Tag Archives: Phil Berger

The Daily Beast reports: Republican state legislators In North Carolina are establishing a new investigative body that Democratic critics have aptly compared to a “secret police force.” This new entity, formally known as the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Operations, or “Gov Ops” for short, will be chaired by Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R). …

From the editorial board of the Charlotte Observer: A battle is emerging in Washington and across the country about a large-scale expansion of mail-in voting in November’s elections. In North Carolina, the conversation just got especially ugly. In a statement to the Editorial Board on Thursday about expanding mail-in voting here, Senate leader Phil Berger said he was concerned not …

The Charlotte Observer reports: North Carolina lawmakers could repeal House Bill 2 on Thursday under a deal struck late Wednesday night by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican legislative leaders. Senate leader Phil Berger announced the deal shortly after 10:30 p.m. The announcement capped days of marathon, often contentious negotiations and closed-door meetings. Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore took …

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: Legislators won’t be moving quickly to change House Bill 2 this year, and an “outright repeal” doesn’t have enough support, N.C. Senate leader Phil Berger said this week. Berger spoke in detail about the controversial LGBT law in an interview with Tim Boyum of Time Warner Cable News that aired Thursday night. During a …

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday put a court-ordered legislative redistricting and 2017 special election on hold while it reviews Republican legislators’ appeal in an ongoing lawsuit. A lower federal court ruled months ago that the current legislative districts are an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, and it ordered the General Assembly to draw new districts …

The Associated Press reports: Perhaps North Carolina’s most influential politician is introducing legislation to repeal a state law that has cost the state jobs and millions of dollars. State Senate leader Phil Berger is the primary sponsor of legislation filed Wednesday that would repeal the law passed in March dictating which bathroom transgender people must use and limiting LGBT protections. …

The Associated Press reports: North Carolina lawmakers took steps Thursday to set aside a half-million dollars for the legal defense of a law limiting protections for LGBT people as a judge sought to streamline a cluster of lawsuits it has inspired. Republican lawmakers were mapping out the end of the session, including possible changes to the law known as House …

In response to near-universal criticism of North Carolina’s hate bill from the media, from big business, and from major political figures nationwide, the state’s Republican Senatorial Committee has launched a “Stand With McCrory” website so that haters can send messages of support to the governor. And of course, there’s a money beg link. The site features the above image of …

Via press release: Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) responded Tuesday to Attorney General Roy Cooper’s announcement that he will not defend a state law passed with bipartisan support stopping men from entering public bathrooms and locker rooms with young girls and women. “Roy Cooper’s refusal to defend the law makes clear he wants the ACLU to win by default in …

From the Lincoln County Times-News: Lincoln County state Sen. David Curtis is among 10 members appointed Tuesday by Senate Leader Phil Berger [PHOTO] to work with the N.C. House of Representatives in overturning a Charlotte City Council ordinance before it can go into effect April 1. The committee, headed by Wilkes Republican Sen. Shirley Randleman, will meet for the first …

The bill would allow any state official to refuse to officiate ANY marriages based on “sincerely held religious beliefs.”

Yesterday was the first day of North Carolina’s legislative session and already there’s an attempt to legalize the refusal to issue marriage licenses and conduct courthouse marriage ceremonies. But since they’d likely fail if they attempted to target only gay couples, the new bill is broader. Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, filed a bill to allow magistrates to refuse to preside …

Via the Washington Post: North Carolina lawmakers said they will file a petition this week with the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal regarding marriage for same-sex couples. “We’ve said all along North Carolina voters deserve to have their voices heard, and this important issue won’t ever be settled until a final decision is made by the U.S. Supreme …

Via the Asheville Citizen-Times: The chief administrator of North Carolina’s courts says Republican party leaders may have misled magistrates on whether they could refrain from performing same-sex marriages. John Smith, director of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts, detailed his concerns in a three-page letter to Senate leader Phil Berger, who along with more than two dozen Senate Republicans …

Via Raleigh’s News & Observer: Within hours of a split ruling by a 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upholding gay marriage bans in four states, attorneys for North Carolina legislative leaders filed notice in the federal courts of their plans to appeal rulings in North Carolina that struck down a gay marriage ban. The court document, filed by …

Via the News & Observer: Senate leader Phil Berger said Tuesday that he would introduce a bill that would protect the jobs of magistrates, registrars of deeds and their employees who refuse to officiate at weddings for members of the same-sex if their refusal is based on religious beliefs. A magistrate in Berger’s home county of Rockingham quit because he …

The final image is a reboot by Equality North Carolina.