North Carolina’s new $300 billion state budget contains a provision that gives extraordinary investigative powers to a partisan oversight committee co-chaired by Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R). The Joint Legislative Committee on Government Operations — or Gov Ops for short — is empowered to seize “any document or system of record” from anyone who works in or with state and local government during its investigations. The rule applies to contractors, subcontractors, and any other non-state entity “receiving, directly and indirectly, public funds,” including charities and state universities.
  • geekworking@lemmy.world
    2302·
    9 months ago

    This includes the private residences of subcontractors and contractors who run businesses out of their homes

    Even more crazy is that you can’t tell anyone you’ve been raided, including seeking or talking to legal counsel.

    So you technically are denied legal counsel if you are targeted by a blatently unconstitutional search.

    And it’s legal for them to destroy any incriminating records that they want at any time.

    Unlimited power to target whoever they want and no legal recourse.

    Welcome to Germany 1935.

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      109·
      9 months ago

      This law is categorically unconstitutional. It is a prima facie contradiction of multiple specific amendments in the bill of rights. This will certainly be thrown out - even hard-right judges won’t be able to justify this. It’s clearly not reasonable in the slightest.

      • chakan2@lemmy.worldEnglish
        274·
        9 months ago

        even hard-right judges won’t be able to justify this.

        They don’t have to justify anything any more. You should stop pretending the constitution matters.

        • Evie @lemmy.world
          92·
          9 months ago

          It does matter! It matters to us… unfortunately totalitarianism has taken control and the AC along with the GOP do not care… the mask is off… it is now time for the 2nd amendment to be actually enacted by a well regulated militia who protects the constitution as the 2nd amendment laid out

      • Archer@lemmy.world
        91·
        9 months ago

        even hard-right judges won’t be able to justify this. It’s clearly not reasonable in the slightest.

        I dunno about that, Supreme Court looking pretty right wing lately

        • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          9 months ago

          The SC wants to maintain the roots of their power. Undercutting certain parts of the constitution does the opposite of that, because it implies others can do the same in areas they don’t want touched.

    • Uniquitous@lemmy.one
      53·
      9 months ago

      So moral of the story, keep everything backed up to the cloud. Though the fun thing is, NC is so awash in guns, sending goons to raid someone’s home is likely to result in some ventilated goons.

    • callouscomicEnglish
      28·
      9 months ago

      Setting aside this story that is absolutely ridiculous and horrible, why are people obsessed with claiming that nazi Germany has begun with every scary story out there? Calm your tits.

  • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.orgEnglish
    135·
    9 months ago

    Moreover, Gov Ops staff will be authorized to enter “any building or facility” owned or leased by a state or non-state entity without a judicial warrant.

    That sounds unconstitutional. I mean, the whole thing sounds unconstitutional but that especially.

      • Admiral Patrick@dubvee.orgEnglish
        281·
        9 months ago

        The 4th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th… hell, all of them except the 2nd, really.

        That’s why a Constitutional Convention in the present climate scares the absolute shit out of me.

        • TransplantedSconie
          21·
          9 months ago

          They absolutely will go after the Second Amendment when they are ready to.

          “Just take the guns. Due process later.” - Donald Trump

        • PersnickityPenguin
          2·
          9 months ago

          You’re leaving out the first amendment, which the Republicans want gone so they can make porn illegal.

          • fubo@lemmy.world
            2·
            9 months ago

            Mind you, the point of making porn illegal isn’t to get rid of porn. Daddy’s gotta have his pictures. The point of making porn illegal is to ensure that it is made through slavery and rape, not through consensual sexual expression.

  • RavenFellBlade@startrek.website
    1282·
    9 months ago

    Oh, look. The party of Nazi apologists is passing laws to make their own Gestapo. But everyone comparing them to Nazis are the real problem.

