A war of words between Gov. Pat McCrory and Attorney General Roy Cooper is heating up over the lawsuit over voter laws. The two disagree on how to respond to Monday’s lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice to block the state’s tough new voter laws. Cooper calls the governor’s decision to hire an outside attorney to defend the state a waste of money. He told reporters Tuesday that he may not personally agree with the new voter laws, but his office is more than capable of defending them. “There are laws that I have disagreed with personally that our staff have defended successfully,” said Cooper. McCrory will not allow the attorney general’s office alone to defend the state against the federal lawsuit to block North Carolina’s new Republican-backed voting laws.
“These lawsuits are incredibly important to the people of North Carolina,” said McCrory’s Chief Legal Counsel Bob Stephens. “We’re going to win.”
In a news conference, Stephens defended the governor’s decision to hire an outside attorney — prominent GOP attorney Butch Bowers — to help lead the case.
“It’s $360 an hour,” said Stephens. It’s a taxpayer expense that Cooper calls a waste.
“Unfortunately, I think it just ends up costing more money,” said Cooper. “We have a very professional staff of very experienced people.”
Full Article: Cooper, McCrory disagree about defending lawsuit over voter ID | abc11.com.