Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, who is also the Republican candidate for governor running against the Democratic candidate, Gov. Roy Cooper, took issue with Cooper’s decision to close all the bars and restaurants in the state.
Forest in a statement released on Tuesday, March 17, noted that Cooper had sent out a press release stating that North Carolina restaurants and bars must close “in-restaurant seating” by 5 p.m. and noted, “After the press release, and shortly before the scheduled press conference, I, along with other Council of State members, was asked to concur with the Governor’s decision with no discussion. The Governor held his press conference and made the announcement even after a majority of the Council of State voted not to concur with the Governor. Thus, he does not have the authority to issue this part of the executive order.”
The Council of State is made up of 10 officials elected statewide. It includes the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, attorney general, commissioner of agriculture, commissioner of labor and commissioner of insurance.
Cooper’s office stated that the governor had the authority to close all the bars and restaurants in the state without the concurrence of the Council of State.
The executive order from the governor’s office states that the governor had the concurrence of the Council of State for Sections 2 and 3 of the order, which dealt with changes to the regulations governing unemployment benefits, but does not make the same claim about Section 1, which dealt with bars and restaurants.
The Council of State did concur with the changes to the unemployment payment regulations.
Forest maintains that Cooper also needed that concurrence to close the bars and restaurants and Cooper did ask for that concurrence.
Forest in his original press released stated the decision to close bars and restaurants “will devastate our economy,” particularly in rural areas. He later said that he didn’t disagree with the executive order itself, but the way it was done without input or agreement from the Council of State.
Roy Cooper is a clown. I hope the people of this state are smart enough to fire him in November.
We will see.
Cooper reminds me of Mayor of Mayberry.
Dan Forrest is as stupid as his Run, Forrest, Run signage. He should be arrested. Pure repub, all about the money and could care less about people.
Is that why he’s trying to protect small mom & pop reataurants and their staff? Lizzy, you’re a fool.
Two question quiz, yes or no answers only:
1) Test your knowledge of capitalism and human nature: If the state had allowed bars to remain open, do you think bars would have remained open?
2) Test your knowledge of epidemiology and basic math: If the state had allowed bars to remain open, do you think bars should have remained open?
Extra credit: Do you think that mom & pop restaurants (or their employees) deserve socialist protections if they pay employees to staff their restaurants, but customers don’t show up?
Nc should be reopened. We are adults and know how to be safe. Cooper has already devastated my town and will do so for many others. He’s being a dictator,not a governor. Please vote him out of office. He does not care about the people in this state unless they are the elite in Charlotte or raleigh.
Cooper’s intention was right, but his implementation was way off target.
Cooper thinks he’s dictator and fuhrer.
Is everyone reading Forest right?He disagreed with Gov Cooper not involving the Council of State.Which is the governing body of the State. Maybe Forest has a point.I say Forest is the brighter bulb in this chandelier.Vote for Forest in Nov and get rid of this socialist we have for gov at this time Run Forest Run.
Cooper is a cultural Marxist (Democrat) trying to destroy our state and the US constitution in any way he can. We need to stand against him. Vote Republican all the way!
Governor Cooper asked for concurrence on the issues in question, but he got concurrence from ONLY two Council members. Then, amazingly, he thanked the Council for their concurrence, which the majority NEVER gave, and issued the order under consideration anyway. Even worse, in citing his statutory authority in one of the orders, he cited statutes that do NOT even relate to his authority, but rather to the authority of individual municipalities, but he claimed municipal authority based on municipal statutes to dictate state orders that he did not get majority Council concurrence on, but, again, issued the orders anyway.
Just wow !