[County Chairman Woody] White told area media outlets today that Berger presented McCrory with a letter White described as having been written “by someone who is not thinking clearly.”

White produced the letter, and cited other recent incidents—including an early-morning, after-hours visit to the county manager’s and attorney’s offices—in calling for Berger’s resignation, contending that the incidents “stem from a mental health issue.”

White said the board wants Berger to get help, but he said a concern is also that Berger poses a risk to others, noting that county staff—women in particular—have said they are uncomfortable meeting with him.

Port City Daily photographed Berger presenting the letter, which White referred to as a “manifesto,” to McCrory just before he gave a speech at a groundbreaking ceremony for Cape Fear Community College’s Humanities and Fine Arts Center.

The removal vote was 3-2 and sets precedent in North Carolina by the use of the action known as “amotion,” which allows for corporate entities to remove officers considered unfit to serve.  The New Hanover Commissioners appear to be the first in the state to use this law to remove an elected official.

Berger was joined in opposing the motion by Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, who made clear his opposition to the amotion process, which he has described as “untried” and “untested” in North Carolina.

“It’s too much power put into four people’s hands,” Barfield said, contending the board could then make similar decisions based on differences in political parties or race.

“I am not in agreement with this process, but I am in agreement that Commissioner Berger needs to step down from this board,” Barfield said.

Berger was first elected to the board in 2010, but his behavior has become increasingly erratic following a December 2012 arrest for drunk driving.  In April, after the incident between Berger and McCrory, Chairman White ordered new precautions at commissioners meetings including bag searches and metal detectors.

Berger and his attorney said he may appeal in the next 30 days.

The post New Hanover Commissioners Dump Berger After ‘Erratic Behavior’ appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

The Tea Party Patriots are encouraging “anyone and everyone” to protest Internal Revenue Service offices on Tuesday in response to the agency’s targeting of conservative groups.

The group expects to hold these “Rein in the IRS Rallies” nationwide.

“On behalf of Tea Party, Patriot groups, 9/12, liberty activists, and the American people, we are calling for anyone and everyone to protest the IRS’ complete abuse of power on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at noon local time,” the group writes on their website.

North Carolina “Rein In The IRS” rallies will be held at these IRS locations:

ASHEVILLE FB IRS OFFICE
151 PATTON AVENUE
ASHEVILLE, NC 28801

RALEIGH FB IRS OFFICE
310 NEW BERN AVE
RALEIGH, NC 27601

CHARLOTTE IRS OFFICE
222 S CHURCH BLDG
CHARLOTTE, NC 28202

The post IRS Protest Rallies To Be Held Across North Carolina appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

From the Senate Appropriations Committee press release:

The North Carolina Senate has followed Gov. Pat McCrory’s lead in crafting a balanced, fiscally responsible state budget that continues to invest in core priorities, streamline state government, reform public education and grow North Carolina’s economy.

Like the governor’s proposal, the Senate budget safeguards North Carolina’s long-term fiscal health by investing in critical infrastructure improvements and shoring up reserve and rainy day funds.

The $20.58 billion plan – which comes within less than one-tenth of one percent of the governor’s proposal – offers a prudent 2.3 percent increase in overall spending while laying the groundwork for the largest tax cut in state history.

Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) praised the plan.

“This budget stands in sharp contrast to the failed attempts of previous leaders to tax, spend and borrow their way to prosperity. Voters clearly demonstrated they expect their leaders to balance the budget without raising taxes – and we did that.  We’re eager to work with the governor and the House of Representatives to adopt a budget that smartly invests in our key priorities while living within our means.”

The post NC Senate Announces $20.58 Billion Budget appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

There were those, both in the public and the media, who derided and dismissed this bill was a waste of time. Sharia, Islamic law, was automatically assigned to the bill in coverage of it by media, even though the term does not appear in the text. It was a reasonable assumption though, since multiple states have passed similar legislation and the ultimate target was to block Sharia law.  A prime example is the headline Laura Leslie of WRAL ran with:

Sharia Law ban in House Thursday - By Laura Leslie

Raleigh, N.C. — A bill banning the recognition of Islamic Sharia law in North Carolina is scheduled for a final state House vote Thursday after it won tentative approval late Wednesday night.

