The GOP and the religious right; Blood tests for PFAS; Raleigh’s mass shooting; an NC case heads to the Supreme Court: The week’s top stories on NC Policy Watch

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The GOP and the religious right; Blood tests for PFAS; Raleigh’s mass shooting; an NC case heads to the Supreme Court: The week’s top stories on NC Policy Watch<img class=”size-medium wp-image-144267″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Mark-Robinson-ARP-300×246.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”246″ /> Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaking at a recent North Carolina Renewal Project event – Photo: Joe Killian <br /> <br /> <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T7e809f7d-83c5-4dc6-a03f-3786bbc47c29/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>1. PW special report: Religious conservatives showcase close bond with NC Republican leaders</strong></a> <br /> <br /> <strong>Recent church-based events test IRS rules, court allegations of Christian nationalism  </strong> <br /> <br /> Gary Miller has a little story he likes to tell about religion and politics. <br /> <br /> While serving as pastor at a church years ago, he was frustrated by how long it took to get a building permit. So he ran for city council — and lost by one vote. <br /> <br /> “I came back to my people Sunday morning,” Miller told a crowd earlier this month at Cross Assembly church in Raleigh. “And I said, ‘I’d like for everyone who voted for me to please stand’. And those that remained seated, I handed out voter registration cards.” <br /> <br /> “I’m not pastor of that church anymore,” he said. “I wouldn’t suggest that you do that.” <br /> <br /> The crowd of about 100 at Cross Assembly erupted in laughter. [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T00e6bf6b-d74f-4efb-89dd-202f80b775e9/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><em>Read more…</em></a>] <br /> <br /> <strong>**BONUS READ: </strong><a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T7dafd10d-bf23-4943-ab9c-b26595701be4/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a”>Lt. Governor rips Potato Heads, “egghead” Christian leaders, transgender people in church speeches</a> <br /> <br /> <img class=”alignleft size-medium wp-image-144293″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/PFAS-tests-300×225.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”225″ /><a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T42c475ae-4258-455a-b53d-9e7b20ff9f07/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>2. PFAS found in blood samples of more than 1,000 people in Cape Fear River Basin</strong></a> <br /> <br /> For more than a year, Laura Petersen has waited for the message to arrive. <br /> <br /> “I’m so nervous to open that letter,” she said at a meeting this week co-hosted by scientists from the GenX Exposure Study and members of the Haw River Assembly. <br /> <br /> Petersen and her family have lived in Pittsboro for 12 years. Every day for those 12 years they drank water from their tap, unaware it contained high levels of toxic PFAS, or per- and polyfluorinated compounds. <br /> <br /> Peterson, her husband and their daughter are among 206 Pittsboro residents who consented to have their blood tested for PFAS. Another 800 residents in the Lower Cape Fear River Basin also provided researchers with blood samples. <br /> <br /> All the study participants should receive their results within the next week. [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/Tf9e113b4-503b-4902-93fc-a5db14d5263f/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><em>Read more…</em></a>] <br /> <br /> <img class=”wp-image-144294 size-medium” src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Mayor-Baldwin-300×225.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”225″ /> Raleigh Mayor Mary Ann Baldwin addresses a mass shooting that killed five people. <br /> <br /> <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T9bf23c7c-ff43-4744-a66d-1f51145ef195/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-auth=”NotApplicable” data-linkindex=”0″ data-safelink=”true”><strong><span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>3. One question no one needs to ask about the Raleigh mass shooting</span></strong></a> <br /> <br /> Public officials faced numerous <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>question</span>s last week in <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> immediate aftermath of <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> horrific <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>mass</span> <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>shooting</span> in <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>Raleigh</span>: Who was <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> perpetrator? Why did he do it? Exactly where and when did <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> killings take place? <br /> <br /> As we learned soon <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span>reafter, police quickly pieced <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>to</span>gether <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> answers <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>to</span> some of those <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>question</span>s. <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>The</span>y <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>no</span>w believe that a “camo”-clad 15-year-old high school sophomore allegedly killed his 16-year-old brother and murdered four other people who happened <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>to</span> be