By Brianna Kraemer
Carolina Journal
Republicans in the North Carolina Senate approved a bill on Tuesday that restricts the state attorney general from participating in legal actions aimed at challenging executive orders issued by the President of the United States.
The legislation prohibits the Attorney General from filing or joining lawsuits in state or federal courts outside of North Carolina that would invalidate any executive order from the President.
Senate Bill 58 passed the Senate on its final reading in a 29-19 vote, showing Republicans’ strong alignment with the Trump administration and a blow to North Carolina’s Democrats.
The move comes months into North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s four-year term, a Democrat who defeated Republican Dan Bishop in the November election.
While bill sponsor Sen. Tim Moffitt, R-Henderson, has described the bill as an overdue housekeeping move to address long-standing concerns over the powers exercised by the Council of States members, critics view it as a potential limitation on the attorney general’s capacity to safeguard state interests or challenge federal overreach.
“We should not take away the Attorney General’s ability to represent the citizens of the state of North Carolina when he has the opportunity to defend our state for jobs, for funding, for health care, for things that our people desperately need,” said Sen. Graig Meyer, D-Orange.
The proposal is already being considered in the House under a companion bill. If Republicans can coordinate an override vote against the governor’s likely veto, the law would take effect immediately and applies to all legal actions initiated on or after its enactment, signaling a new chapter in the state’s legal boundaries concerning federal executive authority.
Supporters of the bill argue that it preserves North Carolina’s autonomy and prevents the state’s top legal officer from engaging in national legal disputes that could undermine state legislation or presidential authority.
On many issues, a States Rights are most important.
Orherwise, the Fed has total control..of everything.
Exactly what many of you argue AGAINST.
Amen!!! NO ONE should be allowed to challenge a presidential order.
We really need to remove ALL council of states and consolidate ALL power within thr legislative branch. We’re already cut the governor’s power– not much more neutering we can do there! #MAGA
Advocating for unchecked presidential authority and consolidating all power within the legislative branch undermines the principles of separation of powers essential to our democracy. Eliminating checks and balances invites tyranny, as power without oversight leads to abuse.
In plain language, your views are unAmerican.
@Chris: Have you actually read thr NC constituion? Exactly what has the General Assembly done that is “unAmwrican”? Is it possible that you’re upset because YOU are on the wrong side of history? The peiple voted already.
I say again, If Democrats attempted similar power grabs Republicans would be stroking out. Am I right? Answer the question.
The North Carolina General Assembly’s actions represent a significant overreach, undermining the constitutional balance of power. By diminishing the authority of the executive branch and restricting the Attorney General’s ability to challenge federal actions, they compromise the state’s checks and balances. Such measures not only violate state and federal constitutional principles but also threaten the integrity of our democratic institutions. Are you capable of critical thinking? Your failure to comprehend this says a lot. We are supposed to be a civilized nation but Trump and Fox News have dumbed down nearly half of the country. 36 million lazy democrats did not vote. If they wake up MAGA will be jerked back into reality. It will really suck for you.
He or she is being sarcastic.
I am hoping he is trolling the maga idiots- but in joco one never knows.
The NCGOP’s blatant attack on the powers of the North Carolina Attorney General, as seen in Senate Bill 58, is yet another attempt to consolidate power at the expense of democracy. Let me be clear—there will be a reckoning. Everything the Republican Party has done to cling to power will be reversed. It may not happen immediately, but it will happen.
North Carolina is becoming bluer with each passing year. More people and businesses are moving here from both blue and red states, bringing new ideas and values. That trend is unstoppable, no matter how much you attempt to rig the system.
To make matters worse for the Republican Party, veterans are now being shafted by Donald Trump, and we all know North Carolina has one of the largest military and veteran populations in the country. You don’t mess with veterans’ benefits and healthcare without facing serious repercussions. Thousands of retired service members vote here, and they will not forget who fought to keep America’s promise to its military personnel—or the party that stood by and did nothing while those benefits were gutted.
Another matter that could significantly affect voters’ decisions in upcoming elections is the uncertainty surrounding Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
All these points mentioned above could spell doom for NC Republicans. Your power grabs are not a sign of strength—they are a sign of fear. The more you strip away democracy, the stronger the backlash will be. North Carolinians are watching, and we will remember.
@Chris: “…at the expense of democracy.” I’m pretty sure the General Assembly is. *DEMOCRATICALLY* elected body.
This is EXACTLY how a democracy works.
While the NCGA is democratically elected, democracy also requires checks and balances to prevent any branch from becoming too powerful. Actions like Senate Bill 58, which limits the Attorney General’s authority, may disrupt this balance. If Democrats attempted similar power consolidations, Republicans would be stroking out. Am I right?
@Chris: You’re confusing “fairnesss” with “democracy.” Please check the NC & US constitution, and show me where it says “fair.”
I apologize for this being long.
Democracy is about fairness. To answer your question, no, I have not read the NC Constitution but I have studied the US Constitution. Both easily found online.
You didn’t answer my question.