The measure is modeled on legislation authored by an outspoken and controversial critic of Islam.

Sponsor Rep. Chris Whitmire, R-Transylvania, said House Bill 695 would protect North Carolinians’ constitutional rights in cases involving “foreign law.”

That’s the wording typically used in anti-Sharia bills after an Oklahoma judge struck down as unconstitutional a similar measure that singled out Sharia by name.

The proposal would apply only in family law and custody cases.

“The most egregious cases have been those concerning custody and divorce. We don’t want it here,” Whitmire said, noting that six other states have passed similar legislation, including Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee.

“Has this been a problem in North Carolina anywhere?” asked Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham.

“Not yet,” Whitmire answered, adding, “we have at least 27 cases in multiple states where it has.”

“You’re acknowledging we don’t have a problem here,” Luebke responded. “I cannot see for the life of me why we need a bill like this.”

Rep. Luebke seemingly would rather wait until we do have a problem? That’s not particularly proactive. One would think that a bill in defense of our Federal and State laws should appeal to everyone. Note that the vote was right down party lines again. Democrats all voted against it. Republicans all voted for it, with few abstaining due to absence.

Leslie’s article then goes on to be critical of anyone promoting this legislation near the end of the article, reflecting the bias of the writer instead of reporting the facts, which brings me to the instant biases seen with the introduction of the bill. Let’s return to the accusations this bill was a waste of time and cast as a Conservative cause with no merit. This bill is far from a wasting anyone’s time and those casting it as a Conservative cause might need to re-think that a bit after reading this article. The religious landscape of the country has changed quite a bit in the last decade, with an increase in the number and concentration of people practicing Islam. With the practice of Islam eventually comes the demand for Sharia. (Related: Islamic Infiltration in America. This is a NC related anecdote from 2009.)

First, what is Sharia?

Sharia is an Arabic word meaning “path” or “way.” Sharia is Islamic law – both moral and legal.  Strictly speaking, it is divine law. Yes, it has some innocuous portions to it like hygiene and attire, but as a whole it is not a warm-fuzzy set of life guidelines — especially for women.  It is overall quite oppressive and has a core tenet to it that flies in the face of one of the most important rights we have in the US: Free speech. (Read: Homeland Security guidelines advise deference to pro-Shariah Muslim supremacists)

People mocking those who voice concern over sharia often really have no idea what Sharia truly entails. They believe what is fed to them by the media – it’s harmless religious based law that could never affect our courts. Well it has and it still is in our courts, not just at the state level but the federal level.  (Read: Acts 17 v. City of Dearborn)

Sharia is not yet prevalent in North Carolina courts, but it has been tried. Sharia itself is here in North Carolina and where sharia strengthens, lawsuits, abuse of non-believers and Jihad in some typically follows. (Read: N. Carolina Man Appears to Be Top Editor of Al Qaeda Magazine, U.S. Officials Say  More on Samir Khan.)  Related news stories:

• Muslim Sues To Use Quran For Court Oath
• Judge: Lejeune officials violated veteran’s rights by demanding removal of anti-Islam decals
• North Carolina aquatic center says yes to sharia law – makes public pool private for Muslim women
• Muslims Search Uptown Find Havens For Prayer  Seems innocuous right? Wrong. Suing on religious discrimination grounds is a popular tactic; ‘tolerate our intolerance‘ is a popular theme that has little to do with religious needs and more to do with intimidation.
• NC Home Ownership the Sharia Way | Question & Answer Session
• Court of Appeals enforces Sharia Law marriage

A few key points about Sharia:

