Well, a bizarre incident in a very competitive House race has (sort of) come to an end. The State Ethics Commission has podcast.

The problem? Turner had no evidence. None. The Ethics Commission had nothing to go on but Turner’s word, and that just wasn’t enough. Of course, maybe Moffitt really did do all those things Turner alleges. Who knows? But you can’t pursue a claim without evidence. Too bad Turner didn’t have a recorder on him, or a witness who could validate some of the things he said. Without them, the Commission had no choice but to clear Moffitt. They dismissed the case Turner brought, saying there was no probable cause to investigate.

Now, Turner is the one in trouble. Voters might come to suspect that he made the whole thing up for political advantage, as Moffitt has maintained all along. Turner is a liar, the story becomes. The bottom line: if you’re going to pursue a claim against someone while running for office, make sure it has some merit, or it’s going to wind up backfiring.

For more on frivolous cases, read this article. I’ll give Turner credit for one thing: at least he filed his complaint before the election.

John Wynne

John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.