Legislators - Bribes don't work. Stop budget spin. Sincerely negotiate with Gov. Cooper

Rather than appealing to the angels of our better nature, the leaders of the General Assembly have gone whole-hog to override the governor’s veto.

Touring the state, in statements for news reports as well as commentary and columns placed throughout the state, legislators are echoing the talking points coming out of Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore’s offices. They warn funding for $383.1 million in pet projects in home districts – known as pork barrel -- are in jeopardy because of Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget veto. Only an override will assure the projects are funded.

These statements and commentaries fail to reveal that the same legislators had little or no interest in funding most of the projects – regardless of their worthiness – until they desperately needed a ploy to attack Gov. Roy Cooper.

It is their own work that leaves a clear trail of evidence. Nearly all of 531-suddenly-vital local projects were not a part of the 897-page budget the state House passed in early May. Nor were most of them in the 917-page budget bill the Senate passed about a month later. They mysteriously appeared in a 1,015-page bill manufactured by a behind-the-scenes conference committee.

Read more: https://www.wral.com/editorial-legislators-bribes-don-t-work-stop-budget-spin-sincerely-negotiate-with-gov-cooper/18539189/