NCGOP Calls on Democrats, Protestors to Condemn Partisan Power Grabs by Democrats | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, NC     In an effort to point out the blatant hypocrisy of Democrats and their allies, today the NCGOP called on Roy Cooper, legislative Democrats, and their protesting allies to condemn the long history of Democrat partisan power grabs to limit Republican power following elections.

    "History matters, and Democrats should explain should explain and condemn these actions that are still relevant today," said Dallas Woodhouse, NCGOP Executive Director.

Background

    Governor ELECT Jim Hunt's "Christmas massacre" that forced firings/resignations before he even took office. Then Democrats in the General Assembly passed a law allowing Hunt to fire all state workers that were hired during the previous five years including teachers, janitors, and road workers.

    As described by Wayne Grimsley, in the biography James B. Hunt, a North Carolina Progressive: "In Jim Hunt's Christmas massacre, the Governor Elect forced resignations of Republicans before Hunt even took office. Later the Democrat General Assembly forced all Republicans of all boards and committees, and passed a law allowing the governor to fire any rank-and-file state employee who was hired during the previous five years. Democrat Chairwoman Betty McCain called for the firing of "Republican culprits." Hunt's special assistant Joe Pell defended the governor's spoils system saying "the game of politics as far as I know is still played on the basis of "to the victor goes the spoils."

    Read full text: http://nc.gop/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/JamesBHunt.png

The stripping of Republican Governor Jim Martin's hiring authority by Democrats.

    http://www.wral.com/exempt-positions-skyrocket-in-governor-s-cabinet/12722879/

The stripping of all power belonging to duly elected Lieutenant Governor Jim Gardner.

• "Lawmakers stripped the office of its ability to appoint Senate committees in the 1980s when Republican Jim Gardner found himself presiding over a chamber controlled by Democrats"

    Read full text: http://www.wral.com/candidates-for-lieutenant-governor-offer-stark-contrast-/11644670/#pqp5iU0u0Re6HFKK.99

Roy Cooper packing the Supreme Court in 2000

• "North Carolina Republicans had been gaining ground in state judicial races. They had won a majority on the state supreme court in 1998. The court of appeals, then 10-2 Democratic, was up for grabs in 2000. Five Democratic-held seats - four with incumbent and one an open seat after retirement - had drawn GOP contenders. If Republicans managed to win four of the five, they'd take control."
• "Democrats were then firmly in charge of the legislature as well as governor's mansion. They decided in the summer of 2000 to create three new judgeships on the court of appeals, broadening it to 15 members, with Gov. Jim Hunt then authorized to fill them with Democrats who wouldn't have to stand for election until 2004. No matter how the 2000 elections would turn out, in other words, Democrats would have guaranteed control of the court of appeals for four more years."
• "There was a court case about this issue. Guess who was involved in defending it? Newly elected attorney general Roy Cooper, who also helped pass the law allowing the court-packing in the first place."

    Read full text: http://www.americanlens.com/2016/11/21/nc-democrats-court-packing/

• Contact: Emily Weeks
•     Emily.Weeks@ncgop.org