• If you are not Muslim, you have no inalienable rights. Non-believer lives are worth less and they must pay a tax in order to live in an Islamic state.
• No drinking of alcohol. That applies to non-Muslims too in a nation where Sharia is in place, like Egypt.
• Free speech is not on the menu unless it is favorable to Islam – the hypocrisy is mind-boggling.  In fact, there are strict blasphemy laws.
• Sharia is not subject to democratic oversight. Religious leaders interpret and decide; their decisions often change.
• Men are superior to women in all things; money or inheritance, testimony. Read more.
• Apostasy comes with a death sentence. So does proselytizing.
• Slavery and sexual slavery are permitted.
• Child brides are more common than you think. Read more.
• Homosexuality is punishable by death.

These are just a few highlights and doesn’t even get into Honor Killings. For a comprehensive look at sharia and listing, read Islamic Sharia Law In Brief and/or James M. Arlandson: Thirty Shariah Laws That Are Bad For All Societies

This isn’t “Islamophobia” driving the legislation to ban foreign law. It’s attempting to block the application of different sets of laws for different people – we have a Constitution and laws in this country already.  It is recognizing the disturbing patterns in other countries that have been going on for decades and that have now begun manifesting here in the United States. Heck, it’s not even being hidden that Sharia is the ultimate goal of Muslim immigrants and refugees that are flocking to countries all over Europe. Take a closer look at Great Britain, which has displayed some very stark examples lately:

• London’s ‘Muslim Patrol’ aims to impose Sharia law in East London (video)
• Extremist ‘Muslim Patrol’ attempting to enforce Sharia law in East London is condemned by England’s imams
• Stacy Dooley: Is Muslim Extremism taking over the UK? (video) Be sure to note the signs behind her as she walks with the protesters.

But this is in the UK. It can’t possibly happen in the United States is what you are thinking. Right? Wrong. Go wander around Dearborn, Michigan with a crucifix and Bible. See what happens.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Related Reading and Viewing:

American Family Law and Sharia-Compliant Marriages

The Case for Banning Sharia Law in America

Video: How women are treated under sharia law – The Alicia Gali Story

Video: Videos on Islamic Violence against women (graphic content warning)

Imam Faisal Rauf tells us that the United States Constitution and Sharia are the same; The US is a Sharia compliant state (video) By the way, he spoke right here in Chapel Hill two years ago.

More videos on LL1885′s YouTube Channel

The post NCGA House Passes Bill Banning Foreign Law appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

This bill would be an amendment chapter 115C of the General Statutes and states the following:

“The liberty of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, and care of his or her child is a fundamental right. Neither the State nor any agency or locality of the State shall infringe on a parent’s rights to the care, custody, and control of his or her child without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.”

The post Parental Rights On NC General Assembly Agenda appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

Today, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association sent a letter to President Barack Obama alleging that the famous Christian leader was also a target.

Franklin Graham, son of Rev. Graham, alleges that the IRS targeted BGEA and Samaritan’s Purse due to the effort the association undertook in expressing its views about the gay marriage amendment vote in 2012.  BGEA is permitted under current campaign finance laws to express its views on public policy issues.

“I am bringing this to your attention because I believe that someone in the Administration was targeting and attempting to intimidate us,” wrote Franklin Graham in a letter to President Obama. “This is morally wrong and unethical – indeed some would call it ‘un-American.’”

RedState.com reports that Mark Demoss, a spokesman for Graham, said the ministry had never been audited by the IRS in its history.

“These certainly appear to be politically motivated since the ministry had run some newspaper ads – not mentioning any candidates – simply urging people to vote for candidates with biblical values,” he said.

DeMoss called the IRS audit “very troubling and said it could have a “chilling effect on people across the country.”

“It would suggest that these audits are not random because the Billy Graham organization and Samaritan’s Purse were notified of the audit on the same day and they are located in different parts of North Carolina,” DeMoss said. “It doesn’t look very good.”

The full letter can be read here: Letter from Billy Graham Evangelistic Association to President Obama.

