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| North Carolina sues federal government over LGBT 'bathroom bill' warnings | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| North Carolina filed a lawsuit on Monday against the federal government over state’s new law that limits protections for LGBT people. | |
| In the lawsuit, the state alleges that the government has made a “radical reinterpretation” of civil rights laws, and that the justice department is attempting “a baseless and blatant overreach” of its authority. | |
| “This is an attempt to unilaterally rewrite long-established federal civil rights laws,” the state wrote in its complaint. | |
| North Carolina’s governor, Pat McCrory, faced a deadline on Monday to declare whether the would enforce the law, which the justice department had threatened to sue over. The state’s suit seeks to keep the law in place. | |
| McCrory and other state officials have been under pressure since the justice department warned last week that the law passed in March violates civil rights protections against sex discrimination on the job and in education for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. | McCrory and other state officials have been under pressure since the justice department warned last week that the law passed in March violates civil rights protections against sex discrimination on the job and in education for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. |
| North Carolina’s defiance could risk funding for the state’s university system and lead to a protracted legal battle. | North Carolina’s defiance could risk funding for the state’s university system and lead to a protracted legal battle. |
| Related: How to use a urinal like a lady: a trans woman's rebel tour of North Carolina | Related: How to use a urinal like a lady: a trans woman's rebel tour of North Carolina |
| In letters, federal attorneys concentrated on provisions requiring transgender people to use public restrooms that correspond to their biological sex. A federal lawsuit against the state is possible, the justice department said. | In letters, federal attorneys concentrated on provisions requiring transgender people to use public restrooms that correspond to their biological sex. A federal lawsuit against the state is possible, the justice department said. |
| “It’s the federal government being a bully. It’s making law,” McCrory said on Fox News Sunday. The Justice Department is “trying to define gender identity, and there is no clear identification or definition of gender identity”. Earlier this week McCrory said “I’m looking at all my options” on how the state could respond. | |
| McCrory has called the law a common-sense measure. He said it’s designed to protect the privacy of people who use bathrooms and locker rooms and to expect all people inside the facilities to be of the same gender. McCrory said Sunday he was not aware of any North Carolina cases of transgender people using their gender identity to access a restroom and molest someone, a fear frequently cited by the law’s supporters as the main reason for its passage. | McCrory has called the law a common-sense measure. He said it’s designed to protect the privacy of people who use bathrooms and locker rooms and to expect all people inside the facilities to be of the same gender. McCrory said Sunday he was not aware of any North Carolina cases of transgender people using their gender identity to access a restroom and molest someone, a fear frequently cited by the law’s supporters as the main reason for its passage. |
| While McCrory agreed that the justice department could warn of consequences if North Carolina established separate bathrooms for white and black people, the governor said the agency goes too far in contending that transgender people enjoy similar civil rights protections. | While McCrory agreed that the justice department could warn of consequences if North Carolina established separate bathrooms for white and black people, the governor said the agency goes too far in contending that transgender people enjoy similar civil rights protections. |
| “We can definitely define the race of people. It’s very hard to define transgender or gender identity,” he said. He added that he had made a request for more time to respond to the justice department but that was denied. | “We can definitely define the race of people. It’s very hard to define transgender or gender identity,” he said. He added that he had made a request for more time to respond to the justice department but that was denied. |
| The governor has become the public face of the law, called House Bill 2, which has been the subject of fierce criticism by gay rights groups, corporate executives and entertainers demanding that the law be repealed. North Carolina has already paid a price for the law, with some business scaling back investments in the state and associations cancelling conventions. | The governor has become the public face of the law, called House Bill 2, which has been the subject of fierce criticism by gay rights groups, corporate executives and entertainers demanding that the law be repealed. North Carolina has already paid a price for the law, with some business scaling back investments in the state and associations cancelling conventions. |
| The 17-campus UNC system risks losing more than $1.4bn in federal funds if they don’t comply. Another $800m in federally backed loans for students who attend the public universities also would be at risk if it’s found that enforcing the law violates Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex. | The 17-campus UNC system risks losing more than $1.4bn in federal funds if they don’t comply. Another $800m in federally backed loans for students who attend the public universities also would be at risk if it’s found that enforcing the law violates Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination based on sex. |
| Related: NAACP to appeal North Carolina judge's ruling on 'discriminatory' voting law | Related: NAACP to appeal North Carolina judge's ruling on 'discriminatory' voting law |
| The letter to McCrory said the law also violates Title VII, which bars employment discrimination. | The letter to McCrory said the law also violates Title VII, which bars employment discrimination. |
| Repealing the law also would satisfy the attorneys, but Republican lawmakers who run the General Assembly had no plans before to do so Monday. | |
| Senate leader Phil Berger of Eden said last week that he’s frustrated because “we have a federal administration that is so determined to push a radical social agenda that they would threaten” federal funding. “I just think the people should be frustrated and people should be angry.” | Senate leader Phil Berger of Eden said last week that he’s frustrated because “we have a federal administration that is so determined to push a radical social agenda that they would threaten” federal funding. “I just think the people should be frustrated and people should be angry.” |
| Margaret Spellings, the president of the University of North Carolina, has said that while the university system is obligated to follow the law, it did not endorse the law. Spellings said later she hoped legislators would change the law, which could discourage promising faculty and students from coming to system campuses. McCrory said the system’s governing board wouldn’t get together until Tuesday to discuss the issue. | Margaret Spellings, the president of the University of North Carolina, has said that while the university system is obligated to follow the law, it did not endorse the law. Spellings said later she hoped legislators would change the law, which could discourage promising faculty and students from coming to system campuses. McCrory said the system’s governing board wouldn’t get together until Tuesday to discuss the issue. |
| Civil liberties groups and several individuals already have sued to challenge the law, which also prevents local governments from passing rules giving protections to LGBT people while using public accommodations such as restaurants and stores. The state law was designed to block an ordinance by the city council in Charlotte, where lawmakers tried to enact anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. | Civil liberties groups and several individuals already have sued to challenge the law, which also prevents local governments from passing rules giving protections to LGBT people while using public accommodations such as restaurants and stores. The state law was designed to block an ordinance by the city council in Charlotte, where lawmakers tried to enact anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people. |