Sen. Hise Responds to Latest Cooper Lawsuit to Consolidate Power

Cooper previously sued to gain partisan control of the administration of his own election

After Rules Review Commission blocked an illegal order from Cooper’s elections board, he’s suing to undo the Commission

Raleigh, N.C. — Today, Gov. Roy Cooper sued to change the composition of the Rules Review Commission, a check on executive authority that has existed unchanged since 1986.

Below is a statement from Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell), who co-chairs the Senate Elections Committee:

“Governor Cooper, who is a candidate for office this year, successfully sued to gain full partisan control of the formerly bipartisan Board of Elections. The candidate for North Carolina’s top office controls the administration of his own election.

“A few months ago, the Governor’s partisan Board of Elections sought to ignore state law by issuing an illegal order to further expand its control over the election. The Rules Review Commission stepped in to block the illegal order.

“Now, the Governor is using the same strategy he employed to gain control of elections administration to try to gain control of the Rules Review Commission. His answer for getting caught trying to illegally consolidate power over his own election is to sue to undo a check on executive authority that’s existed for 34 years.

“It’s another power grab, plain and simple.”