Gov. Cooper vetoes NC bill with mask restrictions and campaign finance changes
Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill Friday addressing mask wearing in public that was modified to include an unrelated campaign finance provision, which critics say would allow more money from wealthy donors that is difficult to trace to pour into the state.
“This legislation creates a gaping loophole for secret, unlimited campaign money in the middle of an election year,” Cooper said in a statement. “While voters are kept in the dark, this scheme allows anonymous out-of-state billionaires to flood North Carolina with campaign contributions to rescue extreme right-wing candidates that Republicans now fear will lose.”
“The legislation also removes protections and threatens criminal charges for people who want to protect their health by wearing a mask,” Cooper said.
The bill, which passed both the Senate and House in party-line votes, now returns to the legislature.
Republicans have said that in the middle of stalled budget talks that will continue next week, they expect to hold some override votes on bills Cooper has vetoed this session. That could now include the masking and campaign finance bill.
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