VOLUME 11 ISSUE 9 | THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2026
NSJONLINE.COM
MATT RAMEY / AP PHOTO
North Carolina Democratic Senate candidate Roy Cooper, pictured in Raleigh in March, raised $13.8 million in campaign funds last quarter.
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Cooper holds big fundraising edge
BRIEF this week
The former governor brought in nearly three times more than Michael Whatley last quarter in their U.S. Senate race
Krzyzewski’s grandson charged with misdemeanor DWI in teen’s death Durham A grandson of retired Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has been charged with misdemeanor driving while impaired in connection with a collision that killed a 15-year-old bicyclist. Joseph Savarino, 26, admitted to drinking before the incident Saturday night, and a Breathalyzer test measured his blood-alcohol concentration at 0.11%, according to Durham County court records. The legal limit is 0.08%. Savarino’s vehicle struck the boy, who was riding his bike in northwest Durham, police said. Savarino made his first court appearance Monday, and a judge revoked his driver’s license before releasing him on a $100,000 secured bond.
Trump picks Duke grad to lead economic council Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump on Tuesday nominated Duke graduate and University of Minnesota economist Christopher Phelan to be the next chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, a key position for conducting analyses of the economy and the administration’s policies. If confirmed by the Senate, Phelan — who has bachelor’s degrees in economics and computer science from Duke — would succeed Stephen Miran, a Harvard University-trained economist who worked at investment funds and joined the Federal Reserve Board of Governors last September. The council’s vice chairman, Pierre Yared, had served as acting leader after Trump shifted Miran to the Fed.
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By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
Lawmakers probe Medicaid fraud in NC Attorney General Jeff Jackson and NCDHHS Secretary Devdutta Sangvai answered queries during the hearing By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform questioned North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Devdutta Sangvai about Medicaid waste, abuse and fraud during a hearing held last Thursday. The hearing lasted three hours and focused on Medicaid fraud and abuse detection. Rep. Grant Campbell (R-Cabarrus), a physician, chaired and opened the meeting by highlighting the program’s unsustainable enrollment growth and the state being “dead last” nationally in eligibility verification; less than 1% of renewals required income verification. See MEDICAID, page A2
RALEIGH — First-quarter fundraising totals in the North Carolina U.S. Senate race show former Gov. Roy Cooper bringing in nearly triple the money raised by Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley. Cooper’s campaign raised over $13.8 million in the first quarter to Whatley’s $5 million. More than 95% of Cooper’s haul were donations of $100 or less and spanned all 100 counties in the state. Since entering the race, Cooper has raised at least $36 million through his main campaign committee and joint/ victory fundraising committees. That’s more than double Whatley’s total fundraising for the race, which is approximately $16 million. For cash on hand heading into the second quarter, Cooper has $18.5 million
Media outlets sue over withheld UNC-CH report The university has refused to release the 400-page, $1.2 million independent investigation report of its School of Civic Life and Leadership By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A group of North Carolina media outlets is suing over a report being withheld by UNC Chapel Hill involving its School of Civic Life and Leadership. The lawsuit concerns a 400-page, $1.2 million independent investigation report prepared in early 2026 by the law firm K&L Gates that
was produced with assistance from UNC law professor Michael Gerhardt. The report, paid for using public funds, is the result of an investigation into allegations surrounding the university’s School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL), its founding and its leadership by Dean Jed Atkins, including hiring, governance and related policies. UNC Chapel Hill received the results of an independent review of SCiLL last month but refused to release it for confidentiality reasons involving personnel matters, attorney-client privilege and protection of interviewees. “The review has concluded, See LAWSUIT, page A3
“The failure ... to provide access to or copies of public records ‘as promptly as possible’ upon request pursuant to (state law) is tantamount to denial.” Lawsuit filed against UNC Chapel Hill
and Whatley has more than $2.5 million. The Cook Political Report updated the status of the North Carolina Senate race from a “toss-up” to “Lean D” just a day ahead of the first-quarter fundraising announcements. “Roy Cooper is running because stuff just costs too much, and Big Oil lobbyists and DC insiders like Michael Whatley are the problem,” Cooper for North Carolina Campaign Manager Jeff Allen said in a news release. “North Carolinians know Roy will put them — not special interests or the well-connected — first in the U.S. Senate,” Allen said. “This fundraising reflects the campaign’s growing momentum and as the most competitive race in the country, our team will work to earn every vote and make sure North Carolina has a senator who will fight for them.” Whatley Communications Director DJ Griffin, in a statement on the campaign’s first-quarter totals, said, “Today’s announcement demonstrates that Michael Whatley has the backing of North CarSee SENATE, page A3