January 10, 2017 - 2:53 PM
RALEIGH, N.C. - The Latest on litigation in North Carolina over Republican redistricting maps and the powers of the new Democratic governor (all times local):
6:30 p.m.
North Carolina's new Democratic governor is expanding his lawsuit against Republican legislative leaders who pushed through laws just before he got sworn in that reduce the longstanding powers of his office.
Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday broadened litigation he previously filed in state court seeking to block a law that takes the authority to oversee elections away from the governor and giving it to the legislature. Now Cooper is seeking to stop laws requiring his Cabinet to be subject to confirmation by the state Senate and forcing him to retain hundreds of former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory's political appointees in state jobs.
The lawsuit also challenges how the wife of McCrory's aide got appointed to a state commission for close to nine years.
Cooper already persuaded a court last week to halt enforcement of the election provisions for now.
The laws were passed last month, barely a week after McCrory conceded to Cooper in their close race.
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4 p.m.
The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court ruling ordering North Carolina legislators to redraw state legislative districts and hold special elections within the altered districts this fall.
Tuesday's court order granted the request of North Carolina Republican legislative leaders to delay the ruling by a three-judge panel. The lower court last summer threw out 28 state House and Senate districts as racial gerrymanders.
The Supreme Court says its order will stay in place at least until the court decides whether to hear the appeal. If the justices take up the case, the stay will remain in effect pending a decision.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017