CNN
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Republicans in the North Carolina House of Representatives overrode outgoing Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto and pushed through a measure that would limit the powers of the incoming governor and other Democrats.
The bill passed with 72 senators voting in favor of repealing it and 46 voting against it. Three House Republicans who opposed the bill last month, citing limited disaster relief funding in response to Hurricane Helen, which caused massive flooding in western North Carolina earlier this year, voted in favor. Ta.
The vote comes after Republicans lost their majority in last month’s election and is the last chance to limit the power of newly elected Democratic leaders before the next Congress in January.
The state Senate voted last week to override the governor’s veto.
While Republicans emphasized the bill’s disaster relief provisions, the bulk of the bill deals with changes to the powers of elected officials in the state. Under the bill, Democratic Gov.-elect Josh Stein would be stripped of key state board appointments and control of the state election board would be transferred to the state auditor, a Republican. The bill would also transfer power from the next lieutenant governor, attorney general and public instruction superintendent, all of whom are Democrats.
During Wednesday’s debate on veto override, Republican state Rep. Destin Hall argued that the bill had become a “political football.”
“The reality is that the constitution in this state gives this agency the authority to make certain decisions, and the people elected this agency, just as the governor and Governor-elect Stein were elected to office. And that’s what we’ve done with this bill,” Hall said.
In his veto message last month, Cooper called the bill a “fraud” that would “shuffle funds from one fund to another.” The bill would transfer $227 million from the State Savings Fund to the Helen Fund, billed for disaster relief funds in the wake of Hurricane Helen, which caused widespread flooding in western North Carolina earlier this year. . Funds cannot be used until appropriated by Congress.
Democratic lawmakers in hard-hit western North Carolina have called on Congress to provide more aid and criticized the lack of funding in the bill.
“This bill is simply out of step with the times and in line with North Carolina’s values,” said Democratic state Rep. Eric Ager, who represents Buncombe County in Asheville. “This bill just looks like it’s going to help something, but it doesn’t actually do anything.”
State Rep. Mark Press, one of the Republicans who initially voted against the bill, overrode his veto with the reassurance that disaster relief for Helen victims will be a top priority when Congress convenes next year. He said he supported the change.
“I have discussed this need with numerous elected leaders,” Press said in a statement to CNN. “I am confident that there is a path forward and that funding will be available.”
Governor-elect Stein denounced the bill as a “power grab” in a press conference last week. “That’s boring and wrong-headed, and it goes against what North Carolina voters did and who they elected in this election,” Stein said.
After the veto override, North Carolina Democratic Party Chairman Anderson Clayton said in a statement that Republicans were “prioritizing their desire to strip political power from recently elected Democratic politicians ahead of the aid and relief that communities need.” “I let him do it,” he said.
Democrats also balk at efforts to strip power from incoming Democratic officials across the state, particularly transferring control of the State Board of Elections.
“This is a purely partisan move that upends a tradition that has worked well in North Carolina for decades,” Democratic state Sen. Julie Mayfield said. “It’s worked well under Republican governors. It’s worked well under Democratic governors. They just don’t like it.”
Republicans argue that the power transition provisions are intended to increase bipartisanship. Matt Mercer, communications director for the North Carolina Republican Party, said the election provisions were framed as a response to the governor being “very cautious” in appointing election officials.
“I think this is an assertion that Congress still has power,” Mercer said. “This is just a way to continue to maintain balanced government in North Carolina.”
The new law is the latest chapter in the Republican-led Congress’ efforts to reshape the balance of power, especially when it comes to election administration.
In 2016, outgoing Republican Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill giving the Legislature more influence over election commission appointments. Mr. Cooper sued, and the state Supreme Court ruled in his favor. Voters rejected a Republican-backed 2018 constitutional amendment that would have allowed House and Senate leaders to appoint all members of the state election board. Earlier this year, state court judges blocked a new effort by the Legislature to strip the governor of the power to appoint election officials.
This story has been updated with additional details.
