Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory released a video Tuesday regarding backlash from businesses and organizations after passing House Bill 2.
The video is filmed in what appears to be McCrory’s office, with family pictures and a fireplace behind him.
“North Carolina has been the target of a vicious, Nationwide smear campaign,” Governor McCrory says. “Disregarding the facts, other politicians from the White House, to mayors, to state capitals, and city council members–even our attorney general have initiated and promoted conflict to advance their political agenda and tear down our state.”
“I am standing right up now to the President of the United States to prevent federal overreach to take over our North Carolina waters, which I think is in violation of the U.S. Constitution,” McCrory said.
McCrory signed the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, on March 23. The General Assembly went into special session that day to push through the legislation.
The law came in response to the city of Charlotte’s nondiscrimination ordinance that, among other things, made it possible for transgender individuals to use public bathrooms of the sex with which they identify.
A federal lawsuit was filed Monday against the North Carolina governor and other state officials over a new law that blocks transgender individuals from using public bathrooms that match their gender identity and stops cities from passing anti-discrimination ordinances to protect gay and transgender people.
Two transgender men, a lesbian, the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina and Equality North Carolina want a judge to declare the state law, House Bill 2, unconstitutional and a violation of federal laws banning sex discrimination.
The NBA released a statement saying that they may not host their 2017 All Star Game in Charlotte.
Equality North Carolina and other groups quickly attacked the legislation, but lawmakers defended it.
“One of the biggest issues was about privacy,” North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore said. “The way the ordinance was written by (the) City Council in Charlotte, it would have allowed a man to go into a bathroom, locker or any changing facility, where women are — even if he was a man. We were concerned. Obviously there is the security risk of a sexual predator, but there is the issue of privacy.”
CNN contributed to this report
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