• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Film/TV/Stream
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Tech/Science
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Kylie Minogue pays tribute to Olivia Newton-John and hails her as ‘inspiration’
  • Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?
  • Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

Hypocritical North Carolina GOP Tried and Failed to Shut Down Public Forum on HB2

Michael Fitzgerald November 4, 2016 Leave a Comment

Pat McCrory

The North Carolina GOP last week attempted but ultimately failed to halt a bipartisan public forum on the state’s controversial HB2 law.

nc-gop-campaign-violationA campaign violation complaint issued by the state GOP on October 31 charges that “While this event is being advertised as nothing more than a forum, its proximity in time to the general election and its focus on an issue repeatedly raised by the democrat party and Roy Cooper belies the true purpose and motivation behind the event.”

RELATED: Federal Judge Rejects Challenge to NC’s Anti-Gay ‘Marriage Recusal’ Law

According to Slate, the complaint was motivated by the fact that the forum “is sponsored in part by Red Ventures, LLC, a marketing company whose CEO supports Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s [above] Democratic opponent, Roy Cooper.”

It also charges the company with supporting Cooper by providing employees time off on Election Day—probably so they can “vote for Roy Cooper and other democrat candidates,” the letter sneers. Moreover, the complaint points out that the forum would discuss polling data compiled by Public Policy Polling. PPP “conducts opinion polling that has an [sic] bias in favor of the Democrat Party,” the complaint declares, pointing out that its CEO supports Cooper. Taken together, these facts can only lead to one conclusion: The forum is actually a corporate contribution to Cooper’s campaign, in violation of state election law:

The complaint continues that if the forum is not a “contribution,” it must at the least be considered an illegal “independent expenditure” on Cooper’s behalf. This forms the grounds for the GOP to demand that the forum be “immediately canceled, and the entities be appropriately sanctioned.”

https://twitter.com/RobDemetrious/status/794315456215732237

Examining the hypocrisy behind the complaint, Slate notes two areas of concern:

…Apparently the party is no longer willing to defend political expression that might violate campaign finance law but, in the GOP’s view, deserves First Amendment protection. When a corporation wished to break federal law by selling a movie-length ad critical of Hillary Clinton, the Republican Party supported it. When a Republican donor wanted to give more money to conservative candidates than he was allowed to under a federal statute, the Republican Party supported him. But when a newspaper wants to put on a public forum to explore both sides of the HB2 debate, the Republican Party tries to censor it.

The second thread here is even more interesting: Apparently, the North Carolina GOP is terrified of open and honest discussion about the bill it insists is being misrepresented and unfairly attacked. The forum included both proponents and opponents of HB2, and allowed the bill’s supporters to speak extensively about why they believed transgender people should be excluded from public bathrooms. To balance out these claims, of course, the forum also included HB2 detractors—but the conversation was civil and balanced, devoid of propaganda, heavy on candor. It was, in short, a frank discussion of a hot-button political issue, exactly the type of speech and association the First Amendment was designed to protect.

The State Board of Elections declined to shut the event down perhaps according to Slate because “it understood that any intervention would undoubtedly qualify as unconstitutional censorship, opening up the board to civil liability.”

Slate concludes:

Either way, the entire episode ultimately provided a great deal of welcome clarity: It seems the North Carolina Republican Party is not so much eager to defend HB2 as it is anxious to stifle any potential criticism of the bill. That might be a rational reaction to a law that is sinking Republicans in the polls. But it is also a stark betrayal of the First Amendment values that Republicans today allege to hold so dear.