The post Billy Graham Ministry Target of Growing IRS Profiling Scandal appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

The bill was sponsored by State Senator Jerry Tillman (R-Archdale), and is meant to overcome what he called a “begrudging relationship” between the public school system and charter schools. “What we want is a very good harmonious public relationship we haven’t had in the past,” he said, according to the News & Observer.

In addition to establishing the Charter School Board, which will limit the power the state Board of Education has over charters, the bill would eliminate the two current requirements for charter schools. Charters would no longer need to have 50% of its teachers holding state certification, and each charter school would be able to set its own policy around conducting background checks for its employees.

While some organizations, such as the North Carolina Justice Center, have expressed opposition to the elimination of these requirements for charter schools, it should be noted that NC state law does not hold traditional public schools to these standards; instead, school districts are allowed to set their own policies.

Several amendments to the bill were offered, but none passed.

One amendment would have required charter schools to provide transportation and free or reduced-price meals within five years. The amendment’s author, Sen. Josh Stein (D-Wake), said, “We have to be able to make sure every kid can get to school, and when they’re there, they are not hungry,” per reporting from WRAL.

Sen. Tillman noted that this would be a burden for charter schools, as they would need to bus students from a wider area than traditional schools. It is also worth noting that funding for charter schools is based on the per-student spending in the county the charter is located in, but does not include capital expenditures. Charter schools must pay for land, facilities, and maintenance out of the per-student funds, while traditional schools draw these from capital expenditure funds.

According to the NC Alliance for Public Charter Schools, there are 131 charter schools in North Carolina, serving over 51,000 students.

The charter school bill will next go to the House.

The post NC Senate Passes Charter School Bill appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

The vote was split again down party lines, with only three Democrats voting in favor.  Read more about the bill at the NCGA site.

The Democrats in the House, led by Alma Adams, decried it as a possible way to conduct racial profiling.

The Charlotte Observer:

Some gender-based abortions have been documented in parts of Asia, where there’s gender bias in favor of boys and against girls. Such abortions are occurring in the United States, according to bill sponsor Rep. Pat McElraft, R-Carteret, citing university studies.

“This is a very simple decision. If you believe that a baby should be aborted just because it’s a boy or just because it’s a girl … then vote against this bill,” McElraft told colleagues. Three Democrats joined all Republicans present in voting for the bill, which now goes to the Senate.

Several Democratic House members criticized the measure, arguing the bill encourages ethnic discrimination and could lead to racial profiling of women of Asian heritage. Other doctors will be worried about violating the law and may decline to perform an abortion, said Rep. Alma Adams, D-Guilford.

“We are putting doctors in a position now questioning the motives of these women,” Adams said during the debate. “I don’t believe that doctors would be willing to take that kind of risk.”

Rep. Ruth Samuelson, R-Mecklenburg and another bill sponsor, said racial profiling was never mentioned in creating the bill. She urged colleagues to support the bill because no one believes gender-based abortions are right.

The post NC House Votes To Block Abortion Based On Gender appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

NC GOP Website:

North Carolina Republicans have called for the immediate apology and resignation of North Carolina Democrat Party Chair Randy Voller after his inflammatory comments last week.  While attending the Democratic Women of Guilford County’s Annual Banquet Chairman Voller stated that “The GOP that’s leading us, we don’t know where they’re taking us, but they’re raping us along the way.”  Chairman Voller continually has called for the “battle of ideas” among our elected officials but unfortunately he continues to remind us that disgusting hyperpartisan rhetoric is of greater importance than any idea currently on the table.  This is the type of shameful and disgusting political attack language that North Carolinians are tired of seeing.   View the tweet that has since been deleted here:http://bit.ly/17BhsxD

Republicans from across the state have called for immediate action from the Democrat Party and have gone on the record with the following statements:

North Carolina Congresswoman Renee Ellmers:

“I’m not sure what’s worse – Chairman Voller’s statement or his non-apology after the fact. The Chairman does not have to agree with our policies, but to try to compare policy differences to violent sexual assaults is beyond the pale. Certainly he should have enough respect for women – Democratic and Republican – to know better than to use that kind of inflammatory and offensive language. We all welcome policy debate in a respectful and dignified manner. However, Chairman Voller’s remarks both during his speech and afterward are neither respectful nor dignified. Frankly, I’m surprised prominent NC Democratic women like Senator Kay Hagan aren’t calling for his resignation.”

