NC GOP Overrides Gov's Veto While Dems Away Honoring 9/11

North Carolina state House Republicans on Wednesday voted to override Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of the General Assembly's proposed budget while their Democratic colleagues went to an event commemorating the 18th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, a move Cooper labeled as deceptive.

"Today, on the 18th anniversary of 9/11, while the state was honoring first responders, Republicans called a deceptive surprise override of my budget veto," Cooper said. "Unfortunately, it's the people of North Carolina who lose."

Roughly 12 Democrats were present and only nine voted, according to The Charlotte Observer.

At issue was that Democrats were under the impression that there would not be any votes Wednesday morning, so most went ahead with plans to attend the memorial ceremony. The Observer reported that House Democratic leader Darren Jackson said he was informed by a Republican colleague that no votes were on the morning calendar.

That Republican, Rep. David Lewis, denied relaying that message. He admitted, however, to telling a news reporter that he did not believe any voting would take place.

"At any time that there has been a no-vote session scheduled, the chair has either announced that from the dais, or has sent an email, or both," Lewis said at a press conference. "None of those occurred yesterday."

Democratic Rep. Deb Butler led a protest by her party on the chamber floor and said she was threatened with arrest.

"This is a travesty of the process and you know it," Butler said, the Observer reported. "We will not yield."

"How dare you, Mr. Speaker?" she continued, calling it a "hijacking of the process."

"The trickery that is being evidenced by this morning is tantamount to a criminal offense."

"As a former firefighter and an American, I am appalled that anyone in our country would stop going about their normal business on this day. When we stop being a beacon of freedom, hope and democracy, then the terrorists win," GOP Rep. Jason Saine told ABC 11.

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