VOLUME 7 ISSUE 21
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WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2022
John E. Skvarla, III passed away in Pinehurst on Tuesday, July 19. A highly successful lawyer and business executive, Skvarla led two cabinet agencies after his lengthy private sector career. As North Carolina’s environmental secretary, he brought his expertise in management and love for the environment to reform his agency and protect North Carolina’s natural resources. He also served as Secretary of Commerce and was a champion for jobs and improving the state’s business climate. Following his state government service, Skvarla was an attorney with Nexsen Pruet where he focused on economic development and corporate law. He is survived by his wife, Liz, two children, and three grandchildren.
NCCash Match program sees record claims, payouts Raleigh The Unclaimed Property Division of the Department of State Treasurer announced that it had paid a record 178,857 claims totaling more than $105 million during the 2022 fiscal year. According to a press release from DST, in 2021, the division paid out 125,134 claims valued at $70,447,815. Compared with 2022’s claims and payouts, it’s a 43% increase in the number of claims paid and a 50% increase in the dollar amount. The NCCCash Match program began in October 2020 to research records and identify qualifying claims of $250 or less. “We’re in the check delivery business, so the more money we can get into the hands of North Carolinians the better,” said N.C. treasurer Dale Folwell.
NSJ FILE PHOTO
A.P. DILLON
Lindberg out of prison after convictions overturned Raleigh A North Carolina-based insurance magnate whose convictions on corruptionrelated counts were overturned by a federal appeals court has been released from prison. Greg E. Lindberg was let out of a minimum-security prison in Montgomery, Alabama, on Friday, according to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons website. That was the day after U.S. District Judge Max Cogburn agreed to Lindberg’s release in light of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacating his convictions and ordering a new trial. Lindberg was sentenced to more than seven years after being convicted of attempting to bribe North Carolina’s insurance commissioner on matters relating to his businesses. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Judge sets October trial for Musk-Twitter takeover dispute Wilmington, Del. Elon Musk has lost a fight to delay Twitter’s lawsuit against him as a Delaware judge on Tuesday set an October trial, citing the “cloud of uncertainty” over the social media company after the billionaire backed out of a deal to buy it. “Delay threatens irreparable harm,” said Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick, the head judge of Delaware’s Court of Chancery, which handles many highprofile business disputes. “The longer the delay, the greater the risk.” Twitter had asked for an expedited trial in September, while Musk’s team called for waiting until early next year because of the complexity of the case. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Putin heads to Tehran for talks with leaders of Iran, Turkey Tehran, Iran Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Iran Tuesday is intended to deepen ties with regional heavyweights as part of Moscow’s challenge to the United States and Europe amid its grinding campaign in Ukraine. Putin is seeking to bolster ties with Tehran, a fellow target of severe U.S. sanctions and a potential military and trade partner. In recent weeks, Russian officials visited an airfield in central Iran to review Tehran’s weaponscapable drones for possible use in Ukraine, the White House has alleged. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Cooper signals ending his COVID statewide emergency order at 888-day mark By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
Rulings direct alteration of birth certificates and health plan to pay for transition surgeries of information that would directly or indirectly disclose an individual’s transgender status on the face RALEIGH — A pair of consent of the birth certificate.” “I’m pleased to see this day haprulings issued by an Obama-appointed federal judge direct the pening, that the State of North state’s Vital Statistics Program to Carolina now must recognize us alter birth certificates to match for who we are. It was outrageous what sex a transgender person and dehumanizing that I was deidentifies as and another orders the nied a birth certificate just because N.C. State Health Plan to pay for I didn’t have surgery,” said transgender plaintiff Lilith transgender transition Campos in a news resurgeries. lease. “We should all In both cases, plainagree that everyone tiffs were represented deserves accurate and by Lambda Legal, the “We’re accessible identity docsame firm which sued disappointed uments that allow us to North Carolina over go through life and run House Bill 2, the re- the court errands with safety, sponse by lawmakers decided to stop dignity and