Is Pat McCrory Feeling the Heat?

Tuesday evening Governor Pat McCrory posted a five-minute video denouncing what he calls “a vicious, nation-wide smear campaign” targetingÂ North Carolina. McCrory, who is running for re-election, uses his office as a political tool against his DemocraticÂ opponent, Attorney General Roy Cooper, who has announced he believes McCrory’s anti-LGBT law is unconstitutional, and thus will not defend it in court.

Before the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, then-Attorney General Eric Holder explicitly stated that state Attorneys General are not obligated to defend laws they believe are unconstitutional. HB2 has unconstitutional written all over it.

In his video, McCrory begins by saying, “the people of North Carolina love each other and they respect their differences,” and “the people of North Carolina put aside their disagreements and come together to accommodate and work out solutions, while still respecting each otherâ€™s beliefs and values.”

He then goes on to attack Attorney General Cooper, and “other politicians, from the White House to mayors and city council members,” who he claims “have initiated and promoted conflict to advance their political agenda.”

â€œThis is not about demonizing one group of people,” McCrory then claims, after signing an amicus brief against a transgender child. “Letâ€™s put aside our differences, the political rhetoric and yes, hypocrisy, and work on solutions that will make this bill better in the future. I am open to new ideas and solutions.”

The hypocrisy is palpable.

Watch:

Some responses via Twitter:

Direct admission that only reason he signed bill was to stop trans people in Charlotte from using restroom. Thanks!https://t.co/W4s10nUENA â€” Joshua Block (@JoshACLU) March 29, 2016

In which @PatMcCroryNC calls North Carolina “a state of openness and diversity” while defending an anti-trans law:https://t.co/ctCz12Q7KI â€” Samantha Allen (@SLAwrites) March 29, 2016

NC governor releases video arguing the only way to respect difference is through discriminatory legislation. https://t.co/9QeKfbX2QM â€” TC (@tchop__StL) March 29, 2016

If this is a “complex issue” maybe shouldn’t have kept text secret and passed/signed in 13 hrs w/out usual vetting.https://t.co/W4s10nUENA â€” Joshua Block (@JoshACLU) March 29, 2016