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DAVIT 12/01/17 **CHILL
UNC-CH SERIALS DEPARTMENT
DAVIS LIBRARY CB# 3338
P □ BOX 8890
CHAPEL HILL NC £7599-0001
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017
VOLUME 96 - NUMBER 1
TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICE: 50 CENTS
North Carolina governor takes
office minutes into new year
By Gary D. Robertson
RALEIGH (AP) - North
Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper took
his oath of office minutes after
midnight Sunday morning (Jan.
1), getting an early start on his
duties amid bitter partisan poli
tics in the state but saying he be
lieved there is a way forward.
Joined by a small group of
family, friends and colleagues,
the Democrat was sworn inside
the old House chamber of the
1840 Capitol building nearly a
week before his public inaugura
tion.
A Cooper aide has said the
state’s 75th governor wanted to
get started on gubernatorial du
ties following a transition period
shortened by a protracted debate
over vote-counting in his close
race with outgoing Republican
Gov. Pat McCrory.
“I’m aware of the solemn re
sponsibility that I’ve been given
and the duty that I have to up
hold the Constitution,” Cooper
said shortly after state Chief Jus
tice Mark Martin administered
the oath to Cooper during the
15-minute ceremony. “I cannot
wait to get started.”
As governor-elect, Cooper
already began taking legislative
Republicans to court over the
laws passed during a December
special session. A state Superior
Court judge on Dec. 30 tempo
rarily blocked a law that would
scale back the control governors
exert over statewide and county
election boards. Cooper’s attor
ney said more legal challenges
are planned this coming week.
Another of the laws requires
Cooper’s Cabinet choices to be
confirmed by legislators. The
state Constitution gives the Sen
ate the ability to “advise and
consent” to the governor’s ap
pointees by a majority vote, but
that provision hadn’t been used
in at least several decades.
With the GOP still holding
veto-proof majorities in the leg
islature, Cooper’s five-minute
address to the crowd of about 75
people and a television audience
hit on themes of finding common
i ground. Cooper said he would a
m to be a governor for the entire
state.“I know and I am confident
that although we may come at it
from different ways that other
leaders in this state and I can
work together to make North
Carolina its very best, the kind
of North Carolina that we know
that we can be,” Cooper said.
Cooper is a 30-year veteran
of state politics - 14 years in the
legislature before 16 as attorney
general — and claimed victory on
election night. But it was anoth
er four weeks before McCrory
conceded while dozens of ballot
protests were considered and a
partial recount was held in Dur
ham County.
In the end, Cooper won by
about 10,000 votes. A law Mc
Crory signed last March limiting
non-discrimination protections
for LGBT people and directing
which public bathrooms trans-
gender people can use was a
big issue in the fall campaign.
Cooper wants the law known as
House Bill 2 repealed.
Cooper has already begun
ushering out stalwarts of the Mc
Crory administration. Dismissal
notices were given in the past
week to a few dozen McCrory
political appointees, Cooper
spokeswoman Megan Jacobs
said.
Turnover among those posi
tions isn’t uncommon, but the
swiftness of the dismissals car
ries extra weight in light of the
recent legislation that limits
Cooper’s number of political ap
pointees to 425. That’s less than
a third of the number McCrory
was allowed to have.
The Rev. Art Ross mentioned
the Bible characters Moses, Da
vid and Esther in a prayer asking
for courage and inspiration for
the new governor.
“We’re mindful of these cur
rent challenges and divisions,
and so we pray that you would
grant your servant to govern
with wisdom and justice, that he
be quick to confess when he is
wrong and filled with perse
New N. Carolina governor wastes
no time stepping into role
By Gary D. Robertson
RALEIGH (AP) - North Carolina’s new governor is wasting
no time stepping into the role with a swearing-in minutes into the
New Year.
Democrat Roy Cooper’s decision to take his oath just after
midnight Sunday (Jan. 1) reflects the unusual election cycle and
the state’s contentious partisan poltics. One of his aides has said
Cooper wants to get a quick start on gubernatorial duties after his
transition period was shortened by a protracted debate over vote-
counting in the close race against outgoing Republican Gov. Pat
McCrory.
The pared-down ceremony comes a week before Cooper’s
public inauguration, which will include a parade and other fan-
fare. McCrory took his oath of office during the day on Jan. 5,
2013 ahead of his public inauguration.
Political scientist Michael Bitzer of Catawba College said he
couldn’t recall another governor taking his oath just minutes after
the clock strikes midnight, but he said it’s not surprising in the
contentious political environment that included new laws to strip
Cooper of some of his power before he even took office.
“In our polarized political environment, it’s not surprising that
once a term in office ends, the new administration wants to as
sume that power,” he said.
For his part, Cooper has already begun ushering out stalwarts
of the McCrory administration. Cooper spokeswoman Megan Ja
cobs said Jan. 29 that dismissal notices were given in the past
week to a few dozen McCrory political appointees.
