— When Gov. Roy Cooper wrote Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos last October in an attempt to woo the company's giant new second headquarters, the governor passed off some of North Carolina's politics as the backward uncle at every family barbecue.

"Finally, I want to tell you that North Carolina is a welcoming state," Cooper wrote Bezos, building toward an apparent reference to North Carolina's infamous House Bill 2, which restricted transgender access to public bathrooms.

"Like every family with an embarrassing uncle or two, we have a few politicians who want it to be 1957 instead 2017 [sic]," Cooper wrote. "But here in North Carolina, you'll find authentic people who respect others, who love our families, people who work hard and are loyal to the state in which we live."

Cooper's letter, dated Oct. 5, 2017, runs two pages and has just the one reference to nutty uncles. Much of the rest is spent praising North Carolina's commitment to education, its "reputation for cool," its business climate and its diversity. The governor talks beaches, music festivals, microbrews and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The letter was included in a 504-page document dump from Catawba County, one of several local governments from which WRAL News has requested records tied to state and local pitches for Amazon's second headquarters. The Triangle Business Journal was the first to report on it.

The records also included a letter co-signed by House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, who listed no fewer than 11 favorable national business rankings for the state.

"Through our legislative efforts, we are constantly working to make North Carolina the most attractive state in America in which to do business," the pair wrote.

They also mentioned a new program the General Assembly and the governor united on last year meant to boost incentives for massive economic development projects. Let us know if you want that tweaked, the two legislative leaders wrote.

"We would be open to discussions about further modifications to accommodate a project of your scope and size," they wrote.