    • root_beer@midwest.socialEnglish
      23·
      9 months ago

      That’s when you respond saying “fine, NKVD then, you guys are like the Soviets”

      See what the assholes say then

  • Fedizen@lemmy.world
    67·
    9 months ago

    seems like a violation of the 4th amendment but knowing the current supreme court they’ll rule it doesn’t apply to state laws (but the 2nd amendment does!)

  • shalafi@lemmy.worldEnglish
    514·
    9 months ago

    Moreover, Gov Ops staff will be authorized to enter “any building or facility” owned or leased by a state or non-state entity without a judicial warrant. This includes the private residences of subcontractors and contractors [emphasis mine] who run businesses out of their homes, lawmakers say.

    As if the name isn’t hilariously evil enough…

    This would have been front-page news a decade or two ago. So far out as to be unbelievable except by the lunatic fringe. “Nah, the government would never go that far.”

    Full fucking stop. No government agent is coming in my home without a judicial warrant. I am not a big man. I am not a tough man. I AM able to enforce that statement. We’ll play Ruby Ridge II up in here come to that.

    Imagine conservatives trying to spin that shit.

    Police: “Well the law says we can kick his door down and take his shit without approval from the judiciary. So we tried. And the mad man turned his front door frame into a hell storm of lead!”

    Y’all liberals better pull your head out your ass in a fucking hurry. Fascism is here, now, today. If you can’t defend yourself, you are not peaceful, you are harmless.

    (And I know, I’m old, so it’s easier to throw my life down. But I’m not getting on the concentration camp train.)

    • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.worldEnglish
      6·
      9 months ago

      Okay, for those of us that don’t want to go down in a hail of bullets, what is the option if we wanted to survive? Any good countries to look at moving to?

      • SCB@lemmy.world
        1·
        9 months ago

        You appeal in court and have anything they charge you with thrown out as unlawful search and seizure.

        Fascism is actually here when the courts no longer function, but the courts will always be the courts.

    • sailingbythelee@lemmy.world
      97·
      9 months ago

      That’s right, Jebediah. You tell ‘em. Ain’t no varmints nor lawmen gettin’ through yer door. They’ll get a face fulla buckshot, aw’ right.

      • PersnickityPenguin
        3·
        9 months ago

        Own a musket for home defense, since that’s what the founding fathers intended. Four ruffians Gov Ops staff break into my house. “What the devil?” as I grab my powdered wig and Kentucky rifle. Blow a golf ball sized hole through the first man, he’s dead on the spot. Draw my pistol on the second man, misses him entirely because it’s smoothbore and nails the neighbor’s dog. I have to resort to the cannon mounted at the top of the stairs loaded with grape shot. “Tally ho lads” the grape shot shreds two men in the blast, the sound and extra shrapnel set off car alarms. Fix bayonet and charge the last terrified rapscallion. Bleeds out waiting on the police EMTs to arrive since triangular bayonet wounds are impossible to stitch up. Just as the founding fathers intended.

    • callouscomicEnglish
      313·
      9 months ago

      This story is ridiculous, but also nobody is putting you in a concentration camp. Settle down. What is with people’s persecution fetish?

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
        11·
        9 months ago

        The government barging into people’s homes without a warrant to investigate spurious crimes is out-and-out fascism. It’s absolutely persecution.

      • PersnickityPenguin
        4·
        9 months ago

        Well, for one it is a direct violation of the Fourth amendment of the US Constitution which protects US citizens from unreasonable search and seizure.

  • TransplantedSconie
    25·
    9 months ago

    Sounds like someone is gearing up to steal a fuckton of money and wants power over any investigation that might stem from it.

  • febra@lemmy.world
    241·
    9 months ago

    So more nazi stuff coming out of the GOP. What’s wrong with you America

    • DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe
      102·
      9 months ago

      Decades of siding with fascists over even milquetoast socialists, including when NATO member Greece got couped by its own military.

    • Delusional@lemmy.world
      13·
      9 months ago

      With some people all you need is one look and think “that guy is a awful person and shouldn’t be anywhere near dictating rules for other people.” and this guy is one of them. Though to be fair that’s like 95% of elected Republicans as well