Turnover among those positions isn’t uncommon, but the swift
ness of the dismissals carries extra weight in light of the recent
legislation that limits Cooper’s number of political appointees to
425. That’s less than a third of the number McCrory had.
Cooper has threatened to take Republicans to court over the
laws passed during a surprise December special session. A state
Superior Court judge on Jan. 30 temporarily blocked a law that
ends the control governors exert over statewide and county elec
tion boards. Cooper’s attorney said more legal challenges are
planned next week.
Another of the laws requires Cooper’s Cabinet choices to be
confirmed by legislators. The state Constitution gives the Senate
the ability to “advise and consent” to the governor’s appointees
by a majority vote, but that provision hadn’t been used in at least
several decades.
verance when he is right,” Ross
said.
Sunday’s ceremony began
moments after nearby revelers
in downtown Raleigh brought in
the new year with fireworks and
other festivities.
The public inauguration for
Cooper and other statewide
elected positions will be held
Jan. 7, followed by a traditional
downtown parade and nighttime
ball. Cooper was one of four in
these positions who decided to
get sworn in on the first possible
day allowed by law.
Insurance Commissioner
Mike Causey of Guilford County
and State Treasurer Dale Folwell
of Winston-Salem held separate
ceremonies just after midnight -
Folwell at his home and Causey
at a fire station. And Democrat
Josh Stein, who succeeds Coo
per as attorney general, sched
uled a midday swearing-in inside
the state Department of Justice
Building.
CONGRESSART - FOX News personality Eric Bolling encouraged his viewers demand the removal of David Pulphus’ artwork
from the U.S. Capitol. At the time of the painting, Pulphus was an 18 year-old high school student. (David Pulphus)
FOX Host and St. Louis Police
Group Want Teen’s Artwork
Removed From U. S. Capitol
By Lauren Victoria Burke (NNPA Newswire Contributor)
On December 29, Fox News personality Eric Bolling spoke out
against a painting by a high school artist and constituent of Rep.
Lacy Clay (D-Mo.), who represents greater St. Louis and the city of
Ferguson, Missouri.
“I’m saying to the three million people out there right now. Call
your Congressman or call Lacy Clay’s office and say ‘get that picture
down’ cops do not need to be depicted in this way. Blue Lives Matter,”
Bolling told the audience on the Fox News show “The Five.”
The painting in question depicts a street scene that includes
a protest march and animals in police uniforms. It also includes a
depiction of a citizen facing a cop depicted as a horse-like figure
pointing a gun at a citizen depicted as a wolf. The artwork is now
hanging in a long hallway that connects the U.S. Capitol to the
Cannon House Office Building where many members have offices.
The piece called “Untitled #1” was painted by David Pulphus, 18,
and is amongst hundreds of other pieces of artwork by high school
students as part of annual art competition by the student constituents
of members of Congress across the country. The police killing of
Michael Brown in August 2014 by a Ferguson Police Officer soon
followed by the killings of Kajieme Powell and teenager Vonderrick
Myers near St. Louis may have served as inspiration for the artist.
The day after Bolling’s pronouncement to remove the painting
from the Capitol, Congressman Clay issued a statement, in part, to
correct inaccurate information in several press reports that Rep. Clay
selected the winning art. Members of Congress typically use a panel
ofjudges that select the winning art in the popular annual contest and
take no part in judging the artwork.
“Members of Congress support student art competitions in our
districts, but we do not select the young artists and we do not judge
the artwork. I had no role in selecting the winner of this student art
competition and I would never attempt to approve or disapprove
artistic expression. The U.S. Capitol is a symbol of freedom, not
censorship. The young artist chose his own subject and the painting
will not be removed,” Rep. Clay said in a statement on December 30.
Joe Patterson, president of the St. Louis County Police Association,
said that “we are not about censorship, but good art and good taste
are sometimes not the same thing,” regarding the student’s work. The
work by the high school students hangs each year for a little less than
Enough Is Enough: A Call for the Economic Boycott of North Carolina
Says Rev. William Barber. See page 2.
Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.)
a year; new art is selected each summer.
The U.S. Capitol features several pieces of permanent, paintings
and sculpture of figures from American history many may find
objectionable. Several racists, segregationists and confederate figures
are featured as statues, busts and in paintings in the U.S. Capitol
building including Confederate “President” Jefferson Davis, and pro-
slavery Presidents Andrew Jackson and John Calhoun.
A large portrait of the late Alabama Senator and segregationist
James Eastland also hangs on the third floor of the U.S. Capitol above
the Senate Chamber.
Lauren Victoria Burke is a political analyst who speaks on
politics and African American leadership. Lauren is also a frequent
contributor to the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com. She
can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on Twitter at @
L VBurke.