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December 19, 2016

NC: 39 Arrested as Republicans Approve Restrictions on Incoming Democratic Gov.
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In North Carolina, as many as 39 protesters were arrested protesting at
the State Legislative Building Friday as the Legislature approved two
controversial bills that aim to strip power from the state's incoming
governor, Democrat Roy Cooper. Activists and Democrats have accused the
Republican lawmakers of waging a legislative coup. This is Reverend
William Barber at the State Legislative Building Friday.

Rev. William Barber: "All political power-this is the
Constitution-derives from the people, period. It doesn't derive-it
doesn't derive from anybody else, but it derives from the people."

One of the two bills approved Friday, which was quickly signed by
outgoing Republican Governor Pat Mc Crory, strips future governors of
their power to appoint a majority to the state Board of Elections. It
also changes the state court system, making it more difficult for the
losers of some Superior Court cases to appeal directly to the
Democratic-controlled Supreme Court. A second bill, which had not been
signed by the governor as of Friday afternoon, strips the incoming
governor of his ability to name members of the boards of state
universities, and it reduces the number of state employees the governor
can appoint from 1,500 to 425. We'll have more on North Carolina with
Ari Berman later in the broadcast.


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