On Tuesday, his last day in office, North Carolina Democrat Governor Roy Cooper, emulating President Joe Biden, commuted the sentences of 15 men on death row to life imprisonment.
Cooper was succeeded by Democrat Josh Stein on Wednesday. Last week, President Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of 37 of 40 inmates on federal death row.
“These reviews are among the most difficult decisions a Governor can make and the death penalty is the most severe sentence that the state can impose,” Cooper said in a <a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2024/12/31/governor-cooper-takes-capital-clemency-actions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “After thorough review, reflection, and prayer, I concluded that the death sentence imposed on these 15 people should be commuted, while ensuring they will spend the rest of their lives in prison.”
“Before today’s commutations, North Carolina had 136 offenders on death row and the Governor’s Clemency Office received petitions for clemency from 89 of them. The Governor’s Office carefully reviewed, researched, and considered these 89 petitions for commutations, which included the 15 that were granted today,” the statement concluded.
Cooper listed factors that influenced his decision, including:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Facts and circumstances of the crime</li>
<li>Whether a murder was particularly heinous and cruel</li>
<li>Input from prosecutors in the county of conviction</li>
<li>Input from family members of victims</li>
<li>Defendant’s criminal history</li>
<li>Defendant’s conduct and activity in prison</li>
<li>Mental and intellectual capacity of the defendant at the time of the crime</li>
<li>Credible claims of innocence</li>
<li>The potential influence of race, such as the race of the defendant and victim, composition of the jury pool and the final jury, and evidence and testimony offered at trial</li>
<li>Sentences received by co-defendants</li>
<li>Whether plea agreements for a lesser sentence were offered prior to trial</li>
<li>Age of defendant at the time of the crime</li>
<li>Current age, health, and mental capacity of the defendant</li>
<li>Adequacy of legal representation at trial and on appeal</li>
<li>Laws governing capital punishment at the time of conviction</li>
<li>Juror actions and statements</li>
</ul>
“State Department of Adult Correction records list 13 of the 15 receiving clemency as Black,” NPR <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/12/31/g-s1-40663/north-carolina-governor-roy-cooper-commutes-death-row-sentences" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>.

ABC News Hosts Second Presidential Debate

NC Dem Governor Commutes 15 Death Sentences On Last Day In Office

Crime

Death Penalty

Death Row

Joe Biden

North Carolina

Politics

Roy Cooper

The House Homeland Security Committee demanded this week that top <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> officials provide information on how military assets were mobilized to respond to devastating Hurricane Helene damage done in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina</a> in September. 
The committee announced Friday that it had asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D) to provide details on how the Helene response was coordinated. The requests come as the Biden administration has faced intense scrutiny over its response to both Helene and Hurricane Milton. 
“The Committee on Homeland Security (Committee) is conducting oversight of the federal response to Hurricane Helene,” wrote Committee Chair Mark Green (R-TN) in a <a href="https://homeland.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2024-12-10-Green-et-al-to-Austin-DOD-re-Hurricane-Helene-DoD-Response.pdf">letter</a> sent to Austin on Tuesday. “Since Hurricane Helene’s landfall on September 26, 2024, the scale of mobilized resources, materiel, and personnel at the federal and state levels has been significant. The Committee seeks to better understand the use of military assets, the execution of Title 10 authorities, and how these efforts were coordinated in North Carolina, where the damage from Hurricane Helene is particularly acute.”
The letter was co-signed by Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) and Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY).
Helene, which made landfall in September, led to devastating flooding in portions of East Tennessee and western North Carolina after torrential rain. Many residents reported that it took weeks for federal responders to arrive, and thousands are still without homes. 
According to the letters, more than 6,000 federal personnel, including 1000 National Guard Bureau troops, were sent to North Carolina by October 5.
“The intense breadth of Hurricane Helene’s impact requires significant DoD assets and personnel to assist in North Carolina’s immediate and long-term recovery,” the lawmakers wrote. 
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The committee wants all communications and documents between the DoD, FEMA, DHS, and North Carolina about how the military was used to respond to the flooding. It also wants documents showing how many DoD service members were requested for the response. 
Earlier this month, the committee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-homeland-security-to-interview-second-fema-employee-about-trump-guidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interviewed</a> FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington, who ordered relief workers in Lake Placid, Florida, to “avoid homes advertising Trump.” The committee is investigating Washington&#8217;s claims that FEMA had a widespread policy of avoiding politically hostile homes. 
Other whistleblowers have alleged that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republicans-ask-for-probe-into-allegations-fema-skipped-entire-neighborhoods-with-trump-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entire neighborhoods</a> in North Carolina were skipped over if there were three or more Trump signs in the community.

