Legislators might limit Gov.-elect Roy Coopers powers in additional special session

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Raleigh News and Observer

Legislators might limit Gov.-elect Roy Coopers powers in additional special session

December 14, 2016 12:26 PM

By Craig Jarvis and Colin Campbell
[e-mail]
Colin Campbell: 919-829-4698, @RaleighReporter

https://twitter.com/craigj_nando
@CraigJ_NandO

https://twitter.com/raleighreporter
@RaleighReporter

Expanding beyond the disaster recovery legislation that the General Assembly approved Wednesday, the legislature convened a new session to take up unspecified additional legislation this evening and Thursday. ... Moments after the session that brought them together this week a disaster relief bill requested by Gov. Pat McCrory came to an end House and Senate leaders issued a proclamation convening a fourth special session for the year.

Legislative leaders initially wouldnt say whats on the agenda for the extra session, but House Rules Chairman David Lewis told reporters Wednesday afternoon that lawmakers could move to limit the governors power. That move would be aimed at Gov.-elect Roy Cooper, a Democrat whos likely to clash with the GOP legislature.

I think to be candid with you, that you will see the General Assembly look to reassert its constitutional authority in areas that may have been previously delegated to the executive branch, Lewis said, adding that legislators will work to establish that we are going to continue to be a relevant party in governing this state.

Asked if legislation will change the governors appointment powers including election board appointments Lewis said I think youre on the right track, but I would not be able to comment on specifics.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article120832758.html

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https://twitter.com/Taniel/status/809132174461009920

NC lawmakers call a special session, may now be pushing thru bill that restricts Governor's ability to get a Board of Election majority:

https://twitter.com/HPEpaul/status/809135918426755073

Another possibility: #NCGOP #NCGA could take appointment of boards of elections from #NCDP #RoyCooper @ special session, not give to Lt. Gov

https://twitter.com/Taniel
@Taniel

https://twitter.com/HPEpaul
@HPEpaul

https://twitter.com/craigj_nando
@CraigJ_NandO

https://twitter.com/raleighreporter
@RaleighReporter

[HAB911]

1. The GOP will push it until the only option

is bullets.

Sad.

[SCantiGOP]

3. Sounds like one of Trump's tweets

I'd be careful about calling for violence.

[HAB911]

4. I didn't call for violence

I said they might be. Thanks for your concern.

[CatWoman]

5. Strom Jr!!!!!

[SCantiGOP]

14. Hey, Catwoman

Long time no text.
Are you still working? Everything good?

[CatWoman]

19. yes to both!!

[okieinpain]

7. you're kidding right, do you really

mean we just sit back and go along with this.

[barbtries]

2. the NC GOP

as bad as they come. democracy? who needs it?! the bastards.

[HAB911]

6. They're all as sweet as pecan pie

Republican South Carolina state Rep. Jim Merrill, an adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, was charged with 30 counts of ethics violations and misconduct in office.

The State reported on Wednesday that the charges included 28 counts of official misconduct and two counts of violating state ethics laws.

Merrill was first named in a secret South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) report over two years ago. Earlier this year, the state Supreme Court gave special prosecutor David Pascoe permission to investigate lawmakers.

On Wednesday, Merrill became the first public figure to be charged by Pascoe’s grand jury.

[barbtries]

9. that is sweet.

but those republicans not so much.

[NoMoreRepugs]

8. There is nothing that is over the top for Republicants....

wake up Democrats - time for playing nice is long past - this is the war for the future of our children

[Ford_Prefect]

11. This is war for the next four years and beyond, possibly for the last election in the US.

The NC GOP have been ruthless and vengeful so far. They are the template for the new Trump government in many respects. They are ONLY about ultimate power and will bend any rule, subvert any amendment and even deny the law of gravity if they wish to. They write the law and the rules according to their own sick and twisted version of reality. Pitchforks and Torches may be too late to stop this monstrosity. If they want to they can redefine the Lt. Governor's job to include anything now in the Governor's hands. or make it so he has final oversight. They have reserved many powers to themselves normally considered the rights of self determination assigned to town, city and local authorities, county commissioners and the like.

They expect that they will remain in power by any means they can use. With super majorities in both houses they can do much that denies the separation of powers which only the courts can undo, if then.

[wishstar]

10. This would mean Repubs maintain power over Board of Elections and Voting results

when in previous administrations, party of the Governor determines the party of each precinct judge and the head of Board of Elections for the state.

[tom_kelly]

12. This may turn into a Repub trend

Pull out all the stops and see what happens. So far, Trump hasn't had the blowback we've all expected to come from the Dems. Why wouldn't state legislatures assume they'll meet little resistance with their over-the-top BS? Turning into a blitzkrieg...

[Angry Dragon]

13. I see the Kock bros at work

[Ford_Prefect]

15. Yes, yes you do. They literally own the GOP in NC and call most of the shots.

I've been wondering why the DOJ and the FBI haven't investigated them for conspiracy to subvert the US government. Since the Comey letter I know why.

