Press Releases

Cary, NC — North Carolina Republicans are at it again. Under the guise of providing relief for Hurricane Helene victims, GOP leaders in the General Assembly are using disaster aid as a smokescreen to push a brazen power grab that weakens our democratic institutions and punishes voters for electing Democrats to statewide offices.

“Western North Carolinians are hurting. Families and small businesses are still reeling from Hurricane Helene and instead of delivering real help, MAGA Republicans are playing political games,” said Congressman Wiley Nickel (NC-13). “This so-called ‘relief’ bill does virtually nothing for Helene survivors, but it does plenty to strip power from Governor-elect Josh Stein, Attorney General-elect Jeff Jackson, and other Democratic leaders who were just given a mandate by the people of this state to govern. It’s shameless.”

The Republican-led bill earmarks $227 million in relief aid for victims of Hurricane Helene, a fraction of the $3.9 billion in recovery funds outlined by Governor Cooper earlier this year. What’s worse, buried in the 131-page bill are provisions designed to strip the governor’s control over elections, restrict the attorney general’s ability to fight for consumers, and create judicial positions to be hand-picked by the legislature instead of elected by the people.

“This is not a disaster relief bill. This is a disaster of democracy,” Rep. Nickel continued. “The GOP is using the pain and suffering of our neighbors in western North Carolina as cover for a backroom power grab. It’s disgraceful, and the people of North Carolina won’t forget it.”

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