North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper outlines the damages and relief money needed after Hurricane Helene at a press conference on Oct. 23, 2024 in Raleigh. (Photo: Galen Bacharier)
If North Carolina Republican legislative leaders were hoping to prevent a gubernatorial veto of their ambitious 131-page proposal to reorganize several aspects of state government and take away the powers of statewide offices soon to be filled by Democrats by attaching changes to Hurricane Helene relief legislation, the plan has failed.
Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill this morning. This is from an unusually strong statement that Cooper issued to accompany the veto:
The General Assembly returns to Raleigh on Monday December 2. With precise supermajorities in both the House and the Senate, Republicans would appear to have the votes necessary to override the veto. It is notable, however, that three House Republicans from western North Carolina — Majority Whip Karl Gillespie (R-Macon), Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Swain), and Rep. Mark Pless (R-Haywood) — voted ‘no’ on the legislation when it was approved last week. None of the three has yet given a public indication as to how they would vote on an override motion.