North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx:

“Democrat Party Chairman Randy Voller’s disrespectful choice of words is a real shame. Such callous and divisive language has no place in constructive conversations about how to strengthen our state. “

 

Republican National Committeewoman Dr. Ada Fisher:

“The NC Democratic Party Chairman Randy Voller is off base in his comments about the “raping” of North Carolinians by the NC Republican party.  This use of prejudicial inflammatory rhetoric so typical of their previous accusations is but another attempt to avoid speaking to the issue of how Republicans fight for individual liberties without the heavy imposition of the hand of government.  Republicans have always supported the rights of women as individuals, and we reject the disgraceful language used by the Democrat Party Chairman Randy Voller.”

North Carolina State Senator Kathy Harrington:

“Chairman Voller’s insensitive, shameful statement and non-apology is an affront to women and rape victims across North Carolina. We welcome disagreement on the issues and robust debate from Democrats. But no one, regardless of political party or ideology, should stoop to that level of disrespect and indecency. Chairman Voller still owes North Carolina women and rape victims a sincere apology. And I hope Senator Hagan and DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz will break their silence and condemn these comments.”

North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes:

“We fully understand that Democrat Party Chairman Randy Voller holds a different viewpoint than Republicans, however, this gives him no license to use this type of shameful, divisive, and offensive language.  Democrat Chairman Voller’s response to this issue is unacceptable and he owes an immediate apology and resignation to North Carolinians to allow voters the opportunity to engage in a respectful and dignified discussion, regardless of gender or political affiliation.  After meeting with Debbie Wasserman Shultz the same day the comments were made in Kay Hagan’s hometown, we hope these Democrat leaders will rebuke these terrible comments.”

The comments have been condemned by multiple notable Republicans in the state, but there is no apology found on Voller’s website. The NC Democratic Party site also makes no mention of it. There are only one or two articles even written mentioning the incident in local media.

On Saturday, May 4th, Voller attempted to apologize. Apparently rape has multiple meanings and is perfectly acceptable to use when referring to the opposition party:

In his apology, Voller claims the meaning of his words were misconstrued.

“I was not intending to offend anyone. I’m sorry if they took it that way, ” Voller said. “That’s not what the metaphor means.”

Voller said he was “talking about the destruction that’s going on” and didn’t mean any offense with the comparison.

“It’s no different than saying that fracking is raping the land,” Voller said.

Voller told the News & Record his remarks at the event were unprepared, and said he wouldn’t have known if someone in the room had been a victim of rape.

“Women and men are both victims of abusive power and violence,” Voller said. “I personally could have been raped.” – Source: Huffington Post

Democrats in the state took Voller’s ‘multiple meanings’ lead:

Myra Slone, the Democratic Women of Guilford County’s new president, said she heard it and “it didn’t seem to phase anybody.”

“He said something about the legislature, and rape was in the sentence, but I can’t remember exactly,” Slone said.

“That word has several different meanings so it doesn’t always have to be about women,” Slone said. “I’d prefer that he not use that word, but I really wasn’t upset by it at all.”  Source: News-Record.com

Other prominent Democrats like Alma Adams, famous for her Trayvon Hoodie wearing stunt, simply claimed not to really have heard what Voller said. In fact, they literally claim they didn’t hear it:

State Rep. Alma Adams said she heard Voller’s speech, but not closely enough that she caught this particular line. Greensboro City Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter said she heard at least some of the line, but it was hard to hear or judge reactions from her seat in the back of the room. Source: News-Record.com

This is not the first time that overly inflammatory rhetoric has been applied in North Carolina by Democrats. On April 23rd, NC State Senator Angela Bryant compared the NC GOP to the Boston Bombing. Carolina Right reports that Senator Bryant tweeted, “GOP Political terrorism on poor along marathon survival route with pressure cooker bombs: pay for drugs tests, ID’s, crim checks #NCga #NCgov“.  Bryant deleted the tweet not long after and has not apologized.