Hurricane Helene North Carolina

Lawmakers Probe Military Response To Helene Destruction In North Carolina

Alejandro Mayorkas

Biden Administration

Department of Defense

Hurricane Helene

Lloyd Austin

Mark Green

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who was reportedly under consideration to run with Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic presidential ticket, said on Monday that it &#8220;wasn&#8217;t the right time&#8221; for him to &#8220;potentially&#8221; run for vice president.
Cooper released a statement Monday evening voicing his &#8220;strong support&#8221; for Harris&#8217; campaign, but adding, &#8220;This just wasn&#8217;t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket.&#8221; The governor is nearing the end of his second term and will soon be termed out.
&#8220;As I&#8217;ve said from the beginning, [Harris] has an outstanding list of people from which to choose, and we&#8217;ll all work to make sure she wins,&#8221; Cooper added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/vBmxvUhuFu">pic.twitter.com/vBmxvUhuFu</a>
— Roy Cooper (@RoyCooperNC) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyCooperNC/status/1818080476273201442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
A source involved with Harris&#8217; search for a VP told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/roy-cooper-backs-consideration-harris-running-mate-rcna164203" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> that the 67-year-old Cooper asked to be removed from the shortlist because he plans on running for Senate in 2026. Both North Carolina Senate seats are held by Republicans, and the GOP has a veto-proof majority in the state legislature. Trump won the state in both 2016 and 2020.
The North Carolina governor&#8217;s second term will end at the beginning of 2025, and Cooper has endorsed Democratic candidate Josh Stein to take his place. Stein is running against Republican Mark Robinson, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump.
Harris&#8217; list of potential running mates is shrinking as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also said earlier this week that she is not being vetted, adding, “I have communicated with everyone, including the campaign, that I’ve made a commitment to serve out my term as governor in Michigan.&#8221;
“I can be an excellent ally to a President Harris and I can be a great co-chair of the Harris campaign from my place as governor. So I am not a part of the vetting,&#8221; Whitmer said.
Harris&#8217; shortlist includes Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-27/kamala-harris-vice-presidential-search-focuses-on-3-candidates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is also <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/28/beshear-harris-volunteers-georgia-campaign-event/74579670007/">reportedly</a> in the running. Biden cabinet members, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo are also being floated as potential VP picks.

‘Wasn’t The Right Time’: Another Harris VP Candidate Takes Name Off Shortlist

'Wasn't The Right Time': Another Harris VP Candidate Takes Name Off Shortlist

2024 Election

Elections

Kamala Harris

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina</a> Republican lawmakers voted on Wednesday to override Democrat Governor Roy Cooper&#8217;s effort to veto a pack of legislation that included safeguarding parental authority in child education, protecting biological women&#8217;s sports, and banning medical professionals from performing gender reassignment treatments on children.
Last month, Cooper vetoed three bills that he argued Republicans served up as a triple threat of political culture wars to harm children and damage the Tar Heel State&#8217;s reputation &#8212; but the GOP-led General Assembly fought back with an overwhelming victory of enacting legislation and other bills designed to protect kids from radical gender theory.
House and Senate lawmakers made North Carolina the 22nd state to ban medical professionals from prescribing hormone therapy, puberty-blocking drugs, and gender reassignment surgeries to anyone under 18, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-veto-override-north-carolina-536351cc360a92cdd21f298f6212e6d2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to The Associated Press</a>.
Primary sponsor of the bill, Republican Sen. Joyce Krawiec, reportedly said that the state has an interest in &#8220;protecting children from long-term harm&#8221; caused by irreversible procedures before reaching adulthood.
Although the bill takes effect immediately, minors who began undergoing so-called gender-affirming care before August 1 could continue such treatments with parental consent or if a doctor deems it &#8220;medically necessary.&#8221;
The transgender medicalization of children has exploded in popularity over the last few years, prompting red and purple states to respond with a wave of restrictions.
About 300,000 American teens between 13 to 17 identified as transgender last year, according to <a href="https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/Trans-Pop-Update-Jun-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the CDC&#8217;s Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System and Youth Risk Behavior Survey, indicating a sharp increase over the previous few years.
Although at least 31 states have proposed restrictions on the practice of child sex change treatments and procedures, only some states have approved their restrictions.
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Wednesday&#8217;s vote was part of a pack of legislation Governor Cooper attempted to veto, which also included limiting gender and sex discussion in schools and prohibiting biological males from participating in female sports at middle school, high school, and collegiate levels.
Republican Sen. Amy Galey introduced the override in the Senate for the Parents Bill of Rights, which safeguards the parents&#8217; role in their children&#8217;s education and to be involved in some school policy decisions.
&#8220;Parents have the right to direct the upbringing and moral and religious training of their children,&#8221; Galey reportedly <a href="https://myfox8.com/news/politics/north-carolina-general-assembly-overrides-7-vetoes-including-parents-bill-of-rights-transgender-athletes-ban-and-gender-treatment-for-minors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;Parents should be seen as children&#8217;s most important advisers.&#8221;
&#8220;The same people who don&#8217;t want school choice want to control how schools communicate with parents,&#8221; she added. &#8220;This bill will strengthen schools.&#8221;
Independent Women’s Voice, who advocated for the North Carolina legislature’s vote to override Cooper’s veto of the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, celebrated the victory in protecting female athletes.
“No young woman, least of all those who are adversely impacted with sexual trauma as I was, should be forced to share a locker room with a biological male,” Paula Scanlan, Stand with Women spokeswoman and advisor at Independent Women’s Voice, said in a <a href="https://www.iwv.org/2023/08/override-success-independent-womens-voice-celebrates-north-carolina-legislatures-final-vote-to-overturn-veto-enact-the-fairness-in-womens-sports-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a>. “And because of this legislation, in North Carolina they won’t. I am proud of Independent Women’s Voice advocates who called for this bill to include collegiate athletes so women like me won’t face the same discrimination that my teammates and I did.”
Cooper aired his frustration after the General Assembly defeated the veto to override his actions.
&#8220;The legislature finally comes back to pass legislation that discriminates, makes housing less safe, blocks FEMA disaster recovery funding, hurts the freedom to vote and damages our economy,&#8221; Cooper said in a <a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2023/08/16/governor-cooper-comment-veto-override-actions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a>. &#8220;Yet they still won&#8217;t pass a budget when teachers, school bus drivers and Medicaid Expansion for thousands of working people getting kicked off their health plans every week are desperately needed.&#8221;
&#8220;These are the wrong priorities, especially when they should be working nights and weekends if necessary to get a budget passed by the end of the month,&#8221; he added.
Mairead Elordi contributed to this report.

