May 24, 2019/Press
TAKEAWAY – GOP COWARDICE – BIG TENT PARTY – VP PENCE ON A RESCUE MISSION – PAID FAMILY LEAVE
LEGISLATOR ENDURES “PHYSICAL SACRIFICE” TO STOP GOP ATTEMPT TO “RAM THROUGH ANTI-ABORTION LAW”
House Republican leaders cowardly refused to vote on whether to sustain Governor Cooper’s veto on an anti-choice bill Monday night, despite every Republican member being present. When they realized they couldn’t override the veto, Republicans shelved the bill forcing the rest of the legislature, including Rep. Sydney Batch who is recovering from intensive breast cancer surgery, “to return day after day until they have the numbers.”Batch, who is “tough as nails,” reported for duty Monday night despite planning to take three weeks off to recover from the surgery. Batch told Talking Points Memo:
Last year, North Carolinians voted to break the Republican supermajority and return veto power to Governor Cooper. Now, instead of listening to the will of the people, Republicans are playing political games without regard for how it impacts the health and well-being of their colleague.Their cowardice is all the more obvious in the face of Sydney’s strength.

STOP THE BANS: HUNDREDS RALLY ACROSS NC

NC DEMS REFLECT VALUES AND DIVERSITY OF NC

North Carolina Democrats have continued to reach out to all North Carolinians, advocating for the kitchen-table issues that unite us: more jobs, better paychecks, quality public education, clean water, and affordable health care.The results speak for themselves. In 2018, Democrats flipped 11 Trump districts and broke the Republican supermajority by running quality candidates, including moderates, who fit their district.
VP PENCE TO NC TO “RESCUE” TILLIS
Washington Republicans are panicked about Senator Thom Tillis’ reelection chances – and they’re not hiding it well.Barely a week into his primary fight and Senator Tillis is already calling in help, forcing the Vice President to come to North Carolina to “rescue” him from a “disruptive primary [that] could wreak havoc” on the full ticket. On Wednesday, Washington Republicans announced plans to “carpet bomb” his challenger, Garland Tucker, one day after they forced a top advisor to cut ties with Tucker and less than a week after they launched attack after attack on Tucker that each landed with a thud.
This week’s rescue mission is nothing more than Washington Republicans paying back Senator Tillis for losing his spine and choosing their interests over North Carolina on issue after issue.

EDITORIAL: “THOM TILLIS IS NO FRIEND OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY”
- Supported Amendment 1, the 2012 amendment banning same-sex marriage
- Said North Carolina’s ban would likely be overturned within 20 years, a move dubbed “very on-brand for Tillis — trying to have it both ways politically but instead annoying everyone.”
- Hired lawyers to fight for Amendment 1 after it was “declared dead in the courts”
- “Voted against amendments to provide anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ students in public schools and for homeless LGBTQ youth seeking housing, education and job training.”
- “Briefly protested” President Trump’s ban on transgender troops serving in the military, then “didn’t lift a finger to support House and Senate bills that would block the ban” when it took effect last month.

GOVERNOR COOPER ANNOUNCES PAID FAMILY LEAVE

WHAT EDITORIAL BOARDS ARE SAYING THIS WEEK
On the GOP’s assault on reproductive freedom…
CBC:
“North Carolina may not be in the eye of the swirling national storm over restricting and abolishing abortion, but it is not from lack of trying. Efforts to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the “abortion survivors protection act” are on life-support in the state House of Representatives. Speaker Tim Moore keeps shuffling the bill on and off the calendar, hoping to manipulate consideration to a time when enough veto sustainers are absent. The bill is not necessary and is more about politics.”
On the Trump-Tillis tariffs…
CBC:
“Who’s hurt by tariffs? North Carolina farmers, investors, retailers and consumers…North Carolina’s economy is paying a high price for his impetuous trade war and even stalwarts like the state Farm Bureau don’t believe Trump’s phony short-term pain for long-term gain justifications. Donald Trump’s spread of disinformation isn’t some benign political exercise. His lies have real-life consequences.”