Leaders of the minority party have expressed broader frustration with the budget process, saying they’ve been granted almost no input. And they remain skeptical about Republicans’ confidence to finish negotiations by the end of June.
At the press conference — organized by the Coalition Against Right-Wing Extremism (CARE) — speakers underscored what the proposed changes could mean for North Carolina, where about 650,000 residents gained coverage through Medicaid expansion passed by the state legislature in 2023.
Although the lengthy court battle is over, many experts and voting rights experts have warned that the Griffin case has potentially set a precedent that will impact future elections.
Democratic AG Jeff Jackson has joined over 20 other states in suing over the dismissal of congressionally approved grants that aid in western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene.
The Marist Institute for Public Opinion, said the fact that independents are “not at all in his corner right now is something that may ultimately serve as a wake-up call” to some members of Congress who will have to face voters in the midterm elections.
The resolution, backed by all present Democrats and three Republicans — Rand Paul (Ky.), Susan Collins (Maine), and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) — failed in a 49-49 tie vote in the GOP-controlled Senate. It sought to end the national emergency Trump declared to justify his broad tariff regime. Despite his past support for narrower efforts to rein in Trump’s tariff authority, Tillis declined to join this latest push.
Griffin’s concession comes after a federal judge ordered North Carolina election officials to confirm the victory of Justice Allison Riggs on the state Supreme Court. U.S. District Judge Richard Myers, appointed to the bench by Trump, ruled that all of the ballots challenged by Judge Jefferson Griffin must count and ordered the State Board of Elections to certify the results that Allison Riggs won.
The 5/6 event, “Dock the Greed” was organized by the Coalition Against Right-Wing Extremism (C.A.R.E.) in partnership with Oxfam America to protest the Trump administration’s harmful federal cuts, which could be devastating for working-class North Carolinians, according to the group’s press release.
Now the company is looking to lawmakers to avoid having to face more consequences for their pollution of North Carolina waters. This legislative session, lawmakers are considering bills to hold polluters accountable, including House Bill 569, entitled “PFAS Pollution and Polluter Liability” and Senate Bill 666, the “2025 Water Safety Act”.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein recently rolled out his first full budget proposal — a $67.9 billion plan that puts education, family tax relief, and student well-being at the center. State Senate Republicans have now responded with their own proposal, a $65.9 billion budget highlighting conservative tax breaks, investments in law enforcement, and a surge in infrastructure spending.