North Carolina House Republicans have enacted legislation that erodes some powers of several statewide offices newly-elected Democrats are slated to hold next month. Lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto.
The chief operating officer for the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency is no longer working in the position as of Wednesday. An office spokesperson confirmed Laura Hogshead is out of the role and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's legislative lobbyist Pryor Gibson will serve in the interim.
Gov. Roy Cooper is in Washington, D.C., Wednesday pushing for hurricane funding, so under the state constitution, his out-of-state travel makes Lt. Gov. Robinson the acting governor. A source close to Robinson says he's considering trying to sign into law a bill expected to pass the N.C. Senate this afternoon that would shift power away from Gov.-elect Josh Stein and other newly elected Democrats.
Late Wednesday, Governor Roy Cooper announced he had commuted the sentences of six people in North Carolina prisons and granted pardons of innocence to two others. According to the governor's office, the clemency actions followed a review by the Office of Executive Clemency, the Office of General Counsel, and the governor.