By GARY D. ROBERTSON, Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina Education Lottery Commission member was removed from his post by Gov. Roy Cooper after being accused of making sexually harassing and racially insensitive comments.

Kim Griffin Jr. of Durham was removed last week by Cooper after a series of remarks to lottery commissioners, officers and staff "that created a hostile work environment," Cooper general counsel William McKinney wrote in a letter to Griffin on Wednesday.

Griffin, a former commission chairman, said in a phone interview Monday that the allegations were false. He accused Democrats and some lottery executives — specifically executive Director Alice Garland and board members Keith Ballentine and Jodi Tyson — of making up charges to push him off the board.

"Since they don't have anything real, then they make it up," said Griffin, who was appointed to the commission by former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. "That's the way the Democrats work — always have, always will."

Garland, who according to McKinney's letter recommended that Griffin be removed, rejected the accusation.

"This is not a political situation. It is a personnel matter," Garland said in a statement. "It has been handled appropriately by the appointing authority, the governor."

Cooper, a Democrat, announced last Friday that former state Sen. Tony Rand would fill the remainder of Griffin's term through August 2018.

McCrory had appointed Griffin, a real estate company executive, as a lottery board member and chairman in late 2015. Cooper named his own chairman early this year, but Griffin remained on the nine-member board until last Wednesday.

Accusations involving Griffin initially surfaced last year, Tyson said Monday.

Tyson, the leader of a commission committee, said Garland brought to his attention in June 2016 allegations of inappropriate comments by Griffin. Tyson said he asked the lottery's human resources director to look into the issue but staff members "were hesitant and fearful to come forward" and the accusations idled. The issue resurfaced recently, according to Tyson.

When McCrory named Griffin the commission chairman, Ballentine was removed from the post but remained on the board. Griffin said Ballentine was trying to get back at him for losing the chairman's job, something Ballentine denied.

Griffin said Monday he made some comments last year but he found it strange that no one raised offense about anything until now. Griffin was formally alerted to the accusations in McKinney's Aug. 3 letter and given the chance to address officials about the accusations last week.

McKinney wrote female lottery staff members had requested not to meet alone with Griffin and that Griffin's "racially insensitive comments directed at lottery partners do not represent the values of the governor or the North Carolina Lottery."

Cooper's appointment of Rand returns to state government one of the most powerful General Assembly members in recent history.

Rand served in the Senate for all or parts of 12 terms before his 2009 resignation. As majority leader and Senate Rules Committee chairman, Rand was the top lieutenant to longtime Senate leader Marc Basnight and played a big role getting laws passed in 2005 to begin the lottery. The 77-year-old Rand will participate in his first meeting next month.