respect.” to a Charlotte ordi- the case from As a result of the nance that would have order, a person can allowed men to enter being heard by change their sex on a women’s bathrooms, a jury of North North Carolina birth locker rooms and other certificate simply by private spaces. House Carolinians.” submitting a sworn Bill 2 was given the statement along with name the “bathroom State Treasurer either a valid state-isbill” by Democrats and Dale Folwell sued identification, LGBT activists. U.S. Passport, or cerIn the consent judgtification confirming ment in the case of Campos v. Cohen, Loretta C. Biggs an individual’s “gender identity” isof the United States District Court sued by a licensed health care proMiddle District of North Carolina fessional or social worker. Being able to change one’s sex Judge ordered entities within the state of North Carolina to change or on a birth certificate will impact reissue birth certificates based on a everything from driver’s licenses person’s perceived gender identity to enrolling in public school and without requiring any proof of “sex medical records to insurance of all types. reassignment surgery.” When Campos was filed, ManA judge’s consent order or agreement is essentially a ruling based dy Cohen was secretary of the on a settlement agreement by both N.C. Department of Health and parties in the case with the goal of Human Services (NCDHHS). Due ceasing current litigation in favor to her departure, her successor, Kody Kinsley, was later named as of a judgement being issued. Biggs’ order in Campos states all a defendant. Under Kinsley, who defendants in the case are “ per- is the first openly gay member of a manently enjoined to provide cer- cabinet agency in North Carolina, tified copies of birth certificates NCDHHS agreed to Biggs’ consent to transgender individuals that judgment. The second ruling in the case of accurately reflect their sex, consistent with their gender identity, Kadel v. Folwell was also issued by without requiring the individual to Biggs. “Defendants are PERMAprovide proof of “sex reassignment surgery,” unless the individual ex- NENTLY ENJOINED from enpresses “sex reassignment surgery” forcing the Plan’s exclusion and are as the reason for seeking the correction, and without the inclusion See HEALTH, page A8 By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
RALEIGH — In a press release on the signing and vetoing of the bills remaining on his desk on July 11, North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper included a brief reference alluding to the end of his ongoing statewide COVID state of emergency order on Aug.
15. “I’m glad it’s finally coming to an end and there are now safeguards in place to prevent a governor from having unlimited and unchecked emergency executive authority going forward,” Majority Leader John Bell (R-Wayne) told North State Journal in an See COVID, page A2
Beasley leads fundraising, but Budd holds US Senate advantage By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cheri Beasley raised more money through the first half of 2022 than Republican Ted Budd, but in most campaign metrics, the three-term U.S. representative holds the advantage in the closely watched contest. Through June 30, Beasley raised $16 million for her campaign and Budd has raised $6.5 million. Beasley’s campaign also holds a cash on hand advantage, with $4.8 million to Budd’s $1.8 million. Beasley’s campaign was bullish about their efforts, with spokeswoman Dory MacMillan crowing about the advantage on Twitter, writing on July 18 “it’s Monday afternoon but its already been a bad week for Ted Budd.” But the importance of a candidate’s personal fundraising means much less when outside groups account for hundreds of millions campaign spending. Already this year, the Senate Leadership Fund has reserved $27.6 million in advertising beginning Sept. 6 and the National Republican Senatorial Committee has committed $6.5 million. The NRSC has been running ads hammering Beasley’s judicial record since the May 17 primary. “This is such a strong year that we need to invest as broadly and deeply as we can,” Steven Law, the Senate Leadership Fund’s president, said in an interview with Politico in April. “In the Senate, majority control is everything. It determines what happens on the floor and what doesn’t happen. It will have an impact on future Supreme Court nominations. I mean, there’s so much at stake.” Budd quipped in a statement that “With her huge cash advantage, maybe Cheri Beasley can afford enough gas to finally visit voters in all 100 counties in North
Carolina instead of ignoring them like she did the during her three previous statewide campaigns.” Senate Democrats’ preferred super PAC, Senate Majority Fund, placed a modest buy for Beasley after leaving her off their initial advertising commitments. History shows that outside groups’ efforts can swamp those by the campaigns themselves. In 2020, Bloomberg reported that the contest between Republican Sen. Thom Tillis and Democrat Cal Cunningham was “the most expensive congressioSee SENATE, page A2