Bribery. Election fraud. Witness tampering. Lying to the FBI. 2019 will be remembered as the year that North Carolina Republicans’ corruption finally became public, as the party, a sitting Congressman, a Congressional candidate, and their gubernatorial nominee became fully engulfed in chaos…

NBC News:

New York Times:

First, Republican NC-09 candidate Mark Harris admitting to funding and directing an elaborate election fraud scheme to steal an election…

NPR:

Then, state party Chairman Robin Hayes became engulfed in a bribery scandal…

CNN:

Then sitting Congressman Mark Walker confirmed he’s “Person A” in the federal indictments of the same scandal…

Then Lt. Governor Dan Forest tried to mislead his relationship with his “friend” Greg Lindberg, while records showed he met with Lindberg three times in as many months and even posted of photo of himself speaking at Lindberg’s house on the same day Lindberg donated $400K to the committee Forest chairs…

N&O:

One year out from the biggest election cycle North Carolina has ever witnessed – including hosting the Republican National Convention – and the entire North Carolina Republican party is engulfed in chaos.Btw, Tillis shared this ringing endorsement of Hayes just a day before the indictments dropped…

…begging the question, Does Thom Tillis stand by his statement and by now-indicted NC GOP chairman Robin Hayes?

This week, Governor Cooper signed Executive Order No. 93 banning state agencies from requesting the salary history of prospective employees. Requiring salary history perpetuates the wage gap between men and women and eliminating the practice is a huge step toward ending wage discrimination in North Carolina.

WRAL:

This week, DEQ announced its decision to require Duke Energy to excavate all remaining coal ash sites in North Carolina. While Republicans downplayed the impact of coal ash, Governor Cooper and his administration made protecting North Carolina’s environment and public safety a top priority.

WRAL:

With this week’s bill-filing deadline behind us, legislative Democrats have followed through on their promise to stand up for our jobs, our health and safety, our education, and our people with proposals like expanding Medicaid …

… establishing independent redistricting

… making it easier to register to vote… ensuring equal pay for equal work.

… reenacting the Earned Income Tax Credit

… protecting the health and safety of LGBTQ+ individuals

WUNC:

… passing the Equal Rights Amendment

… closing the consent loophole… establishing Red Flag Laws

On ending LGBTQ discrimination…

Winston-Salem Journal:
“Three new pieces of legislation presented in the state House last week by Democrats deserve support from all legislators — and from anyone interested in fairness…In order to thrive, our state must be big enough — and fair enough — for everyone.”

On DEQ’s coal ash decision…

Winston-Salem Journal:
“The decision to require Duke Energy to dig up, remove and dispose of all the coal ash near its Belews Creek Steam Station is a good one. The ruling from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, announced Monday, was based on the potential impact to the environment, natural resources and public health, officials said. Those are the most important criteria on which to base a bottom line.”

Fayetteville Observer:
“It looks like a turning point, a sea change, landmark decision that marks a new and more sensible priority for environmental regulation in North Carolina. We’ve seen it coming for a while now, steady change in the way the Department of Environmental Quality does its job. Monday was a bright exclamation point on that trend, the announcement that henceforth, priorities are different.”

On red flag laws… 

Fayetteville Observer:
“A “red flag” law in North Carolina, carefully written, would preserve that right to life and not infringe on the Second Amendment right of people who aren’t a danger to themselves and others. It’s a reasonable approach to safety that all of us should be able to support.”

On Republican rearranging of public education money…

WRAL:
“While smoke and mirrors may be standard supplies in the legislature they are of little help in classrooms. Teachers and parents see right through a half-hearted ploy to neutralize the very real needs for schools.  The continued neglect has prompted educators to launch another march on the legislature in May to press for better school funding and working conditions.”

 

Have a great weekend!Robert Howard
@RobertWHowardSarah Flowers
@SarahFlowersNC