North Carolina’s anti-LGBT law won’t be defended in court
The Attorney General of North Carolina has said he will not defend the new law that bans LGBT protections if it’s taken to court.
Roy Cooper has said that he believes the legislation is discriminatory and it should be repealed.
The Democrat who is to face off against incumbent Governor Pat McCrory for the job in November, has said he will not defend the legislation in court.
At a press conference, he said: “We should not even be here today, but we are. We’re here because the Governor signed statewide legislation that puts discrimination into the law. Obviously, the LGBT community is targeted, but also people who are discriminated against because of race, religion or other classes people.
“The law even eliminates local ordinances that protect veterans and wages of local people in companies that contract with cities.
“Not only is this law a national embarrassment, it will set North Carolina’s economy back if we don’t repeal it. It will have a negative impact on people.
“The threats to our economy will grow even darker the longer this law stays in effect.
“Over the last 15 years, our office has defended the state, its people and agencies when they’ve been sued. Our office will continue to do that, except it will not defend the constitutionality of the discrimination in House Bill Two.”
The American Civil Liberties Union and a number of LGBT advocacy groups filed a lawsuit on Monday.
State Senate Leader, Phil Berger, responded to Mr Cooper’s remarks, stating they would not protect children.
“Roy Cooper’s refusal to defend the law makes clear he wants the ACLU to win by default in federal court what they can’t win at the ballot box and allow men to walk into locker rooms at YMCAs across our country and undress in front of young girls,” he said.
Following the introduction of the law, a number of cities have stopped their employees from travelling to the state.
