Tim Moore and Jamie Liles Lassiter (file photo); top left inset of Scott Lassiter and Jamie Liles Lassiter (Facebook)
The North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore is being sued by a former local government official who is accusing the Republican lawmaker of having a multi-year extramarital affair with his wife which caused their marriage to end. Moore is also accused of having “group sex” with people seeking to garner political influence or favors from him.
The complaint, filed by former Apex Town Council member Scott Lassiter, alleges that Moore “used his position as one of the most powerful elected officials in North Carolina to entice his wife, Jamie Liles Lassiter, a mid-level employee of the state government, to participate in an illicit relationship with him.”
Jamie Lassiter is currently employed as the executive director of the North Carolina Conference of Clerks of Superior Court.
The suit also names a “John Doe” defendant, an unidentified individual alleged to have installed a camera on Lassiter’s property at the behest of Moore to “capture photos and videos” that Moore could use to “persuade [Lassiter] not to pursue any valid legal claims against him.”
Lassiter claims that Moore “aggressively pursued a sexual relationship” with his wife in a manner amounting to “alienation of affection.” He is also accusing the defendants of conspiracy and trespassing and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in the excess of $200,000.
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Affair lasted more than three years
According to the complaint, Lassiter in 2022 began hearing rumors that his wife was having an affair with Moore. Based on the rumors, Lassiter on Dec. 21, 2022 followed his wife, who claimed she was going to the movies with a friend, and found her meeting with Moore at a popular steakhouse in Raleigh.
“After dinner, Defendant Tim Moore drove Mrs. Lassiter, in the Lassiters’ car, to his residence in Raleigh, where they spent hours together and, upon information and belief, had sexual intercourse,” the document states.
“When Mrs. Lassiter returned home in the early morning hours of December 22, 2022, much later than she had told Plaintiff she would be out for the movie, Plaintiff confronted her about her relationship with Defendant Tim Moore. Mrs. Lassiter tearfully confessed that she had been involved in an extramarital affair with Defendant Tim Moore for more than three years, that she had engaged in sexual activity with Defendant Tim Moore (including group sex with other individuals seeking Defendant Tim Moore’s political favor), and that she feared ending the relationship with Defendant Tim Moore would result in losing her job.”
‘Fear of retaliation’
When Lassiter confronted Moore about the affair, he allegedly admitted to sleeping with his wife for the last three years, then asked “if there was anything he could do” for Lassiter, “implying that he could use the power held as Speaker in some way to benefit Plaintiff,” according to the suit.
Lassiter asserts that after learning about the affair he attempted to work through the problems in his marriage caused by the infidelity through religious and therapeutic counseling, but ultimately decided to end the relationship.
The suit further claimed that his wife “was adamant that she wanted to save their marriage but could not end her relationship with Defendant Tim Moore for fear of retaliation.”
‘Confident the Speaker will be vindicated’
In a statement to Raleigh NBC affiliate WRAL, Moore’s attorney reportedly denied the claims in the suit.
“I look forward to meeting Mr. Lassiter in the courtroom. We are confident the Speaker will be vindicated,” he reportedly told the station.
Jaimie Lassiter also vehemently denied the claims in the filed complaint.
“The claims are not only false but impossible as we’ve been separated with a signed separation document for years,” she reportedly wrote in a statement to WRAL. “Our marriage was a nightmare, and since I left him it has gotten worse. We are reaching the end of our divorce process and this is how he’s lashing out.”
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