Electric carmaker Vinfast breaks ground in its $4B NC manufacturing plant.

North Carolina GOP Lawmakers Override Gov. Cooper’s Veto On Culture War Legislation

North Carolina GOP Lawmakers Override Gov. Cooper's Veto On Culture War Legislation

Social Issues

Transgender Athletes

transgender surgery

U.S.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper <a href="https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article277028808.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vetoed</a> a bipartisan bill that would protect women’s sports on Wednesday.
HB 574, which is titled the “<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2023/h574" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fairness in Women’s Sports Act</a>” and passed with bipartisan supermajorities, would prohibit men from playing in women’s sports in middle schools, high schools, and universities.
“We don’t need politicians inflaming their political culture wars by making broad, uninformed decisions about an extremely small number of vulnerable children that are already handled by a robust system that relies on parents, schools and sports organizations,” the Democratic governor <a href="https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2023/07/05/governor-cooper-vetoes-three-bills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “Republican governors in other states have vetoed similar bills because they hurt their states’ reputation and economy and because they are neither fair nor needed.”
The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act was passed with the support of two Democrats in the state legislature — Rep. Michael Wray in the House, and Sen. Val Applewhite in the Senate. If Cooper&#8217;s veto is overridden, the bill would apply to all public schools and any private school that competes against public schools.
Applewhite <a href="https://www.fayobserver.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fayobserver.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2F2023%2F06%2F23%2Ffayetteville-democrat-sides-with-nc-gop-on-anti-transgender-sports-bill%2F70345696007%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that her vote was “a tough decision to make” and was based on conversations with coaches and other constituents in her district. One umpire told the Democrat that changes in strength levels between boys and girls can start as soon as seven years old.
“I even reached out to some members of the LGBTQ community who said they understood it as well,” the state senator told The News &amp; Observer. “I think it’s a misnomer to think that everyone in that community feels the same way, they’re not one groupthink.”
According to the Fayetteville Observer, Applewhite received “bad threats” after her vote. When approached by The News &amp; Observer, Wray declined to comment on why he supported the bill.
Cooper also vetoed <a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2023/s49" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SB 49</a>, named the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” and <a href="https://ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2023/H808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HB 808</a>, which would ban sex change treatments for minors. Unlike the women’s sports bill, these two bills passed with no Democratic support.
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Cooper’s vetoes of HB 574 and HB 808 are likely to be overridden by the North Carolina General Assembly, since the GOP holds supermajorities in both houses, thanks in part to Rep. Tricia Cotham, who <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/north-carolina-democrat-switches-parties-giving-gop-veto-proof-control-in-legislature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">switched parties</a> from Democrat to Republican in April and voted for all three bills.
However, the path forward for the Parents’ Bill of Rights is less certain, since one Republican, Rep. Hugh Blackwell, <a href="https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/north-carolina-gov-roy-cooper-vetoes-bills-he-calls-a-triple-threat-to-rights-of-transgender-children-parents/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> against the bill, leaving Republicans one vote short of overriding the governor’s veto on that bill.
Cooper is not the only Democratic governor to veto bipartisan bills surrounding protecting womens’ sports, banning sex change treatments for minors, and strengthening parental rights in education.
Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/governor-vetoes-bill-protecting-children-from-transgender-procedures-in-state-with-gop-supermajority" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vetoed</a> three similar bills Friday, all of which saw <a href="https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=244422" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple</a> Democrats <a href="https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=243924" target="_blank" rel="noopener">join</a> Republicans to <a href="https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=244986" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support</a> them in the state legislature. In a press conference, Edwards <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LouisianaGov/videos/581270063993146/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">compared</a> the bills’ supporters to segregationists during the Civil Rights Movement.

NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS

Governor Vetoes Bipartisan Bill Protecting Women’s Sports

Governor Vetoes Bipartisan Bill Protecting Women's Sports

LGBTQ

Transgender

Women's sports

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/democratic-party">Democratic</a> Governor Roy Cooper (NC) has declared a &#8220;State of Emergency&#8221; because the GOP-led legislature is about to pass school choice amongst other conservative measures that fight back against radical gender ideology and woke educational policies.
What exactly does a &#8220;state of emergency&#8221; over public education entail? It&#8217;s unclear, but Cooper thought it enough of a crisis to give a press conference and run this banner across governor.nc.gov:
https://twitter.com/TimMeadsUSA/status/1660770783449186311?s=20
“It’s clear that the Republican legislature is aiming to choke the life out of public education. I’m declaring this a state of emergency because you need to know what’s happening. If you care about public schools in North Carolina, it’s time to take immediate action and tell them to stop the damage that will set back our schools for a generation,” Cooper said in a press release.
Last week, the North Carolina bill passed a bill that would <a href="https://www.wral.com/story/nc-house-passes-bill-to-expand-private-school-vouchers-by-400-million-eligibility-to-all-family-incomes/20865782/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expand</a> private school vouchers by $400 million, according to WRAL News.
As explained by bill sponsor Representative Tricia Cotham (R-Mecklenberg), all this bill would do is allow parents to send a child to the school that best fits their needs.
“Maybe a kid says they hate school,” Cotham told WRAL. “It’s just not the place, maybe the school is too large, maybe it’s the type of curriculum, maybe they have dyslexia and need another location for them. So this would give families, parents, the opportunity because they know their child the best to say where their child should go to school.”
Many states have similar voucher programs — and a big advocate of those programs is Corey A. DeAngelis.
DeAngelis often proclaims, &#8220;Fund students, not systems.&#8221;
On Monday, DeAngelis called Cooper a &#8220;hypocrite.&#8221;
&#8220;This hypocrite sent his own kid to a private school,&#8221; he tweeted. &#8220;We&#8217;re freeing families from the clutches of the teachers unions once and for all &amp; there&#8217;s nothing he can do about it.&#8221;
&#8220;We now have a Democrat Governor declaring school choice a &#8216;State of Emergency,'&#8221;  DeAngelis said. &#8220;They&#8217;re losing control over the minds of other people&#8217;s children and they can&#8217;t handle it. Good. Cry harder, @RoyCooperNC&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
we now have a Democrat Governor declaring school choice a &quot;State of Emergency.&quot;
they&#39;re losing control over the minds of other people&#39;s children and they can&#39;t handle it. good.
cry harder, <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyCooperNC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoyCooperNC</a>.
&mdash; Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeAngelisCorey/status/1660741508784443406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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DeAngelis seemed confident that school choice would pass — even in spite of Cooper.
&#8220;North Carolina families will get school choice this year and there&#8217;s nothing their hypocrite Governor can do about it,&#8221; he tweeted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
North Carolina families will get school choice this year and there&#39;s nothing their hypocrite Governor can do about it.
&mdash; Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeAngelisCorey/status/1660748718126125083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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For his part, Cooper&#8217;s plan to block the legislation includes encouraging North Carolinians to call their representatives to oppose a slew of proposed bills.
The GOP has a supermajority in the legislature of North Carolina. So, to Democrats, GOP officials using legal authority to enact plans that their voters sent them to the office to enact constitutes an &#8220;emergency&#8221; that requires an official declaration.
That sums it all up. Any person, political body, or media outlet that threatens Democrats&#8217; power is treated as an extreme danger that must be thwarted. The North Carolina GOP should wear this declaration as a badge of honor.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

For Real? North Carolina Gov. Declares ‘State Of Emergency’ Because Republican-Led School Choice Is About To Pass

For Real? North Carolina Gov. Declares 'State Of Emergency' Because Republican-Led School Choice Is About To Pass