Just because the word “fair” isn’t spelled out in the Constitution doesn’t mean fairness isn’t a core principle. Both the US and NC Constitutions guarantee equal protection, representation, and government for all people—which is fairness in action. The 14th Amendment ensures laws apply equally to everyone, and the NC Constitution (Article I, Sections 2 & 19) prohibits discrimination and requires government to serve the good of the whole, not just a few.
Do you believe in a just world? Think about sports. Think about a Little League game. How we teach our children about playing fair, teamwork and good sportsmanship. Then there are game rules. Break them, and you get penalized. If referees are biased, they face consequences too.
Laws work the same way. Speed, drive drunk, or break a law, you pay the price. Even corrupt cops get caught. This isn’t the Wild West—we all want fairness.
Our Bible lays out rules—commandments—that guide how we should live, treat our neighbors and welcome strangers. Moses delivered the Ten Commandments as a framework for righteousness, and Jesus made it clear that love is at the heart of God’s law. Both warned that ignoring these commandments leads to suffering and disorder.
Jesus was direct: those who break even the least of these commandments and lead others astray will face consequences. He spoke of being “least in the kingdom of heaven” or worse—facing judgment, even spending eternity in a lake of fire.
Laws, whether divine or earthly, exist for a reason. Without them, we have chaos. MLK once said, and it has been echoed through the decades, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
What kind of world do you want to live in?
Amen friend, you speak the truth. teach these people somethin
@Chris:
1. Now you seem to be confusing “fairness,” “justice,” and “democracy.” They are NOT synonyms. Your attempt to interchange them to support your positions show that your arguments are nonsense.
2. The 14th Amendment clearly defines which classes are protected. Political affiliation is NOT a protected class. Therefore it doesn’t apply.
3. Please don’t use the Bible to advance your arguments. The First Amendment clearly separates chruch and state. There are many different “bibles” so be careful making sweeping assumptions. What religious works do you consider? Only the Pentateuch? The full Tanakh? The Quron? What about the Tipitaka? If you’d prefer to live under a religious theocraxy instead of secular laws, try Iran or Vatin City — NOT the USA.
Hah, you’re funny!
Addressing your points:
1. Distinguishing Fairness, Justice, and Democracy: You’re correct that “fairness,” “justice,” and “democracy” are distinct concepts. However, they are interconnected. A democratic system aims to ensure fairness and justice through representation and the rule of law. Highlighting their interplay can strengthen arguments about systemic issues.
2. 14th Amendment and Protected Classes: The 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law. While it doesn’t explicitly list protected classes, judicial interpretations have extended protections to various groups over time. Political affiliation isn’t traditionally among them, but the principle of equal protection remains foundational.
3. Separation of Church and State: The First Amendment prohibits government establishment of religion, ensuring freedom of belief. While personal religious texts can inform individual viewpoints, public policy should be based on secular principles to uphold this constitutional separation.
Class is over. You are dismissed. Enjoy your weekend! 😊
hey truth I thought chris laid out beautiful examples about how truth and faitness are part of our dailly life. You know we’re in the Bible belt. Not all tednecks think like you. I say that as a redneck
Food is part of my daily.kife, too, but it’s not the government’s responsibility to feed me. You Snowflakes who want more and more government are the problem that MAGA and DOGE are trying ro fix! Your failed policies of affirmative action and DEI (with itheir stated purpose of trying to make things fair and equitable) are the problem!!! You Lib Dems MUST BE STOPPED.
They need to think about this, however, when there’s another democratic president…..
They will just repeal the bill.
Another example of the GA GOP SORE LOSERS!!!!!!!! Because they don’t like that they lost and the people chose someone else. There are just like the Orange 🍊 IDIOT ignoring what the people they supposedly represent want for vengeance.
Nobody likes to lose.
Doesn’t the judiciary have a smaller percentage of elected members than Congress or the executive branch
When this passes just ignore it. After all, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law”.
Call it what you want, but people do vote for divided government. Three branches protects us. If one group takes power away from another, it harms the balance. Let Jeff Jackson sue POTUS. Let the NCGA pass laws and override vetos with majorities to direct Sheriff Depts to work with ICE. Can’t always change the law because your guy or gal lost.
On Saturday, September 17, 1796, President George Washington, during his Farewell Address, stated, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”
In this statement President Washington is warning Americans against the negative impact of opposing political parties. He witnessed the rise of the Democratic-Republican parties in opposition to the Federalists and worried that future political squabbles would undermine the concept of popular sovereignty in the United States.
Welp…he was right.
In Matthew 12:25 (NIV) Jesus stated, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”
Welp…He is right also.
We are never going to resolve problems this way. Abolish political parties and make politicians run as independents…dissolve the RNC and DNC…both are cash cows that add nothing but division and group think.
This pendulum swinging back and forth; wasting tax dollars is not helping the Nation as a whole. It is destroying it.
The elephant in the room is the World Elites (NATO, EU, CFR, etc.)…they watch as divisive politics and intentional, vindictive bad decisions are destroying Nations around the globe. They patiently wait…day by day…until they step from the shadows as the world’s saviors.
I pray someday we become the UNITED States again…God help us all.
Jus’ Sayin’.