[Angry Dragon]

16. Kock bros the new John Birch Society

[Ford_Prefect]

20. In point of fact, yes they are!

[LisaL]

17. Republicans just never stop, do they?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

18. More links here:

Raleigh News and Observer State Politics

[bekkilyn]

21. If anyone is in the area and wants to do something...

I received this email from the NAACP not long ago:

Press Conference with North Carolinians affected by Hurricane Matthew in Response to the Surprise Special Session

Thursday, December 15, 2016
10:30 a.m.
NC General Assembly Press Room
16 W. Jones St. Raleigh, NC

Click here to RSVP on Facebook

Join with the North Carolina NAACP, North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections, Progress NC, and flood victims as we gather at the General Assembly to urge our lawmakers, those who were elected to govern for the good of the whole, to stop their attempt to use disaster relief and the pain of thousands of North Carolinians to push through measures that strip Governor-elect Roy Cooper of executive powers, hurt public education, create gridlock in the state and county boards of elections, and do further harm to the people of our state.

The House of Representatives and the Senate filed over 20 bills this evening during the surprise special session that began today at 2:00 p.m. Lawmakers were called to Raleigh under the pretense of disaster relief but instead they have exploited the tragedy of thousands of North Carolinians to ram a partisan power grab through a surprise special session.

“My family is still recovering from the flooding, and some of our neighbors lost everything they had,” said Sean Yarborough of Robeson County. “We are pleading with lawmakers not to exploit our suffering by using us as political pawns in their blatantly partisan schemes while they’re supposed to be helping us rebuild.”

[mahatmakanejeeves]

22. Thursday: same article, same time stamp, but it's been rewritten.

State Politics December 14, 2016 12:26 PM

Lawmakers look to limit Cooper’s power as governor

By Craig Jarvis and Colin Campbell
[e-mail]
Colin Campbell: 919-829-4698, @RaleighReporter

https://twitter.com/craigj_nando
@CraigJ_NandO

https://twitter.com/raleighreporter
@RaleighReporter

Expanding beyond the disaster recovery legislation the General Assembly approved Wednesday, Republican lawmakers quickly proposed sweeping changes to state government, including proposals that would diminish the governor’s authority to make appointments.

Lawmakers want to hobble the incoming Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, before he takes office Jan. 1 by making his Cabinet appointments subject to approval by the state Senate and cutting his ability to appoint members to UNC schools’ boards of trustees and the state Board of Education.

Another proposal in the mix would equally divide election boards between the two major political parties, ending control by the governor’s party. ... Yet another provision would cut the number of employees who serve at the governor’s pleasure from 1,500 to 300, reversing an expansion approved for Republican Gov. Pat McCrory at the start of his term.

Of the two dozen bills filed by both Republicans and Democrats on Wednesday night, only a handful are likely to be voted on during this special session. Those that are likely to move forward represent a significant shakeup by the Republican-controlled legislature.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

23. A coup? A power grab? Theres some serious political drama in North Carolina right now.

A ‘coup’? A ‘power grab’? There’s some serious political drama in North Carolina right now.

By Amber Phillips

@byamberphillips

December 15 at 9:07 AM

This post has been updated with comments from Democratic Gov.-elect Roy Cooper.

North Carolina is a state divided. Its incoming governor and attorney general are Democrats, but its legislature is overwhelmingly Republican. And true to North Carolina headline-grabbing politics, there's a knockdown, drag-out fight about who gets to control the levers of power before anyone is even sworn in.

In the waning hours of Republicans' hold on government in North Carolina, they are proposing bills aimed at significantly curbing Gov.-elect Roy Cooper's (D) power. In a last-last-minute special session, Republicans introduced a series of bills late Wednesday that would:

—Require the governor's Cabinet appointments to be approved by the state Senate
— Limit the number of members the governor can appoint to powerful board of trustees at the University of North Carolina school system and the state Board of Education.
— Significantly cut the number of positions who work directly for the governor, from 1,500 (a number Republicans approved when they had a Republican governor) to 300.
— Divide members of the Board of Elections, typically appointed by the governor, between parties in a way that gives Republicans control during election years.

Two bills also want to change the state courts' partisan make up:

— Make North Carolina just the sixth state in the nation to have its state Supreme Court elections be partisan, as opposed to nonpartisan. (The last state

— Adding an extra layer to appeals cases so that all cases have to go through the full court of appeals, which is controlled by Republicans.

Obviously Cooper won't be there to veto all this; the man he defeated, Gov. Pat McCrory (R), is still governor for a few more weeks.

@RoyCooperNC

[zippythepinhead]

24. The preamble to NC's is unconstitutional

Because it says that "Almighty God" is the authority on which the NC constitution is based.

I believe this preamble makes their whole constitution illegal

'We, the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for the preservation of the American Union and the existence of our civil, political and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those blessings to us and our posterity, ... "