Art Pope

January 25, 2013 - North Carolina and Louisiana are among the states considering a plan to eliminate corporate and personal income taxes. But analyses of the plan and other work by its author find serious flaws -- and one of the plan's own financiers is distancing himself from it publicly.

January 17, 2013 - Already the least-unionized state in the nation, North Carolina will become even more hostile to labor if its current political leaders have their way. But despite the anti-union onslaught, public workers scored a key win this week in the state's biggest city.

January 8, 2013 - The parent company of Reynolds Tobacco is a key sponsor of events celebrating North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory's inauguration this weekend, capping an aggressive year of political spending by the tobacco giant.

January 7, 2013 - A judge has ruled that a law passed by the Republican-controlled legislature to punish the N.C. Association of Educators by barring it from collecting dues through payroll deduction represents unconstitutional "retaliatory viewpoint discrimination."

December 21, 2012 - Wealthy Republican donor Art Pope has been building influence and clout for years in North Carolina. Appointed this week to direct the state's budget, he now finds himself with his hands on the levers of power.

December 21, 2012 - The GOP control of the House came despite more votes for Democrats. How did that happen? Republicans used dark money to control redistricting in many states, as the experience of North Carolina illustrates.

November 28, 2012 - Conservative groups whose clout grew in the recent N.C. elections want to repeal a groundbreaking state law requiring utilities to generate a small percentage of energy from renewable sources. Incoming Republican Gov. Pat McCrory has close ties to renewable energy foes -- and to renewable energy proponents. If forced to choose, which side would he be on?