Republicans at General Assembly set aside $8M for litigation

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina Republican lawmakers have set aside millions of dollars to keep defending laws they’ve passed.

The GOP-led General Assembly passed a state budget this fall giving it $8 million through mid-2017 to pay for current and pending litigation costs. The direct appropriation marks a new phase in Republican efforts to preserve approved legislation with help from outside lawyers.

The legislature has hired outside counsel to defend challenges to an elections overhaul law; North Carolina’s “Choose Life” license plate; and taxpayer-funded scholarships for children to attend private schools.

Republicans say they have reservations about whether Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper’s office will robustly defend the laws. Cooper spokeswoman Noelle Talley says the outside legal costs waste taxpayer dollars since state attorneys already do similar work.

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