North Carolina’s new $30 billion state budget contains a provision that gives extraordinary investigative powers to a partisan oversight committee co-chaired by Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R). The Joint Legislative Committee on Government Operations — or Gov Ops for short — is empowered to seize “any document or system of record” from anyone who works in or with state and local government during its investigations. The rule applies to contractors, subcontractors, and any other non-state entity “receiving, directly and indirectly, public funds,” including charities and state universities.
  • geekworking@lemmy.world
    0·
    9 months ago

    This includes the private residences of subcontractors and contractors who run businesses out of their homes

    Even more crazy is that you can’t tell anyone you’ve been raided, including seeking or talking to legal counsel.

    So you technically are denied legal counsel if you are targeted by a blatently unconstitutional search.

    And it’s legal for them to destroy any incriminating records that they want at any time.

    Unlimited power to target whoever they want and no legal recourse.

    Welcome to Germany 1935.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      9 months ago

      This law is categorically unconstitutional. It is a prima facie contradiction of multiple specific amendments in the bill of rights. This will certainly be thrown out - even hard-right judges won’t be able to justify this. It’s clearly not reasonable in the slightest.

      • chakan2@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        9 months ago

        even hard-right judges won’t be able to justify this.

        They don’t have to justify anything any more. You should stop pretending the constitution matters.

      • Archer@lemmy.world
        0·
        9 months ago

        even hard-right judges won’t be able to justify this. It’s clearly not reasonable in the slightest.

        I dunno about that, Supreme Court looking pretty right wing lately

        • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          0·
          9 months ago

          The SC wants to maintain the roots of their power. Undercutting certain parts of the constitution does the opposite of that, because it implies others can do the same in areas they don’t want touched.

  • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.orgEnglish
    0·
    9 months ago

    Moreover, Gov Ops staff will be authorized to enter “any building or facility” owned or leased by a state or non-state entity without a judicial warrant.

    That sounds unconstitutional. I mean, the whole thing sounds unconstitutional but that especially.