Cooper Controversies to Take Center Stage at General Assembly Wednesday

RALEIGH – While he and his political base loves to regurgitate the same tired talking points about a power-hungry Republican legislature to drive class warfare and push their Leftist agenda, Gov. Roy Cooper and his media benefactors have also all but skipped over his own scandalous plot twists with a ‘nothing to see here’ approach.

The only time such controversies as the pay-to-play pipeline permit fiasco and the absolute bungling of hurricane relief grants distribution receives any attention is when Republicans on Jones Street force the issue via hearings.

Now, with midterm elections fast approaching, it appears both of those issues will put the Cooper administration under the spotlight, center stage.

“General Assembly leadership announced Monday that the legislature will hold an oversight hearing this week on how Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration has handled the Hurricane Matthew recovery and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline permitting process.

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“Governor Cooper and his administration have stonewalled the legislature and the press despite repeated requests for information and explanation on the two subjects,” a joint hearing announcement form Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger and Speaker of the House Tim Moore’s offices said Monday. “The Commission will discuss the information currently available and determine what next steps are required to conduct proper and comprehensive oversight.””

The two issues cover different ground; one being a case of incompetent government leadership that has resulted in extended human suffering, and the other being a perfect example of a sketchy politician making a backroom pay-to-play deal for his own personal political slush fund.

The exposure of Cooper’s disaster relief mismanagement and unethical pipeline escapades is long overdue. While Republicans have tried to hold Cooper to account for each of the scandals, one can’t help but think these scandals is all the media would ever talk about had they taken place under or had been committed by the Republican McCrory administration.

It would be the lead subject going into the 2018 elections.

The proximity to those elections is not likely lost on Republican legislative leaders, and since lawmakers are already in town for the special session it becomes a convenient time to hold Cooper’s feet to the fire.

The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 1:00 PM in room 643 of the Legislative Office Building, you can tap into the live stream here when the time comes.

Now, as long as they are holding hearings to hold elected official’s to account for incompetent, unethical, or illegal behavior while discharging official duties, perhaps they can actually follow through on investigating Secretary of State Elaine Marshall for her well documented habit of conferring state powers upon illegal aliens.