Prior to that Councilwoman Mary -Ann Baldwin allowed her dog to pee on the pillars of the NCGA, snapping a picture to post on the internet as a ‘message to the GOP’.

There was also the left-leaning BluePrint NC memo which called for the ‘evisceration’ of the opposition, in particular Governor Pat McCrory. House Minority Leader Larry Hall seemingly used some of BluePrint NC’s talking points almost verbatim. WRAL, a local media outlet, had also used BluePrint NC strategies in their implementation of the McCrory Promise Tracker.

Voller became chairman earlier this year and has been attempting to fill the position left by of the NC Democratic party after the former Chairman, Jay Parmley, was asked to leave due to a sexual harassment scandal involving a male staffer. Vollmer has been the interim acting Executive Director since Parmley’s messy departure. Democrats are unsatisfied with the job Vollmer is apparently doing and are attempting to oust him. News and Observer:

Four members of the state Democratic Party are trying to remove chairman Randy Vollmer as interim executive director, saying he violated procedure when he named himself to that post.

The members have filed a formal petition with the party’s Council of Review. It asks the council to reverse the actions Voller took on April 28, when he appointed himself without the approval of the executive committee. The petitioners say that was beyond the scope of his authority.

He also improperly appointed 12 people to be co-chairs of the sustaining fund, which made them members of the executive council, the petition says, which had the effect of solidifying his self-appointment.

The petition wouldn’t affect his position as party chairman.

“My fellow petitioners and I do not file this petition lightly,” according to a copy of the cover letter with the petition provided to Dome. Nor do they mean ill will toward Voller nor the 12 appointees, it says. Rather, they say they seek to clarify and enforce the rules and the power of the party chairman.

Author of the cover letter was Raleigh attorney John D. Burns.

Voller is the Democratic Party chairman. He has been heading up a search for a permanent executive director to replace Jay Parmley, who resigned last year amid allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied.

Voller had to apologize recently for telling a group of Democratic women that the GOP was “raping us along the way.”

Correction: An earlier, briefly posted version of this item incorrectly listed the three other people who signed the petition. They are Greg Flynn, Montica Talmadge and Treva Johnson.

The post NC Democrat Chair Under Fire For Rape Remark appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.

The bill would give the water system to the Metropolitan Sewerage District and add a sewage system serving northern Henderson County to form what would become the Metropolitan Water and Sewerage District.

A spokeswoman for [Gov. Pat] McCrory, a Republican, declined earlier this week to say how likely the governor is to sign the bill. It passed both the House and Senate by margins large enough to override any gubernatorial veto, and almost all of the support for the bill came from GOP legislators.

Asheville City Council’s vote authorizes legal action to challenge the legislation and the bill’s validity should it become law as well as seek an injunction to prevent its implementation.  The bill sets May 15 as the merger transfer date for the water systems.

“I think we feel pretty strong (about the legal case),” Mayor Terry Bellamy said after the vote. Other municipalities likely will file legal briefs on Asheville’s behalf, she said.

“On this issue, we will not be standing alone,” Bellamy said.

The city’s lawsuit will get support from the precedent-setting case of Asbury v. Town of Albemarle, a 1913 state Supreme Court decision inferring there are constitutional limits on the General Assembly’s power over municipal properties.

The Asheville water merger legislation is the latest in a series of bills passed by the NCGA which restructure local authorities in an attempt to remove political considerations from decision-making.

The post Asheville City to Sue North Carolina Over Water appeared first on WatchdogWire - North Carolina.