School Choice

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina</a> Republicans voted to override Democratic Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/roy-cooper" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roy Cooper</a>’s veto of a 12-week abortion ban, using their supermajority to put the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pro-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pro-life measure</a> into law. 
The law, called the “Care for Women, Children, and Families Act,” bans abortions after 12 weeks, with exceptions for rape or incest until 20 weeks and fetal abnormalities until 24 weeks. 
“Today the North Carolina House of Representatives has affirmed the value of human life, and I am proud that the ‘Care for Women, Children, and Families Act’ is now law,” North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore <a href="http://speakermoore.com/house-overrides-governors-veto-care-women-children-families-act/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
“I am proud that the House has overridden the Governor’s veto of this meaningful, mainstream legislation. Senate Bill 20 will save lives and provide needed support for women and families while putting North Carolina’s abortion law in line with the most of rest of the free world,” Moore added. 
The override required all Republicans in the state House, including a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pushed-me-out-north-carolina-democrat-defects-hands-gop-veto-proof-control-of-legislature" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently defected Democrat</a>, to vote together. Cooper had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/north-carolina-heads-toward-veto-showdown-over-abortion-limits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hoped to flip Republicans</a> on the edge on the issue, arguing that it would lead “to harm for pregnant women and their families,” but was unable to do so. 
Despite the pressure, the caucus <a href="https://abc11.com/nc-abortion-north-carolina-ban-bill/13254312/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">voted</a> together 72-48 to implement the abortion ban. 
Republicans in the state Senate had previously voted to override Cooper’s veto, setting up a photo finish in the House. The House gallery was flooded with pro-abortion supporters who screamed “shame” at the Republicans after the vote. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
These are the moments right after the house passed the override of <a href="https://twitter.com/NC_Governor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NC_Governor</a> veto on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SB20?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SB20</a>. Bill will now become law <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abc11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abc11</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ncpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ncpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/WE89dP6d8K">pic.twitter.com/WE89dP6d8K</a>
&mdash; Josh Chapin (@JoshChapinABC11) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshChapinABC11/status/1658647888644194304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“Today marks the beginning of North Carolina’s first real step towards becoming a pro-life state,” said Tami Fitzgerald, of the North Carolina Values Association. &#8220;Pro-life North Carolinians have waited over 50 years to roll back the gestational age for sanctioned killing of pre-born children. With this veto override, legislators have rejected Governor Cooper&#8217;s extreme, unreasonable position of abortion without restriction up to birth.&#8221;
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The bill also provides millions of dollars in assistance to pregnant women, including $75 million for childcare and another $59 million for foster-related care. 
“This bill provides resources for the pregnant woman. It provides broad resources and a significant knowledge base to enable her, to equip her in finding a path forward — a path forward for her, and a path forward for her unborn child,” <a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-veto-override-north-carolina-4282913637b499490494dd3e3cce3478" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Kristin Baker. 
The bill was widely condemned by North Carolina Democrats, including Attorney General Josh Stein, who is running for governor.

US-NEWS-NCGOV-STATEOFSTATE-2-RA

North Carolina Republicans Override Democrat Governor’s Veto On Abortion Ban

Abortion

Pro-Life Movement

U.S. Politics

The North Carolina state House passed legislation Wednesday limiting the continuing emergency powers of Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
The bill was unveiled a year after Cooper first instituted an executive order declaring a state of emergency at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also known as the <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011TBeSCjGoQvxsojOP80kAWSTF885fB7GDwk6iPXc_8ojHXh9Gl1uijI8sucrC0bV-f4L3yY5KmpZFOs0h75ol05huidizRLjqXEK3ywXlpEox4byrGEsOcs8PbznhtyCtekQzx1BpvEkA-L5qOHWCxM7rJmU6H3HpiWj-K4DrdZeRwS4_VBaMRQQTStZ5Ms7KIOKuYCE3fFQQVyOObaNZw==&amp;c=037ABqVBF4qTdsTadg0mpnngm0fIIQCf3mH6ypYDX0yHJxFcy-bWXg==&amp;ch=Lo8ixBfK3IJw9pxJHyXlBaWLqJt0epnTc-KEeCEYgj066JlGhyvtMw==&amp;jrc=1">Emergency Powers Accountability Act</a>, the proposed legislation passed 69-50 along a party-line vote in the lower chamber, after which it is slated to head to the state Senate for debate.
If passed, the bill would mandate that the governor obtains approval from a majority of the Council of State regarding any statewide emergency declaration that lasts longer than 30 days, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-bills-693ab6a25ff5155a0e5bc49225117f87" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Associated Press</a>.
The Council includes 10 senior executive offices of the North Carolina government. As the AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-covid-19-pandemic-bills-693ab6a25ff5155a0e5bc49225117f87" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a>:
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Without the Council’s “concurrence,” the governor’s declaration would expire within seven days. And emergency declarations could be extended for no more than 30 days without additional concurrence by the council.
State law already requires a governor to run some orders past the Council of State. But courts hearing lawsuits challenging Cooper’s powers in responding to the pandemic have nearly always upheld his ability to act on his own due to the public health dangers.
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House Majority Leader John Bell, a Republican who sponsored the bill, said in a Wednesday press release that it “is not about politics — it is about clarifying the law to restore accountability and ensure stronger bipartisan input.”
&#8220;The Governor was never intended to have such absolute authority, especially for an unlimited time,” Bell added.
WATCH:
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There needs to be a discussion about endless duration of power that&#39;s granted to <a href="https://twitter.com/NC_Governor?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NC_Governor</a> during a self-declared emergency. This bill isn&#39;t about politics—it&#39;s about restoring checks/balances. No one should have such unilateral authority, especially for unlimited time. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ncpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ncpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/S9tsTuh0oj">pic.twitter.com/S9tsTuh0oj</a>
&mdash; Rep. John Bell (@JohnBellNC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnBellNC/status/1377379945379418113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“North Carolinians deserve confidence that the unprecedented restrictions placed on their families and businesses are the result of bipartisan consensus, not the absolute power of one man,” House Rules Chairman Destin Hall, a Caldwell County Republican, said in a news release after the vote.
Hall noted: “No one person should have such sweeping and unilateral authority to shut down our state.”
Cooper&#8217;s rule during the pandemic has been challenged before. In December, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians (EBCI), which is a federally recognized <a href="https://visitcherokeenc.com/eastern-band-of-the-cherokee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sovereign tribal nation</a> in western North Carolina, declined to abide by Cooper&#8217;s lockdown order.
Principal Chief Richard Sneed of EBCI said in a statement <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chiefsneed/posts/3707103552643987" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">posted to Facebook</a> at the time:
<blockquote>After considerable research and consideration the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will not be adopting the measures included in the newest Executive Order issued by Governor Roy Cooper. As Principal Chief of the EBCI I have worked with EBCI public health officials to enact social distancing measures that protect our tribal citizens and guests while balancing the financial position of our community. I will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19 in our community and will update our community if further measures are warranted.</blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eastern-band-of-cherokee-indians-refuses-to-adhere-to-nc-governors-lockdown-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians Refuses To Adhere To NC Governor’s Lockdown Order</a>

