Media In NC Starting To Notice Pressure On GOP About HB 111

Grass Roots North Carolina's pressure on the GOP regarding HB 111 has caught the eye of the media.

The Associated Press' Allen Reed sent out a 4-paragraph report on this issue. He notes, correctly, that the perception is that the Republican leadership is shunting the issue to the side and claiming they just don't have the time. It appears to be have been picked up by a number of papers.

The Winston-Salem Journal goes further on the issue quoting Paul Valone of GRNC and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger on the issue.

"Do we have to wait until more die, Sen. Berger?" wrote Valone. "Will your legacy be that Republicans turned their backs on slain restaurant workers due to fear of bad press? I urge you to pull HB 111 from the Finance Committee and send it to the floor for an immediate vote."

Berger, R-Rockingham, said he personally supports the bill, but that senate leaders are taking "a careful approach to it."

"Whether we will be able to finalize the bill during the short session or whether it's a long session issue we'll pick up," Berger said. "The issue is not going to die."

Berger said the Senate would review the gun bill if there's time left over after passing the budget.

"It's not a question in my mind of if, it's a question of when," Berger said. "I think we'll see it, but we're working on a number of things, and that is one of them."

If, as Sean points out, they have time to recognize not one but two livermush festivals, they have time to deal with this. Livermush is North Carolina's answer to scrapple. If they don't take the time, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of them suffer the same fate as former House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman who blocked the Castle Doctrine.