Topics: Actor, Republicans More Posts About: Election 2016, GOP, north carolina, PatMcCrory, Roy Cooper

Related Posts
  • NC House may not vote on bill banning LGBTQ instruction in K-3 classrooms anytime soon
  • North Carolina lawmakers advance bill limiting LGBTQ teachings in school
  • UPDATES: Madison Cawthorn Gay? Joking? Multiple Homemade Videos Of GOP Rep. In Sexualized Contact With Men Released Online: WATCH
  • Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

    Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

    Published by OK Magazine mega Jane Lynch will be leaving the Broadway production of Funny Girl in mid-August as opposed to early September. The actress, who had been playing Mrs. Brice, a.k.a. Fanny’s mother, last show …Read More »
  • Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

    Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

    Published by OK Magazine mega Demi Lovato has a new man in her life! The “Skyscraper” vocalist, who recently changed her pronouns back to she/her, has reportedly found love with a mystery musician. mega “It’s a …Read More »
  • Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

    Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

    Published by Radar Online MEGA; Chris Kleponis – Pool via CNP / MEGA Ivanka Trump looked carefree during a low-key date night with husband Jared Kushner on Monday, smiling and laughing just hours after her father …Read More »
  • FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

    FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

    Published by Radar Online Mega Fox News host Tucker Carlson is “deeply concerned” a number of text messages between him and Alex Jones may soon leak to the public, Radar has learned. The shocking development comes …Read More »
Previous Post: « Bridgegate, Election Day Cyber Attack, Cher, Mike Huckabee, Turkey, Sting: HOT LINKS
Next Post: There are More LGBT TV Characters Than Ever, But the Number of Lesbian Deaths Is Alarming: VIDEO »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • Texas church’s unauthorized production of ‘Hamilton’ ends with sermon comparing gay people to drug addicts: report

    Texas church’s unauthorized production of ‘Hamilton’ ends with sermon comparing gay people to drug addicts: report

  • Alex Jones’ Text Messages Turned Over To January 6 House Select Committee

    Alex Jones’ Text Messages Turned Over To January 6 House Select Committee

  • Michigan AG details Trump backers’ conspiracy to break into voting equipment

    Michigan AG details Trump backers’ conspiracy to break into voting equipment

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y’know

  • Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

    Pete Davidson Proposed to Kim Kardashian Before Their Breakup

  • New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

    New bombshell book on Trump reveals he wanted to be treated like Hitler: ‘Totally loyal’

RSS Partner Links

  • There's a Status Update About 'Black Canary' Spinoff Movie at HBO Max
  • OMG, it’s called FASHUN, LOOK IT UP! The Croc Balls aka ‘Crocticles’
  • The Future Of “The Peltz Beckham Empire” Is Uncertain As The Beckham And Peltz Families Continue To Feud
  • OMG, have you heard? RIP Grease star Olivia Newton-John, dead at 73
  • Open Post: Hosted By The $2600 Custom Coffee Table That Showed Up Sporting An Unintentional Dick In the Middle
  • More tributes to Olivia Newton-John
  • OMG, he’s naked: Fashion model and swim coach Radu Ionut goes full-frontal

Most Recent

  • Kylie Minogue pays tribute to Olivia Newton-John and hails her as ‘inspiration’

    Kylie Minogue pays tribute to Olivia Newton-John and hails her as ‘inspiration’

  • Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

    Jane Lynch Departing Broadway Show ‘Funny Girl’ Earlier Than Expected — Is Lea Michele To Blame?

  • Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

    Inside Demi Lovato’s ‘Happy’ & ‘Healthy’ Romance With New Mystery Man

  • Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

    Ivanka Trump All Smiles With Husband Jared Kushner As They Step Out For Date Night Hours After FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago

  • FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

    FOX News Host Tucker Carlson ‘Deeply Concerned’ Text Messages Between Him & Alex Jones Will Leak To Public

  • Jane Seymour says Olivia Newton-John ‘was beyond a fighter’ at dealing with her breast cancer diagnosis

    Jane Seymour says Olivia Newton-John ‘was beyond a fighter’ at dealing with her breast cancer diagnosis

  • Donald Trump’s Former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham Claims She Watched Him ‘Rip Up’ & ‘Throw Out’ Documents

    Donald Trump’s Former Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham Claims She Watched Him ‘Rip Up’ & ‘Throw Out’ Documents

  • Donald Trump Preparing To File Restraining Order Against Government Over Mar-A-Lago Raid

    Donald Trump Preparing To File Restraining Order Against Government Over Mar-A-Lago Raid

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Log in

×