NC Gov. Roy Cooper

North Carolina State House Passes Bill Limiting Democrat Governor’s Emergency Powers

COVID

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper shot down President Donald Trump’s push for a “full” Republican National Convention in August.
Cooper, a Democrat, sent a letter to Republican National Committee chairwoman Rona McDaniel and Republican National Convention President Marcia Kelly Lee on Tuesday saying that any GOP convention in the state would have to be “scaled down.” Last month, Trump threatened to pull the convention out of North Carolina if any limits were placed on capacity due to the pandemic.
“We still want a safe RNC convention in Charlotte that follows the health guidelines set forth in the CDC’s interim guidance regarding mass gatherings,” Cooper wrote in a <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000172-7625-d3d2-ab7a-77255eb70000">letter</a> obtained by Politico. “The people of North Carolina do not know what the status of COVID-19 will be in August, so planning for a scaled-down convention with fewer people, social distancing and face coverings is a necessity.”
&#8220;With the Nation, the State of North Carolina and the City of Charlotte still under states of emergency it’s important to conduct the RNC convention accordingly. As much as we want the conditions surrounding COVID-19 to be favorable enough for you to hold the Convention you describe in late August, it is very unlikely. Neither public health officials nor I will risk the health and safety of North Carolinians by providing the guarantee you seek,” Cooper concluded.
On May 25, Trump sent a message to Cooper <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-strong-arms-democrat-nc-governor-on-shutdown-guarantee-well-pull-economy-boosting-gop-convention">pushing</a> the governor to allow a “full” convention to take place or Trump would find another state to host the massive gathering. The convention is a four-day boon for the economy of the host city and state as tens of thousands of politicos, reporters, and tourists converge on the site.
“I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August,” Trump said a series of tweets. “Unfortunately, Democrat Governor [Roy Cooper] is still in Shutdown mood [and] unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena.”
“In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space,” he continued. “Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August.”
“They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied,” Trump said. If Cooper fails to offer Republicans a &#8216;guarantee&#8217; that they will be able to hold the convention as planned, he warned, they’ll be “reluctantly forced” to go elsewhere. “If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site.”
“This is not something I want to do,” he concluded. “Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!”
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

North Carolina Governor To Trump: ‘Full’ GOP Convention Isn’t Going To Happen

2020 Election

Donald Trump

Republican National Committee (RNC)

President Trump demanded on Monday that North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) make a decision as soon as possible about his state&#8217;s lockdown orders for the coming months, threatening to pull the Republican National Convention — scheduled to take place in Charlotte the week of August 24 and expected to draw more than 50,000 participants — if he fails to provide Republicans a &#8220;guarantee&#8221; that they will be able to hold the convention as planned. Pulling the convention from the state, Trump reminded Cooper, would have a significant economic impact.
&#8220;I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August,&#8221; Trump said a series of tweets Monday. &#8220;Unfortunately, Democrat Governor [Roy Cooper] is still in Shutdown mood [and] unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena.&#8221;
&#8220;In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space,&#8221; Trump emphasized. &#8220;Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August.&#8221;
&#8220;They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied,&#8221; said Trump. If Cooper fails to offer Republicans a &#8220;guarantee&#8221; that they will be able to hold the convention as planned, he warned, they&#8217;ll be &#8220;reluctantly forced&#8221; to go elsewhere. &#8220;If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site.&#8221;
&#8220;This is not something I want to do,&#8221; he concluded. &#8220;Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!&#8221;
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&#8230;full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being&#8230;.
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1264891998017859584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&#8230;to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1264892000052088832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#8217;s comments follow recent statements by RNC organizers that they fully intend to hold the event as planned. As reported by <a href="https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/trump-threatens-to-move-rnc-out-of-charlotte-over-gov-coopers-covid-19-restrictions/275-d02c3bdc-1ef2-4387-b3d3-464a54be5ada">WCNC Charlotte</a>, the event organizers said during a recent virtual press conference that they are moving &#8220;full steam ahead&#8221; on the convention but stressed that some key decisions are still hinging on COVID-19-related developments.
&#8220;Officials said it&#8217;s too soon to make any definitive call on what they&#8217;ll do. With 50,000 expected visitors coming to Charlotte for the RNC, that&#8217;s 50,000 people who will need food, hotel rooms and transportation,&#8221; WCNC reported Monday.
Marcia Lee Kelly, president and CEO of the 2020 Republican convention in Charlotte, said during the press conference that delegates may be asked to wear masks inside the venue, WCNC notes.
Like Trump, Kelly emphasized the economic impact of the convention, which will be held in Charlotte&#8217;s Spectrum Center, describing it as &#8220;an economic catalyst for the Charlotte community,&#8221; WCNC reports.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-hits-trump-for-golfing-trump-he-left-out-some-key-facts">Biden Shames Trump For Golfing; Trump Swings Back: He Left Out Some Key Facts</a>
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The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

us-politics-TRUMP-briefing

Trump Strong-Arms Democrat NC Governor On Shutdown ‘Guarantee’: We’ll Pull Economy-Boosting GOP Convention

