DEMOCRATS COMPLAIN GOP
PLAY “PETTY” POLITICS
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Republicans in the state House and Senate are playing “petty politics” and sabotaging meaningful legislation introduced by Democratic lawmakers, bills that address critical issues to Democratic constituencies that are sent to committee, never have a hearing, and die.
The myriad of proposed Democratic legislation allegedly ignored include measures that addressed higher pay for state employees and educators, improving access to affordable healthcare, and giving underfunded public schools throughout the state more resources to hire teachers and enhance instruction in the classroom.
Democratic lawmakers, many of them black, from both state houses, shared their frustrations with the media last week saying that because they are the minority, their bills, which would be beneficial to all North Carolinians if passed by the General Assembly, are being deliberately ignored.
Democrats called it a “bill funeral.”
“We are mourning the loss of our ability to truly do the jobs that we were elected to do,” said Sen. Natalie Murdock, (D-Durham). “Mourning the loss of policies that could have saved millions of lives, mourning the loss of democracy the people of North Carolina deserve to have. That is why we are here today, holding this bill funeral.”
Democrats allege that just this legislative session alone, approximately 707 bills sponsored and introduced by Democratic lawmakers have died an unfair and highly partisan death in committee.
“Common sense, community focused solutions to our state’s biggest problems — and they went nowhere,” Senate Democratic Leader Sydney Batch (D-Wake) said. “Republicans didn’t debate or defeat these ideas. They shoved them in drawers, locked them behind doors, and they prayed every single day that the public never finds out how little they’re actually doing with their tax dollars that you will send to this state to run our government.”
What’s worse, the legislative crossover deadline - where a bill must pass in one state house before being considered by the other - has now come and gone May 8th. So now there’s no chance for those Democratic sponsored measures to get the full consideration they deserve.
“We’re here because this year’s crossover deadline has come and gone, like so many others, with hundreds of bills that provide real, meaningful solutions to some of the worst problems and challenges that we face in North Carolina, dying in the Rules Committee,” Leader Batch continued. “And frankly, we’re here to mourn those losses.”
“This is what a rigged supermajority looks like, one that works not for you, but the people with power, wealth, and access. And the result is exactly what we’ve we’ve seen play out over the past few months,” Batch continued. “One of the most unproductive, ineffective legislatures in modern memory, and North Carolinians are the ones who are actually paying that price every single day.”
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DEATH OF BLACK TRUCK
DRIVER NOW OFFICIALLY
RULED A SUICIDE
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
It is now official.
A black truck driver found hanging from a tree in Henderson, Vance County in September of 2024, died by suicide, according to the final determination from the NC Medical Examiner’s Office.
Javion Magee, 21 from Aurora, Illinois, died in a manner consistent with “…hanging and that there was no other trauma, natural disease, ethanol, illegal drugs or medications that caused his death. The toxicology report found traces of THC in his system.”
Landscapers found Magee’s body at the base of a tree on the morning of Sept. 11th, 2024, and the Vance County Sheriff’s Dept. was immediately called to investigate. Investigators preliminarily determined then that Magee took his own life.
Video was discovered of the young black man walking into a local Walmart the day before and purchasing the blue rope that was eventually found wrapped around his neck when his body was discovered.
That video also showed Magee paying for the rope with a credit card and leaving that Walmart with it..
He was alone at all times, except when he reportedly gave a homeless person $228.00.
But Magee’s family from Illinois refused to accept the suicide finding, saying during a press conference in North Carolina that Javion was not the kind of young man to take his own life, adding that he must have been the victim of a racial lynching.
Even though the final ME report now disputes that, Magee’s family has indicated that they still have questions that they feel the ME’s did not address. They are expected to have an independent medical examiner look at Magee’s body.
“After careful consideration, the family has expressed deep concern and disagreement with aspects of the report—specifically regarding the cause and/or manner of death,” a family statement says.. “Based on conflicting information and several unanswered questions, the family believes the report does not fully or accurately reflect the circumstances surrounding Javion’s passing.”
The family statement concludes, Javion Magee was deeply loved, and his family is committed to honoring his memory by seeking truth, justice, and full accountability.”
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