NC Policy Watch, the online journalism initiative of the North Carolina Justice Center, has launched the “Defending Democracy” project. This project will generate a steady drumbeat of new and original content (news stories, commentary, newsmaker interviews, expert analysis and more) related to the latest state policy developments, court decisions, research, advocacy and organizing efforts in the fight to preserve democracy in the battleground state of North Carolina.
Bill seeks to increase penalties for “rioters,” but advocates worry about threat posed to free speech
Biracial.’ ‘Artist.’ ‘Supporter of social justice.’ Nic Cassette could think of many labels describing his identity. ‘Rioter,’ however, was never one of them.
An Alamance County prosecutor, however, saw it differently. Cassette was among a group of demonstrators who were charged under the state’s rioting statute after a succession of demonstrations in Graham.
- Bill seeks to increase penalties for “rioters,” but advocates worry about threat posed to free speechDemonstrators from the community group Forward Motion Alamance brought black balloons to the Sheriff’s Office’s to protest their handling of… Read more »
- Liz Cheney ousted from U.S. House GOP leadership for rejecting Trump’s “big lie”Rep. Liz Cheney, Rep. Virginia Foxx, Rep. Madison Cawthorn NC’s Foxx and Cawthorn help lead the charge in punishing congresswoman… Read more »
- Inside the GOP gerrymander for 2022WASHINGTON – Republicans are rejoicing and Democrats are dismayed that population losses in the Rust Belt and gains in the… Read more »
- Lawmakers have the tools to safeguard voting rights and fair elections; all they need is the willCongress and the General Assembly can build on the the success of the 2020 election by passing three important bills RALEIGH –… Read more »
- Care about the integrity of the vote? Make time to read this op-ed.This week’s must read editorial comes from Professor Rick Hasen of the University of California, Irvine School of Law, in… Read more »
- NC Democratic legislators introduce sweeping election reform billsImage: Adobe Stock Rallying for election reforms, House Democrats unveiled a new bill entitled the “Fix Our Democracy Act” and… Read more »
- NC Democrats push for common sense voting reformsSay this much, at least, for those legislators who favor making it easier, not harder, for North Carolinians to vote:… Read more »
- Voting rights advocates air worries about onslaught of new state election lawsAllison Riggs with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice (Photo: Screen grab from Thursday’s committee hearing) NC’s G.K. Butterfield and… Read more »
- GOP legislative leaders should let voters have their say on proposal to end gerrymanderingImage: AdobeStock Gerrymandering. For decades, this maddening phenomenon in which politicians rig elections by drawing legislative maps and, in effect,… Read more »
- Special report: The GOP’s national effort to make voting more difficultAs strategy shifts from election lawsuits to laws, voting rights advocates warn of Tennessee As Republican-led legislatures continue a systematic… Read more »
- Editorial: Virginia leaves NC behind once againElected leaders in Virginia have been pursuing a more progressive and productive path on a number of important issues of… Read more »
- Special report: Trump acquitted as Senate falls 10 votes short; Burr a surprising “aye”Senators Thom Tillis and Richard Burr Tillis joins 42 Republicans in voting to acquit as seven others join 48 Democrats… Read more »
- Evidence has already convicted Trump, even if Tillis, Burr lack the courage and integrity to do soIt’s possible to imagine even more shameful behavior from an American president than the nation witnessed from Donald Trump. He… Read more »
- GOP senator blasts Trump legal team’s ‘terrible’ performance, supports impeachment trialSen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) WASHINGTON — Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana was one of six GOP senators who voted Tuesday… Read more »
- The best op-ed of the weekend: A new inductee into the “North Carolina’s Trumpian Hall of Shame”Former Chief Justice Mark Martin B.T. (Before Trump) If you missed it, be sure to check out Ned Barnett’s excellent… Read more »