McCrory’s view of HB2

Well, apparently the painful compromise reached after much angry and anguished negotiation between Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican leaders Sen. Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore over repealing the disastrous House Bill 2 legislation was a waste of time. All’s well with HB2 – the infamous bathroom bill that allowed discrimination against transgender people – according to former Gov. Pat McCrory.

Dismissed by the people in favor of Cooper after four years of no accomplishments and gaffes including support of HB2, McCrory told a Charlotte radio station that “House Bill 2 was really never repealed.” Oh, that’s going to comfort the state’s business community and all leaders, for that matter, who tried to help the state recuperate from the millions of dollars and thousands of jobs lost because of HB2’s passage by Republicans. McCrory noted the new law that scuttled HB2 did ban local governments from passing nondiscrimination ordinances of their own, some of which Republicans are wrongly proud, and a compromise to which Cooper agreed to save the state’s reputation.

The governor also settled a lawsuit brought by plaintiffs against HB2 by allowing transgender people to use the bathrooms of their choice in government buildings run by executive branch agencies including those that oversee the environment, transportation and others. That’s angered GOP lawmakers, some of whom may be tempted to re-enact HB2, but would feel the wrath of business leaders. It was a wise maneuver by Cooper.

Alas, poor McCrory’s on the outside now, so perhaps he hasn’t been keeping up.

This story was originally published October 26, 2017 at 9:18 AM with the headline "McCrory’s view of HB2."