in <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> wrong place at <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> wrong time in and around <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> suburban Hedingham neighborhood. <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>The</span> <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>shooting</span>s appear <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>to</span> have commenced at around 5 p.m. Thursday afternoon and <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> suspect was “contained” three hours later. <br /> <br /> We’re still waiting for an explanation of motive – though it’s hard <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>to</span> fathom that some sort of profound mental delusion or disturbance wasn’t a major contributor. <br /> <br /> <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>One question that seemed not worth bothering to ask, however, was this: How did it happen? [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T52d57bca-6194-4251-9034-5f50f06e273c/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-auth=”NotApplicable” data-linkindex=”3″ data-safelink=”true”><em>Read more</em></a>…] </span> <br /> <br /> <img class=”size-medium wp-image-144295″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Moore-v.-Harper-300×200.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”200″ /> Photo: Getty Images <br /> <br /> <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T62864de1-f0da-4800-97a3-bdf13811d72a/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>4. U.S. Supreme Court case from North Carolina could unleash profound changes to elections nationwide</strong></a> <br /> <br /> <strong>High court will hear oral arguments in Moore v. Harper on Dec. 7</strong> <br /> <br /> A U.S. Supreme Court case originating in North Carolina could bring far-reaching changes to elections and the balance of political power in nearly every state. <br /> <br /> North Carolina Republicans want the nation’s highest court to rule that state courts cannot throw out congressional districts that legislatures draw, arguing that the U.S. Constitution’s Elections Clause makes legislatures the sole state authority over federal elections. <br /> <br /> The Constitution grants “the state ‘Legislature’ primacy in setting rules for federal elections, subject to check only by Congress,” lawyers for state Republicans wrote in brief filed with the high court. <br /> <br /> The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Moore v. Harper on Dec. 7, but a ruling may not be forthcoming until the spring of 2023. [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/Tac22a944-3340-40eb-a74e-8d3b3f1e0fa0/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><em>Read more…</em></a>] <br /> <br /> <img class=”alignleft size-medium wp-image-144296″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Inman-and-Dietz-300×206.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”206″ /><a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T008457f2-54b2-4492-83d9-03cb5676c98f/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>5. Policy Watch interviews NC Supreme Court candidates: Part Two</strong></a> <br /> <br /> Two Supreme Court seats are on the ballot this Election Day, offering Republicans the opportunity to flip the state’s highest court. Policy Watch has reached out to each of the four candidates and is publishing their responses from interviews conducted in October. <br /> <br /> <em>[Editor’s note: You can read Part One featuring Sam J. Ervin, IV and Trey Allen <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/Tb9243dcf-e921-476e-9d9b-210178ef5d7f/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a”>here</a>.]</em> <br /> <br /> <strong>Democrat Lucy Inman</strong> and <strong>Republican Richard Dietz</strong> are squaring off in a race to replace Supreme Court Justice Robin Hudson, who is retiring. Both Inman and Dietz are judges on the North Carolina Court of Appeals. <br /> <br /> Inman started her judicial career in Superior Court before moving on to the Court of Appeals. <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T022d815d-873a-40fa-8d57-4a50945de048/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Here is a link to her website.</a> <br /> <br /> Dietz clerked for two federal judges, Judge Emory Widener on the U.S. Court of Appeals and Judge Samuel Wilson on the U.S. District Court in Virginia. He joined the North Carolina Court of Appeals in 2014. <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T4307e6c8-c7db-4d0d-accb-28afd3fb587d/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Here is a link to his website.</a> [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T3799a073-ae15-4c51-a5d3-493c81c33f78/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><em>Read more…</em></a>] <br /> <br /> <img class=”size-medium wp-image-144297″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Abortion-rights-Getty-Images-300×199.