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.
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.
So are the lawnakers complete morons or do they have an ulterior motive?
Yes.
I dunno about that, Supreme Court looking pretty right wing lately
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.
They don’t have to justify anything any more. You should stop pretending the constitution matters.