McCrory Blocks Traffic on All Bridges Going into CD12

Congressman Mel Watt of the 12th District resigned his seat in Congress on January 6 to take his new job as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

His resignation should have triggered a special election to fill his unexpired term in the U.S. House.

But, no, Gov. McCrory decided that the seat could be filled on November 4, 2014, along with every other seat in Congress. In other words, citizens of the 12th Congressional District will have no representation in Congress for the next 300 days.

Well, after all, those people are mainly black and didn't vote for McCrory. Who the hell cares whether they have a congressman for 2014?

How They Voted in the NC Delegation

On the Billionaire Coup Act of 2011, a.k.a., Debt Ceiling and Deficit Reduction Surrender:

Democrat Heath Shuler voted yes
Republican Howard Coble voted yes
Republican Renee Ellmers voted yes
Republican Virginia Foxx voted yes
Republican Patrick McHenry voted yes
Republican Sue Myrick voted yes

Republican Walter Jones voted no
Democrat G.K. Butterfield voted no
Democrat Larry Kissell voted no
"Democrat" Mike McIntyre voted no
Democrat Brad Miller voted no
Democrat David Price voted no
Democrat Mel Watt voted no

Tales From the Gerrymander

Legal eagles may enjoy reading this argument for why the Republican scheme for redistricting Mel Watt's and G.K. Butterfield's 12th and 1st NC congressional districts may be illegal under existing Voting Rights Act rules and case law.