Politics

January 8, 2013 - Federal lawmakers trumpeted last week's passage of the Drywall Safety Act of 2012. But thanks to the efforts of U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) on behalf of the industry lobby, the bill doesn't actually set enforceable standards to prevent contaminated drywall from ending up in people's homes.

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."

January 3, 2013 - One of the biggest decisions facing North Carolina's new legislature and governor is whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to cover more than 500,000 low-income people. Much of the opposition to expansion is more about ideology than anything else, a visceral reaction to a law that has been mischaracterized since it was proposed.

January 2, 2013 - Speaking today at the N.C. Bankers Association's 2013 Economic Forecast Forum, incoming Republican Gov. Pat McCrory said he would waste no time in joining with Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia to begin negotiating with the federal government to drill offshore for gas and oil.

January 2, 2013 - A little-noticed loophole in the fiscal cliff bill gives NASCAR a multimillion-dollar tax break. Do they need it?

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.