Sep 9, 2016
Equality NC Responds to Pat McCrory’s Week of “Blame Game”
Governor McCrory again refused to take responsibility this week for his actions - instead playing role of Blamer-in-Chief
RALEIGH, NC – Equality NC, North Carolina’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, responds to Governor Pat McCrory’s week of flailing about the root causes of HB2, the worst anti-LGBT bill in the nation since its signing in March.
This week, Pat McCrory blamed Roy Cooper, President Obama, the City of Charlotte, and the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce for the consequences of HB2, which costs the state economically everyday. After another failed attempt to turn HB2 into a political wedge issue in his favor, McCrory again tried deflecting responsibility for the bill he signed. On Wednesday he claimed that the State’s Chamber of Commerce authored portions of the legislation. While the Chamber refuted this quickly, we do not know the truth of the matter.
“Pat McCrory refuses to accept responsibility for a bill he signed. He did not have to ignore calls from PayPal, Mayor Roberts, the NBA, or the federal government about the deep harms this would cause. But we all know that there is only one place to put the blame for the discrimination and economic harm we are facing - Pat McCrory and his legislative cronies,” said Chris Sgro, Executive Director of Equality North Carolina. “If McCrory cannot even claim that he is at fault for negative impacts of a bill which he signed, despite the warning bells, he absolutely is not fit to be Governor of the 9th largest state in the nation. It’s time for McCrory to stop playing the role of Blamer-in-Chief. If he cannot, he will not be Governor for much longer,” said Sgro.
Pat McCrory signed HB2 after less than a day of consideration, and it has since been documented that PayPal and other Charlotte city leaders tried to warn him of the consequences of the bill. He did not return their calls. Since Pat McCrory signed this legislation, conferences, performers, and the NBA All-Star Game have left our state.
Equality NC is a statewide organization working to secure equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender North Carolinians. For more information, please visit www.equalitync.org