North Carolina Republicans try to strip powers from incoming Democratic governorRALEIGH, N.C. (Reuters) - North Carolina’s Republican-dominated legislature is moving to strip powers from the state’s incoming governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, three weeks before he is to succeed a Republican in the executive mansion. Lawmakers on Thursday began debating a bill to require Senate confirmation for cabinet appointments, reduce by 1,200 the number of state employees the governor can hire and fire at will, and eliminate the governor’s power to pick University of North Carolina trustees. The legislation and related bills came as a surprise, filed late on Wednesday on the heels of a special “lame duck” session of the General Assembly called to consider relief for Hurricane Matthew victims.  Cooper, to be sworn in on Jan. 7 after defeating incumbent Republican Pat McCrory by 10,000 votes last month, said the proposals are aimed at holding him back. “Most people might think that this is a partisan power grab, but it is really more ominous,” Cooper said at a news conference in Raleigh on Thursday. “This is about thwarting the governor’s ability to move us forward on education and healthcare and clean air and water.” Cooper, currently state attorney general, said his office is  reviewing the proposals and will sue if lawmakers approve any measures he believes are unconstitutional. McCrory’s office did not respond to a request for comment on whether he would sign the legislation.  Republican lawmakers called the changes justified by the state’s constitution. Senate confirmation hearings were held earlier in the state’s history, they said. “This bill is a good step forward in reasserting legislative authority vested by the constitution and entrusted to the members of this body,” Representative David Lewis, a Republican and a sponsor of the bill, said during a debate on Thursday. A House of Representatives committee, in an unrecorded voice vote, advanced the bill on Thursday, as about 100 people gathered at the legislature to demonstrate against the proposals. The Senate debated a separate measure that would weaken the governor’s control over the state elections board, changing it from a five-member panel appointed by the governor to an eight-member panel with only half the members appointed by him. Protesters who chanted “You work for us” and other slogans were cleared out of the Senate chamber after legislative leaders said they were disrupting debate on the bill.  North Carolina, the ninth most-populous U.S. state, has been roiled by sharp political divisions. The state voted for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 and then turned to the right, electing McCrory in 2012 and Republican super-majorities in its state legislature. The state became a target of boycotts by companies, musicians and sports leagues after it passed a law this year restricting bathroom access for transgender people in government buildings and public schools. politicsNews
north carolina republicans try strip powers incoming democratic governorraleigh reuters north carolina legislature moving strip powers state incoming governor democrat roy cooper three weeks succeed republican executive mansion lawmakers thursday began debating bill require senate confirmation cabinet appointments reduce number state employees governor hire fire eliminate governor power pick university north carolina trustees the legislation related bills came surprise filed late wednesday heels special lame duck session general assembly called consider relief hurricane matthew victims cooper sworn defeating incumbent republican pat mccrory votes last month said proposals aimed holding back most people might think partisan power grab really ominous cooper said news conference leigh thursday this charting governor ability move us forward education healthcare clean air cooper currently state attorney general said office reviewing proposals sue lawmakers approve measures believes unconstitutional mccrory office respond request comment whether would sign legislation republican lawmakers called changes justified state constitution senate confirmation hearings held earlier state history said this bill good step forward asserting legislative authority vested constitution entrusted members body representative david lewis republican sponsor bill said debate thursday a house representatives committee unrecorded voice vote advanced bill thursday people gathered legislature demonstrate proposals the senate debated separate measure would weaken governor control state elections board changing panel appointed governor panel half members appointed protesters chanted you work us slogans cleared senate chamber legislative leaders said disrupting debate bill north carolina ninth state rolled sharp political divisions the state voted democratic presidential candidate barack obama turned right electing mccrory republican state legislature the state became target boycotts companies musicians sports leagues passed law year restricting bathroom access transgender people government buildings public schools politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: North Carolina Republicans try to strip powers from incoming Democratic governorRALEIGH, N.C. (Reuters) - North Carolina’s Republican-dominated legislature is moving to strip powers from the state’s incoming governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, three weeks before he is to succeed a Republican in the executive mansion. Lawmakers on Thursday began debating a bill to require Senate confirmation for cabinet appointments, reduce by 1,200 the number of state employees the governor can hire and fire at will, and eliminate the governor’s power to pick University of North Carolina trustees. The legislation and related bills came as a surprise, filed late on Wednesday on the heels of a special “lame duck” session of the General Assembly called to consider relief for Hurricane Matthew victims.  Cooper, to be sworn in on Jan. 7 after defeating incumbent Republican Pat McCrory by 10,000 votes last month, said the proposals are aimed at holding him back. “Most people might think that this is a partisan power grab, but it is really more ominous,” Cooper said at a news conference in Raleigh on Thursday. “This is about thwarting the governor’s ability to move us forward on education and healthcare and clean air and water.” Cooper, currently state attorney general, said his office is  reviewing the proposals and will sue if lawmakers approve any measures he believes are unconstitutional. McCrory’s office did not respond to a request for comment on whether he would sign the legislation.  Republican lawmakers called the changes justified by the state’s constitution. Senate confirmation hearings were held earlier in the state’s history, they said. “This bill is a good step forward in reasserting legislative authority vested by the constitution and entrusted to the members of this body,” Representative David Lewis, a Republican and a sponsor of the bill, said during a debate on Thursday. A House of Representatives committee, in an unrecorded voice vote, advanced the bill on Thursday, as about 100 people gathered at the legislature to demonstrate against the proposals. The Senate debated a separate measure that would weaken the governor’s control over the state elections board, changing it from a five-member panel appointed by the governor to an eight-member panel with only half the members appointed by him. Protesters who chanted “You work for us” and other slogans were cleared out of the Senate chamber after legislative leaders said they were disrupting debate on the bill.  North Carolina, the ninth most-populous U.S. state, has been roiled by sharp political divisions. The state voted for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 and then turned to the right, electing McCrory in 2012 and Republican super-majorities in its state legislature. The state became a target of boycotts by companies, musicians and sports leagues after it passed a law this year restricting bathroom access for transgender people in government buildings and public schools. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: north carolina republicans try strip powers incoming democratic governorraleigh reuters north carolina legislature moving strip powers state incoming governor democrat roy cooper three weeks succeed republican executive mansion lawmakers thursday began debating bill require senate confirmation cabinet appointments reduce number state employees governor hire fire eliminate governor power pick university north carolina trustees the legislation related bills came surprise filed late wednesday heels special lame duck session general assembly called consider relief hurricane matthew victims cooper sworn defeating incumbent republican pat mccrory votes last month said proposals aimed holding back most people might think partisan power grab really ominous cooper said news conference leigh thursday this charting governor ability move us forward education healthcare clean air cooper currently state attorney general said office reviewing proposals sue lawmakers approve measures believes unconstitutional mccrory office respond request comment whether would sign legislation republican lawmakers called changes justified state constitution senate confirmation hearings held earlier state history said this bill good step forward asserting legislative authority vested constitution entrusted members body representative david lewis republican sponsor bill said debate thursday a house representatives committee unrecorded voice vote advanced bill thursday people gathered legislature demonstrate proposals the senate debated separate measure would weaken governor control state elections board changing panel appointed governor panel half members appointed protesters chanted you work us slogans cleared senate chamber legislative leaders said disrupting debate bill north carolina ninth state rolled sharp political divisions the state voted democratic presidential candidate barack obama turned right electing mccrory republican state legislature the state became target boycotts companies musicians sports leagues passed law year restricting bathroom access transgender people government buildings public schools politicsnews