Court Blocks North Carolina Republican Law Limiting Democratic Governor’s Power
On Wednesday, a North Carolina court temporarily blocked a new state law that stripped power from the incoming Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, according to the Washington Post.
According to the Washington Post, “In December, the Republican-controlled legislature pushed through broad reforms to dial back the governor’s power and reorganize the state’s elections oversight body in a way that limited Democrats’ power.”
Democrats have called it a “power grab” and Cooper quickly announced that they would “see him in court.”
However, on Wednesday, a court ruled that Governor Cooper “is likely to sustain irreparable harm unless a temporary restraining order is issued” to halt Senate confirmation hearings for appointees.
The court found, “The immediate and irreparable harm caused by the challenged legislation outweighs any possible harm in preserving the status quo prior to the challenged legislation being implemented. Plaintiff’s selections of the individuals to lead the principal executive departments will not be disrupted in their daily activities to faithfully execute the laws. Should the Advice and Consent Amendment ultimately be held constitutional, the confirmation process may proceed at that time.”
The Post went on to say “On Wednesday, Cooper hailed this first legal step as a victory.”
“The court is absolutely correct in their decision and should not be intimidated by threats from legislative leaders,” he said in a statement.
