THE CASH STUFF FOR SEPT. 9TH

NC APPELLATE COURT BLOCKS

LOWER COURT RULING ON

FORMER FELONS VOTING

by Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

North Carolina Republican legislative leaders wasted no time last week moving to have the NC Appeals Court to reverse a three-judge Superior Court panel’s injunctive order Sept. 3rd to restore the voting rights of approximately 56,000 former felons on parole. It will be the seven-member N.C. Supreme Court that will hear the plaintiff’s appeal of that decision.

Democrats retain a one-vote majority on the state’s High Court - 4 to 3.

Plaintiffs maintain that the historic denial of voting rights to ex-felons is rooted in racial discrimination. The Superior Court panel agreed.

When State Attorney Gen. Josh Stein refused to appeal the appellate order (he said because no written order from the Superior Court had been issued), outraged Republican legislative leaders House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate President Pro tem Phil Berger hired outside counsel to challenge the Superior Court’s injunctive order.

It was a legal move that plaintiffs had expected from the moment they were informed that they had won the original injunctive order.

“This case is a matter of statewide and national significance, requiring immediate action from the state’s highest Court,” plaintiffs attorneys said in a written statement. “Hundreds of North Carolinians are exercising a new right to vote in this state, encouraged and inspired by the three judge panel decision — we will not rest until their rights are fully vindicated.”

The statement continued, “ “We have full faith that justice delayed today will not be justice denied for the plaintiffs, the North Carolina Second Chance Alliance, and the entire State of North Carolina,” plaintiffs continued. “The collective will of the state is stifled when so many of our citizens are unjustifiably not able to participate in our democracy.

“That exclusion of our neighbors’ voices is morally and constitutionally wrong.”

NC NAACP Legal Redress Committee Chair Atty. Irving Joyner added, “North Carolina ought to be a State where we can have pride in the fact that all of our citizens can vote and fully participate in the political franchise.”

Republicans, on the other hand, maintain that it was a Democrat-controlled N.C General Assembly 48 years-ago that took voting rights away from former felons in 1973, and outline how they can retain them. That was the law, and judges should not be able to arbitrarily throw out laws they don’t like.

Sen. Warren Daniel (R-Burke) said, “The decision to block the lower court’s ruling affirms that judges can’t just replace laws they don’t like with new ones. It also shows how false Attorney General Josh Stein’s purported reason was for refusing to defend the legislature in this case.”

-30-

GOP LAWMAKERS PASS

ANTI-RIOTING BILL

By Cash Michaels

Contributing writer

The North Carolina Republican legislative agenda is quickly mirroring the national Republican Party legislative agenda.

Last week, North Carolina joined at least 19 other states that either have passed anti-Critical Race Theory laws, or are debating them.

North Carolina has also joined a plethora of states that have ratified restrictive “election integrity” laws, in reaction to false accusations about the November 2020 elections.

Now the state General Assembly has adopted House Bill 805 - the Anti-Rioting Act, a measure that at least one African-American Democratic lawmaker alleged had strong racial overtones, while other Democratic legislators maintain limit freedom of speech.

At press time Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, was expected to veto the measure. The progressive/nonprofit NC Justice Center asked its supporters to contact Gov. Cooper and tell him to veto the “anti-protest, anti-Black Lives Matter” legislation.

“While HB805 was originally purported to be a bill combatting “riots,” lawmakers have become increasingly explicit in saying it is a direct response to last summer’s protests and calls for racial justice and police accountability. The bill is a clear attempt to suppress free speech and the right to assemble,” the Justice Center said.

“It also leaves the definition of a “riot” intentionally vague, thus granting police and prosecutors immense power to target Black, brown, and indigenous communities. By standing up for racial justice, those communities will be most hurt by the subjective legislation.”

The Justice Center continued, “ This legislation is exactly what it appears to be: part of a divisive and transparent attempt to divide communities and criminalize standing up for racial justice.”

But during debate last week, House Republicans disagreed.

Republican House Speaker Tim Moore (Cleveland County) argued, “ “We saw firsthand what happens when folks join in what was otherwise a lawful protest and engage in destruction of property, assaults, and injury to people. That’s not protesting at that point. That’s rioting. That’s looting.”

The measure passed 63-41on Tuesday, August 31st. 

Gov. Cooper is given up to ten days to decide whether he will sign or veto the bill. If he does nothing, it becomes law.

-30-

STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR SEPT 9, 2021

WILMINGTON HAS 19TH HIGHEST SMOKING RATE IN U.S., SAYS REPORT

[WILMINGTON] Despite there being less smokes than in years before, a significant amount of the nation’s population still light’s up. For instance, according to a new report from the research company Filterbuy, 20.6% of adults in Wilmington are smokers, per a survey of all U.S. small cities. That means over 20.6% of adults have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. You can find out more at https://filterbuy.com/resources/cities-with-the-most-residents-that-smoke/

NO END IN SIGHT FOR THIS NC LEGISLATIVE SESSION

[RALEIGH] So when will state lawmakers be going home? Apparently, no time soon. This session of the NC General Assembly is slated to produce  new two-year budget, but thus far, neither the state House or Senate are reportedly anywhere near agreeing on one. It would be easy to forget that the first day of this session was January 13th. Normally this session would end by the end of summer, beginning of fall in September. But not this year.

COVID-19 CASES UP ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND

[RALEIGH] There were over 25,000 news cases of the coronavirus and 123 deaths over the Labor Day weekend, according to the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services. That means that as of last weekend, the state was very close overall to 15,000 dead. Reportedly, there were approximately 3,800 COVID-19 patients across the state, with one-fourth of those in intensive care. The surge is because of the new Delta variant, officials say.

-30-