New Council of State Meets, but Tensions Over Cooper’s Unchecked Powers Remain | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is Julie Havlak.

    A new year and new members haven't solved tensions within the N.C. Council of State.

    The Council of State leapt into prominence after Gov. Roy Cooper shut down the state in March. Republicans demanded a check on Cooper's powers, and they looked to the 10 elected members of the Council of State as a solution.

    State Treasurer Dale Folwell called for more open, transparent meetings of the Council of State during its monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12. He has criticized Cooper for failing to consult the council on the economic devastation created by the virus and the lockdowns.

    "Every minute we sit here, there's more death and poverty being created because of COVID-19," Folwell said. "I look forward to a day when our communications and our dialogue are more open and we can challenge assumptions."

    Folwell isn't the only member to blast Cooper for ignoring the council. Former Lt. Gov. Dan Forest sued for more say in how Cooper wielded his emergency powers. The legislature leapt into the fray, passing two bills to empower the Council of State. Both flopped under Cooper's veto.

    The council has three new Republican members — Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt — who will shape the council over the next four years. They attended their first meeting Tuesday.

    The Council of State was relatively noncontroversial before COVID hit. Whenever controversy bubbled up, it wasn't usually aimed at the council itself. But the council assumed newfound importance with the pandemic, and its new Republican members won't change that.

    Dobson came from the House, where he headed the Appropriations Committee and the Health Policy Committee. Dobson supports economic reopening, deregulation, and North Carolina's right-to-work laws. He remains skeptical of unions and minimum wage increases. North Carolina has the second-lowest union membership in the nation, behind only South Carolina.

    Truitt won her seat even after her opponent outraised her by a 6-1 margin with union backing. Truitt's campaign focused on parents and school choice. She replaces Republican Superintendent Mark Johnson, who repeatedly clashed with the democratic State Board of Education. Truitt has made it a point to advocate for coalition building.

    Robinson is a political newcomer and a gun rights activist. He beat the $8.5 million billionaire Michael Bloomberg poured into supporting Democrat Yvonne Holley. Robinson collected more votes than the two top Republicans on the ticket — President Trump and Sen. Thom Tillis — and almost as many as the governor.

    Like his predecessor, Robinson is staunchly Republican, and he isn't apologetic about his views — or his Facebook posts. Robinson's career in politics began after he defended gun rights at a 2018 Greensboro City Council meeting, and his speech went viral.
Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published)
Enter Your Comment ( no code or urls allowed, text only please )




Most Illegal Immigrants Arrested by ICE in 2020 Had Average of Four Criminal Convictions or Charges Carolina Journal, Editorials, Op-Ed & Politics GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy Rejects Impeachment, Floats ‘Censure’ Over Capitol Riot


HbAD0

Latest Op-Ed & Politics

President Joe Biden took direct aim at Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas during a recent interview, referring to him simply as “the guy who likes to spend a lot of time on yachts.”
The best way the county and city can help hold down inflation is to resist all tax increases
Pope Francis lambasted leftist gender ideology during an address this week, warning that it presented an extreme danger to mankind.
amnesty would just encourage more illegal aliens to storm our borders
The Christmas candy was barely off the shelves when the Valentine’s candy appeared. Red and pink hearts with caramel and nut-filled chocolate goodness caught our eye. We are reminded of how we love love. Young love, especially.
far left sugar daddy has also funded anti-Israel groups and politicians in US
Be careful what you wish for, you may get it
America needs to wake up and get its priorities right

HbAD1

Former President Donald Trump suggested this week that if he becomes president again, he might allow Prince Harry to be deported.
It's a New Year, which means it's time to make resolutions — even for prominent evangelical leaders. The Babylon Bee asked the following well-known figures in the faith what they hope to accomplish in 2024:
Vice President Kamala Harris will visit a Minnesota Planned Parenthood clinic, reportedly the first time a president or vice president has visited an abortion facility.
An eight-mile stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville has been temporarily closed due to a string of “human and bear interactions,” the National Parks Service announced.
University of Wisconsin tried to punish conservatives for the fact that liberals regularly commit crimes to silence opposition
most voters think EU officials not doing a good job on illegal immigration
Come from behind by GOP candidate is a blueprint to 2024
Biden spending and energy policies to blame

HbAD2

 
Back to Top