North Carolina Lawmaker Says It's Just a Coincidence He's Targeting Companies Opposed to Bathroom Bill
After launching an effort to redefine “bullying,” supporters of North Carolina’s anti-LGBT bathroom law apparently have a new term they’d like to revisit: revenge.
According to a report released Wednesday, lobbyists in North Carolina say that lawmakers are now threatening to punish them and their clients if they publicly come out against the bill. From WRAL:
Legislation they want won’t move, and other bills could actually target them
WRAL News spoke with 11 lobbyists who have experienced or are aware of such actions, but none would speak on the record for fear they would lose business or be targeted for retribution. One has already lost business
One long-time lobbyist called the pressure a “gross abuse of power.” Another veteran lobbyist labeled it “vicious,” adding, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
While several of the state’s leading Republicans denied knowledge of such practices, House Speaker Tim Moore was more direct, telling WRAL, “Retribution politics is not a practice we engage in.”
Recently, House Majority Leader Mike Hager suggested killing tax breaks for American Airlines, NASCAR, and Google, all of which have condemned the law. When questioned by WRAL, Hager explained he has always wanted to end tax breaks for big businesses—the timing was just a coincidence.
“There are businesses that take a certain stance, and there’s a lot of lobbyists that represent businesses,” said Hager. “None of those, I don’t think, have had any negative retribution at all.”
So sure, it might look like revenge legislation potentially threatening the jobs of thousands, but hey, maybe it’s just one of those crazy things.