North Carolina says it will defy feds over LGBT law; 'We're not going to get bullied'

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Thu May 5, 2016, 03:13 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Los Angeles Times

North Carolina says it will defy feds over LGBT law; 'We're not going to get bullied'

By Jenny Jarvie

May 5, 2016, 10:58 AM | Reporting from ATLANTA

A political showdown between North Carolina and the federal government loomed Thursday as Republican state leaders vowed to defy the U.S. Justice Department’s deadline to repeal the state’s contentious new bathroom law.

The Justice Department notified Gov. Pat McCrory in a letter Wednesday that the state’s House Bill 2, which restricts transgender bathroom access and has become a flashpoint in the LGBT rights fight, violates sections of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It gave the state until Monday to "remedy" the violations.

On Thursday, House Speaker Tim Moore said legislators would not meet the federal government’s deadline.

“We will take no action by Monday,” Moore told the Raleigh News & Observer. “That deadline will come and go. We don’t ever want to lose any money, but we’re not going to get bullied by the Obama administration to take action prior to Monday’s date. That’s not how this works.”

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-north-carolina-doj-20160505-story.html

---

The Raleigh News & Observer has the story too, of course, but the headline makes sense only if you know what "House Bill 2" is.

May 5, 2016 11:59 AM

NC won’t meet Obama administration’s Monday deadline on House Bill 2, House speaker says

1:58 PM

Highlights

Department of Justice says HB2 violates the U.S. Civil Rights Act and Title IX

Tim Moore: ‘We will take no action by Monday’

By Colin Campbell
[e-mail]

House Speaker Tim Moore said Thursday that legislators won’t meet the U.S. Department of Justice’s Monday deadline to repeal or stop enforcing House Bill 2.

The department sent state leaders a letter Wednesday saying that the law violates the U.S. Civil Rights Act and Title IX – a finding that could jeopardize billions in federal education funding. Those laws ban discrimination in education based on sex and employment discrimination.

“We will take no action by Monday,” Moore told reporters Thursday. “That deadline will come and go. We don’t ever want to lose any money, but we’re not going to get bullied by the Obama administration to take action prior to Monday’s date. That’s not how this works.”

Moore said state leaders are still trying to determine their next steps. “Right now we’re talking with our attorneys to see what our options are,” he said. “We’re going to move at the speed that we’re going to move at to look at what our options are.”

From Joe.My.God:

NORTH CAROLINA: State To Defy Justice Department, Will Not Comply With Order On Anti-LGBT Hate Law

Charlotte Observer; same article, different comments:

NC won’t meet Obama administration’s Monday deadline on House Bill 2, House speaker says

[closeupready]

1. Which cliche HAVEN'T they yet pulled out of their asses - they've tried

a variation of the Velvet Mafia, a sex fiend one, now civil authorities who are performing their responsibilities are 'really just bullying us!'

[lagomorph777]

2. "We ARE the bullies - nobody can bully US!"

Hell, what's a few billion in lost federal funds? Gooper Governors routinely turn that down when they reject Medicare expansion. Apparently their constituents like to send their money to Yankee states.

[elljay]

5. I'm all for cutting federal funds to NC

I'm sick and tired of red state parasites taking money from blue states and the federal government, while at the same time preventing our government from actually functioning through their obstructionist politicians. I apologize to all the good people of NC who are forced to live under these Republicans, but it is time for NC to choke on its own medicine. I'm sure keeping a few trans people from peeing will be well worth it......

[lagomorph777]

8. Maybe this will finally motivate NC voters to get rid of the Potty Party.

McRory and Moore's attitude seems to be

"It's my potty and I'll pry if I want to."

[Jackie Wilson Said]

3. Sometimes I get so angry I dont know how to vent.

[RKP5637]

6. Yep, I know exactly what you mean! n/t

[Sherman A1]

27. Might I suggest

an email to the NC Convention & Visitor's bureau explaining why you will not be coming to their state as long as the continue with this nonsense.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

31. Great idea.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

7. Let all the bigots live in North Dakota...Give them all endless supplies

of meth, guns, ammo, cocaine and Jack Daniels.

Not picking on ND so if you can think of a better place, please advise.

[mac56]

12. Please, no.

NoDaks are my neighbors here in MN, and good people.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

13. The moon also works for me

[stage left]

15. I was thinking the moon would be a good spot.

Or Mars.

[keroro gunsou]

17. the moon sounds like a winner

but like some restaurants... no atmosphere... which i guess in this case could be considered a plus.

[malthaussen]

20. Yeah, sure, let's pollute a pristine planet.

No, what we need is a rift in the very fabric of space-time, a portal to a parallel universe where we can stuff all the bigots and let them feed off of each other. That would be true justice, IMO.

But hell, anywhere we'd dump them is going to turn to filth, anyway.