It&#8217;s not just happening in Michigan, it&#8217;s also building in North Carolina and Ohio. Backlash to the &#8220;lockdown&#8221; orders is coming in multiple forms in multiple states, including a &#8220;gridlock&#8221; protest against Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer&#8217;s overzealous &#8220;closing and banning,&#8221; the &#8220;Reopen NC&#8221; movement against North Carolina&#8217;s Gov. Roy Cooper&#8217;s (D) &#8220;not warranted, nor sustainable&#8221; stay-at-home orders, and a demands by Guy Fawkes-masked protesters calling on Gov. Mike DeWine (R) to &#8220;Open Ohio.&#8221;
As The Daily Wire reported Monday, Michigan&#8217;s Whitmer is under increased fire over what more than 200,000 petition signees say is her &#8220;failure,&#8221; &#8220;lies&#8221; and overreach.
&#8220;Recall Governor Whitmer,&#8221; a change.org <a href="https://www.change.org/p/michigan-state-house-impeach-governor-whitmer">petition</a> with over 200,000 signatures reads. &#8220;Her failure’s during the Covid-19 Corona Virus is causing more Michiganders to get sick. Closing and banning various non essential business’s and activities while leaving others open. Further promoting the pandemic. She has lied since day one with her #Fixthedamnroads which she has failed to do anything in this regards. The response to #PFAS was negligence and completely removing funding for #PureMichigan clearly shows her lack of anything positive for the State of Michigan.&#8221;
Along with the recall petition, the Michigan Conservative Coalition has <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/04/10/michigan-governor-deems-easter-bunny-tooth-fairy-essential-workers-frustrated-residents-plan-protest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> &#8220;a vehicle rally to surround the Capitol Building&#8221; scheduled for Wednesday at noon. The goal, as <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/coronavirus-stay-at-home-orders-protests-economy">Fox News</a> explains, is to &#8220;bring traffic to a gridlock in Lansing and protest the &#8216;Stay Home, Stay Safe&#8217; executive order by Whitmer, a Democrat, mandating what businesses could stay home, what some businesses could sell and ordering people in her state against any gatherings – no matter the size or family ties.&#8221;
&#8220;Michigan’s typical small business owners obey laws, but they may not notice the progressive agenda being pushed by our radical leftist Governor Whitmer,” said Rosanne Ponkowski, president of the organization behind the demonstration.
Similar pushback has begun in North Carolina, as <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexBerenson/status/1249674933967507457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Fcoronavirus-stay-at-home-orders-protests-economy">noted</a> by former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson: &#8220;Now this is viral growth: a North Carolina Facebook group called #ReopenNC began last Thursday and has 21,000 members already; it is calling for a protest tomorrow. North Carolina, population 10.4 million, has 81 #COVID deaths and 331 people hospitalized.&#8221;
&#8220;We are residents of North Carolina that stand for The Constitution and demand our officials Reopen NC no later than April 29, 2020,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1071729406534210/">ReopenNC Facebook page</a> reads. &#8220;We are losing our small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy. The shutdown is not warranted, nor sustainable for our area. The vulnerable can be isolated or protected in other ways, without sacrificing our entire state economy. It&#8217;s important to note, several other states have not enacted stay at home orders.&#8221;
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And last week in Ohio, as noted by Fox News, &#8220;dozens of protestors carrying placards and wearing Guy Fawkes masks ignored Ohio’s social-distancing guidelines to demonstrate on steps of the state’s capital building in Columbus against Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, and his administration’s handling of the outbreak. Demonstrators held signs reading &#8216;Open Ohio,&#8217; &#8216;Quarantine worse than virus,&#8217; and &#8216;Social distancing or social conditioning. We do not consent.'&#8221;
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While the governors of the &#8220;locked down&#8221; states are continuing to try to keep residents from breaking social distancing mandates, Americans have lost jobs as a devastating rate. Over the course of just three weeks after much of the country went on lockdown, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/unemployment-claims-top-6-million-for-second-straight-week-even-higher-than-predicted">17 million</a> Americans filed for unemployment, while a recent report found that almost a third of apartment renters <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nearly-a-third-of-apartment-renters-missed-a-payment-in-the-first-week-of-april">failed</a> to pay rent in the first week of April.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-gov-whitmer-bans-residents-from-buying-seeds-or-plants-and-gatherings-of-any-size">Michigan Gov. Whitmer Bans Residents From Buying Seeds Or Plants — And Gatherings ‘Of Any Size’</a>
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Michigan Lockdown

