In spite of the financial and political perils North Carolina has faced since Gov. Pat McCrory signed anti-LGBT HB 2 into law this past spring, the state government has decided to go ahead with plans to defend the bill using money from the state’s disaster relief fund.

Chip Somodevilla

The diversion of funds occurred after Gov. McCrory passively allowed a bill re-allocating state money to become law this past Saturday.

Though the measure was decried by House Democrats, Republicans had a large enough majority to pass the initiative using a political loophole that turned the bill into law without needing McCrory’s signature.

Along with a dozen other budget provisions, the bill diverted $500,000 from the relief fund into a reserve that the governor alone will be able to control. He plans to use it to combat the immense amount of litigation facing the state.

Takaaki Iwabu

Traditionally, funds for such a defense would come from the Attorney General’s office, but current Attorney General Roy Cooper has publicly said that he will not defend the constitutionality of HB 2.

“Even legislative Republicans recognize that the consequences of HB2 have been a disaster,” said Cooper’s campaign spokesman, Ford Porter. “Unfortunately, Gov. McCrory is more interested in finding new and creative ways to point fingers than in fixing the problem.”

h/t: Pink News