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The Republican-controlled legislature in North Carolina ignored the objections of Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and passed a bill that reduces the powers of Democrats. They disguised the bill as hurricane aid to push it through, despite the governor’s veto.
Written by Nick Corasaniti and Eduardo Medina.
Nick Corasaniti provided coverage from various cities in North Carolina such as Asheville, Canton, Waynesville, and Leicester, while Eduardo Medina reported from Raleigh and Durham.
In North Carolina, Republicans successfully passed a bill on Wednesday that increases their authority by overriding the veto of the Democratic governor. This bill grants the GOP more control over elections, judicial appointments, and the ability to determine the legality of their own laws.
The way Republicans passed the legislation was particularly noticeable. They called it "Disaster Relief" even though most of the measures had nothing to do with helping areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Instead, the bill focused on reducing the influence of key state Democrats. Only a small portion of the bill, 13 out of 131 pages, actually addressed the storm relief efforts.
Republicans quickly worked to get the bill passed last month, but Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, vetoed it. Republicans then tried to override his veto in the last few weeks of their small majority in the House, where they lost important seats in the November election. Despite Donald J. Trump winning the state, Republicans did not succeed in other important races like governor, attorney general, and secretary of state.
After four years of Republicans across the country working to increase their influence over election processes, an override vote was successfully passed by a vote of 72 to 46 based on party affiliations. This effort was largely motivated by former President Trump’s baseless assertions regarding the 2020 presidential election.
Before the vote, State Representative Tim Moore, who is a Republican and the current speaker of the House, openly stated that the purpose of the bill was to benefit his party in upcoming elections.
During a conversation with conservative podcaster Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Moore emphasized the importance of the action item for ensuring North Carolina’s ability to secure victories for Republicans and advance the country in a positive direction.
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