Lockdown Backlash Builds: Protests Organized In Multiple States

Economy

Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan

Mike DeWine

Ohio

On Dec. 7, North Carolina&#8217;s governor-elect Roy Cooper appointed Ken Eudy, an <a href="https://www.ednc.org/2016/09/08/colin-kapernick-pre-season-mvp/">outspoken</a> anti-military advocate and an insider who has been accused of <a href="http://watchdogs.blogs.starnewsonline.com/12964/state-group-plans-to-picket-outside-democratic-fundraiser/">participating</a> in pay-to-play politics, to the position of senior advisor.
In an <a href="https://www.ednc.org/2016/09/08/colin-kapernick-pre-season-mvp/">article</a> published on North Carolina&#8217;s public education site, Eudy described NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick&#8217;s national anthem protest as &#8220;refreshing&#8221; and added that American society views military members &#8220;too highly.&#8221; In the editorial, Eudy also noted that, much like San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick&#8217;s kneeling, he stays in his seat whenever fans offer applause or standing ovations for men and women in the armed services.
However, there is a difference between Kaepernick and Eudy: the NFL player says he respects the troops, but protests the country; Eudy specifically targets the military members with his protest &#8212; which could cause concern among North Carolina&#8217;s nearly one million <a href="http://www.governing.com/gov-data/military-civilian-active-duty-employee-workforce-numbers-by-state.html">active-duty</a> and <a href="http://demography.cpc.unc.edu/2013/11/11/data-snapshot-north-carolina-veterans/">retired</a> military personnel.
&#8220;I sit simply because I think it odd that, of all the categories of Americans that we honor, we honor warriors,&#8221; declared Eudy in the article. 
Promoting the Black Lives Matter narrative, Eudy also wrote that the message of freedom and equality expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the duty of police officers to serve and protect are &#8220;fiction&#8221; when it comes to &#8220;black and brown children.&#8221; 
&#8220;In this country, there are demonstrable differences in the rate at which people of color are incarcerated, unemployed and even shot by their law enforcement officers who are sworn to protect citizens,&#8221; wrote Eudy.
In a press release signed and endorsed by 10 North Carolina state representatives, who also happen to be retired or active-duty military members, State Representative Holly Grange stated, &#8220;it is very concerning that Governor-elect Cooper&#8217;s pick for senior adviser, Ken Eudy has publicly expressed negative opinions and degrading comments toward our state&#8217;s military servicemen and women.&#8221;
&#8220;As a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the U.S. Army and elected official representing Fort Bragg, the most populous military base in the world, I am deeply offended and disheartened over Mr. Eudy&#8217;s comments toward our state&#8217;s bravest men and women,&#8221; State Representative John Szoka added in the press release.
In an interview with The Daily Wire, Szoka also stated, &#8220;I&#8217;d like to take [Eudy] to Fort Bragg and introduce him to veterans who are walking around without limbs and let him meet the spouses and children of those who have been killed in action.&#8221;
On top of the advisor-to-be&#8217;s protest of service members and police officers, Eudy has also tweeted, &#8220;God doesn&#8217;t love America more [than other countries]. We&#8217;re not exceptional.&#8221; 
Additionally, Eudy has passionate feelings about the state&#8217;s HB2 &#8220;Bathroom Bill,&#8221; tweeting that the bill is &#8220;not about bathrooms. It&#8217;s about legalizing discrimination. No different than nullification of civil rights laws in the [1960s].&#8221; 
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&#8220;I sit simply because I think it odd that, of all the categories of Americans that we honor, we honor warriors.&#8221;
Ken Eudy
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Eudy also is the founder of Capstrat, LLC, a communications organization that did lengthy work for insurance company Blue Cross Blue Shield-NC. During his time working with BCBS-NC, the watchdog organization N.C. Policy Watch substantially <a href="http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2007/05/17/ken-eudy-and-blue-cross/">accused</a> Eudy of attempting to strong-arm concerned policyholders questioning the non-profit&#8217;s record $190 million worth of earnings.
Furthermore, Eudy&#8217;s position as being both a major recipient of state dollars through contracts and a major donor to politicians has caused some to <a href="http://watchdogs.blogs.starnewsonline.com/12964/state-group-plans-to-picket-outside-democratic-fundraiser/">raise questions</a>, as he has donated tens of thousands of dollars to state politicians (mostly to Democrats), while also receiving millions of dollars worth of state contracts.
Szokas, the North Carolina state representative, also acknowledged his concerns regarding Eudy&#8217;s business record, &#8220;it seems [Eudy] has a rather murky and suspicious background in pay-to-play.&#8221; Adding, &#8220;you shouldn&#8217;t be donating money to someone&#8217;s campaign in the expectation that you&#8217;ll get anything from it.&#8221;
Given these concerns, Szokas concluded by questioning governor-elect Roy Cooper&#8217;s choice of Eudy: &#8220;It concerns me that our governor-elect would overlook [Eudy&#8217;s] flaws when choosing someone to receive sound advice from.&#8221;
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NC Gov-Elect Appoints Anti-Military Advisor, Claims ‘God Doesn’t Love America’

Political Correctness

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