. But his lifetime of public service never warped his view of himself, Vaughan said.

Early in Vaughan's time on Morgan's staff, a bill was being voted through the Senate; the 400-page bill, Vaughan said, had overwhelming support. But Morgan didn't agree with part of the bill that he thought was sneaked in at the end, so he voted against it.

The final vote was 98-1, Vaughan said.