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”199″ /> Photo: Getty Images/Laura Rosina <br /> <br /> <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T3e495a5e-8c54-44f6-b141-bee79c50c134/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>6. The reinstatement of NC’s post-20 week abortion ban is harmful to both patients and medical providers</strong></a> <br /> <br /> The overwhelming majority of abortions in this country (more than 90%) occur before the pregnancy has reached 12 weeks, and generally less than 1% occur after 20 weeks. As is the case with all healthcare, however, there are instances in which difficult or unpredictable circumstances can intervene and make accessing an abortion beyond 20 weeks a necessary option for patients to have. <br /> <br /> Pregnant people need abortion care later in pregnancy most often related to two factors. <br /> <br /> First, is when new medical information becomes available about the pregnancy. This can include fetal anomalies that are not compatible with life, or severe health conditions that develop in the pregnant person. [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T66dbda7d-993d-44b9-9324-2aee40f82ed4/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><em>Read more…</em></a>] <br /> <br /> <strong>**BONUS READ: </strong><a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/Taba77b89-56c6-48ad-a7e9-5b181934a3ed/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Analysis: Theory vs. reality. The Dobbs ruling and women’s health</a> <br /> <br /> <img class=”alignleft size-medium wp-image-133615″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Testing-image-300×204.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”204″ /><a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T5d46d580-3de3-44c3-83ec-0ccdbd6ea1c8/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>7. More than half of survey respondents believe growth, proficiency should carry equal weight on A-F school grading system</strong></a> <br /> <br /> Fifty-five percent of the more than 26,000 survey participants responding to questions about North Carolina’s controversial A-F school performance grading system believe a student’s academic growth and performance on standardized tests should carry equal weight when assigning school grades. <br /> <br /> Currently, academic growth from one year to the next accounts for 20% of a school’s grade. Performance on state tests (proficiency) accounts for 80%. <br /> <br /> The online survey was conducted over the last two weeks by EdNC, an education-focused news website. (<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/Tf1e4300d-383e-4834-b8af-349c2ad66f27/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>See the survey results here</a>.) [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T527a2469-c37b-422c-8741-ff8f13da2955/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><em>R</em><em>ead more…</em></a>] <br /> <br /> <img class=”size-medium wp-image-144298″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Voters-in-line-Getty-Images-300×201.jpg” alt=”” width=”300″ height=”201″ /> Photo: Getty Images <br /> <br /> <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/Tca3b5adf-b2c2-4858-b9fa-022d97afbc25/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>8. Prolonged challenges by losing candidates could overshadow November election results</strong></a> <br /> <br /> Joey Gilbert, a Reno-based attorney, lost the GOP primary for Nevada governor by roughly 26,000 votes in June, a margin of around 11 points. But he wasn’t ready to admit defeat. <br /> <br /> Empowered by former President Donald Trump’s false claims of voter fraud after the 2020 election, Gilbert refused to concede. He offered a $25,000 reward to anyone who could provide evidence of fraud, lodged a legal challenge and filed for a recount. <br /> <br /> Gilbert’s efforts were unsuccessful. He couldn’t come up with any legitimate evidence of fraud, instead bringing before the court an amateur mathematician and a “geometric, mathematical analysis” which he claimed proved that the results as announced were a “mathematical impossibility.” Gilbert alleged that voting machines must have switched votes. <br /> <br /> “I don’t understand it, but I think that was the point,” said Nevada election lawyer Bradley Schrager, who is known for representing Democrats. “It was literal mathematical gibberish.” [<a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T91a2f982-2c0f-47fa-bf29-65ce830245fe/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><em>Read more…</em></a>] <br /> <br /> <strong><span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””> <img class=”alignleft wp-image-144300″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Radio-image-LG-300×163.jpg” alt=”” width=”213″ height=”116″ />9. Weekly <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T8d94d5d0-5753-453a-9074-f7c7cd77d601/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-auth=”NotApplicable” data-linkindex=”34″ data-safelink=”true”>Radio Interviews</a> and daily <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T4321f849-e5c9-4e9b-96e8-463a34cedb13/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-auth=”NotApplicable” data-linkindex=”35″ data-safelink=”true”>Radio Commentaries</a>:</span></strong> <br /> <br /> <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/Te2859424-f01b-44e2-9a0f-7dffd41d7f6d/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-auth=”NotApplicable” data-linkindex=”36″ data-safelink=”true”><em>Click here for <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>the</span> latest <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>radio</span> <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>interviews</span> <span data-markjs=”true” data-ogab=”” data-ogac=”” data-ogsb=”” data-ogsc=””>and</span> commentaries with Policy Watch Director Rob Schofield. </em></a> <br /> <br /> &nbsp; <br /> <br /> &nbsp; <br /> <br /> <a href=”https://default.salsalabs.org/T9c422cbe-3244-445c-b3d5-a0e210b5117f/92e99b37-451d-4e6d-b7d0-d86639ace04a” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”><strong>10. Weekly Editorial Cartoon:</strong></a> <br /> <br /> <img class=”alignleft size-full wp-image-144301″ src=”http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/10-17-22-NCPW-cartoon-online.jpg” alt=”” width=”700″ height=”524″ />