-- Mal

[Ford_Prefect]

33. RPK thank you sooo much for your bigoted attitude regarding NC citizens.

You are one of the repeat offenders in the blame those damn southerners club. The people of NC are not the rabid dogs you paint them to be and they did not write this law.

This law was invented by a "christian" lobbyist from Orlando Florida, who engineered a whole series of similar laws in other states. The only way the law got passed was that no public debate of it took place, so that no voters could tell the legislature how to vote on it. Several clauses amended to it never saw the light of day until the Governor had signed it into law. The Democrats in the state senate walked out rather than discuss or vote on the bill.

When McCrory was elected they told us he was a Moderate as indeed his record had been as Mayor of Charlotte. Many of those in the legislature who rammed this through ran on less extreme platforms than they have since enacted. In any case they do not represent the majority of NC voters. As determined in Federal Court they gerrymandered the state districts to perpetuate a republican majority in both houses. I repeat THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF NC VOTERS.

The whole state does not deserve to be punished for the idocracy of McCrory and the NC GOP whether by you or anyone else. Until the elections were stolen by Art Pope, the Koch money machine and the NC GOP we had a rather progressive thing going here for over 30 years. NC is not Kansas, Mississippi, or Arizona. We did not repeatedly elect asshole governors. The odds are we are going to lose the current one in November.

Take a step back RPK. I've lived here 35 years and seen much more than red necks and racist attitudes. If you need to express anger and hatred please make sure of your target. Your version of collateral damage hurts a lot of good democratic voters and citizens.

[maxsolomon]

34. but collective punishment is the american way!

the law needs to get in front of a federal judge post haste, so it can be overturned. I'm sure some organization with standing is assembling a challenge right now.

[Ford_Prefect]

36. Good luck getting the DOJ to get off its collective ass and actually do something.

Holder did nothing at all for 6 years on Civil Rights. Based on the record so far they would rather use us as a political punching bag and an example to others than fix the problems. DNC Debbie certainly feels that way.

[RKP5637]

37. Thank you, and it is well taken!!! I will delete that post! n/t

[jpak]

10. Yo - dumbfucks - did you take an oath to uphold the US Constitution or not?

You are the fucking bullies.

yup

[Chicago1980]

11. The bullies complaining about being bullied.

It's almost hilarious if it wasn't so sad and truly pathetic.

They won't learn until they're hit where it hurts, and that's the pocket book.

[mountain grammy]

14. Pathetic fools

Too stupid to realize they are the bullies..

[TransitJohn]

16. THEY'RE not going to be bullied? That's fucking rich. eom

n/t

[malthaussen]

18. Time to ring up Fort Benning... n/t

[Vinca]

19. Great. And our tax dollars won't be going to you.

[Stonepounder]

21. As an earlier poster said, just cut off all Federal Money.

For those of us old enough to remember, during the oil embargo the Feds told the states they had to reduce all speed limits to no more than 55 MPH. Some states tried to argue. The Feds just said, "OK, no Federal Highway funds to you." Suddenly all speed limits were 55 MPH.

Even though North Carolina is pretty balanced between Federal Taxes paid vs Federal Spending received, that doesn't mean that the Feds couldn't simply withhold all Federal spending there until they comply with Federal Law.

We seem to have to remind states about the fact that Federal Law supersedes State Law. Full Stop.

[Javaman]

22. so does this mean they want to have a g. wallace moment?

morons.

they will eventually capitulate.

[Shadowflash]

23. 'We're not going to get bullied'

That made my irony meter commit Seppuku.

[drm604]

24. Being told to obey federal law is not being bullied.

You lost that war; get over it. If you're trying to fight it again, you will lose again.

[vkkv]

25. Let me be the 29,453,535,756,345,743,543th person to say this:

What a bunch of southern dumbshits.

[ananda]

26. Just secede already.

..

[sulphurdunn]

28. That's pretty tough talk

from a bunch of neo-confederate nullificationists whose state would fold like a cheap tent in a strong wind without all the federal money it rakes in.

[rladdi]

29. Choices have consequences for NC. NO Fed funds. NC will struggle as the rest of the nation

boycotts them. But the Republicans are hard headed and will not give in.

[Liberalagogo]

30. Better start praying to Magic Sky Daddy...

Hurricane season is approaching. And you're jeopardizing any disaster relief funds.

[stopbush]

32. I'd remind everyone that every single one of these gay-hating laws

is based entirely on how certain Christians interpret that bastion of make believe known as the Buy-bull.

That's it. There's no other reason to enact laws such as these. It's all about the unchallenged privilege Christians have in this country to have their make believe beliefs trump the very real lives of real people.

[maxsolomon]

35. Here is where you should focus your ire:

http://www.lc.org/

And the GOP lawmakers who cower before them.