HRC President Chad Griffin and Equality North Carolina Executive Director Chris Sgro released the following statements after news broke that North Carolina lost out on 730 jobs because Pat McCrory has refused to support the full repeal of HB2.
“With each passing day that Governor McCrory’s discriminatory HB2 remains law the people of North Carolina continue to pay the price,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “North Carolina and its people are suffering under HB2, and yet Governor McCrory and his allies continue to defend the indefensible. Governor McCrory has proven he is unfit to lead this great state, and the majority of fair-minded North Carolinians will finally have a chance to make their voices heard on Election Day.”
“What a travesty — our state has lost 730 more jobs because of Governor McCrory’s bad bill,” said Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro. “HB2 puts LGBT people at risk for discrimination and violence and it’s hurting all North Carolinians every day. Where are Pat McCrory’s priorities? 200 days after he signed this bill, he still refuses to step up and fix the mess he made of our state. Shame on him for putting his politics above our economy.”
BACKGROUND:
Pat McCrory has refused to fully repeal HB2, despite massive economic fallout as companies concerned with protecting their consumers and employees have moved conventions, trainings, operations and productions out of state. Since Gov. McCrory and state lawmakers rammed HB2 into law, the outcry has continued to grow:
- The NBA announced it was moving the 2017 All-Star Game because of the failure of the General Assembly to repeal HB2, costing North Carolina an estimated $100 million in All-Star Game related profits.
- The NCAA, the ACC and the CIAA also announced they would stand up for the safety of their employees, players, and fans by moving championship games out of North Carolina due to the state’s refusal to repeal its anti-LGBTQ HB2 law.
- More than 200 major CEOs and business leaders signed an open letter calling for full repeal of HB2 – including many of North Carolina’s largest employers. More than 50 investment managers with more than $2.1 trillion in investments signed a similar letter.
- Major film studios and corporations, from PayPal to Deutsche Bank, have stopped investments in the state because of the new law’s threat to employees and consumers. Conventions have withdrawn from the state, taking substantial revenue with them. Prior to the NBA and NCAA decisions, the Tar Heel State had already taken a hit of at least $329.9 million in lost business, and in taxpayer money used to defend the measure – including funding Gov. Pat McCrory’s road trips to explain why he signed discrimination into law.
- Artists including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Dead & Company and Cyndi Lauper have spoken out.
- In May, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit in federal court, stating that HB2’s state-mandated discrimination against transgender people, including government workers and students, violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Violence Against Women Act of 2011.
- Joined by 68 major companies, HRC filed an amicus brief in support of DOJ’s effort to block some of the most egregious and discriminatory components of HB2.
- Duke University men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski called the bill “embarrassing” and North Carolina State University men’s basketball coach Mark Gottfried said it “appalled” and “embarrassed” him.
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