Hurricane victim protests, Democrat responds to surprise special session
By John Joyce and Melinda Harrell
Published in News on December 20, 2016 9:57 AM
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Viola Ryals-Figueroa protests last Thursday at the Legislative Building in Raleigh.
Viola Ryals-Figueroa was enraged.
The local political activist said she grew upset when she found out the North Carolina General Assembly called a surprise special session to limit the appointment powers of the Democratic Governor-elect Roy Cooper.
The move came directly after an already-scheduled special session Dec. 14 to approve funding for Hurricane Matthew victims and no one outside the GOP knew it was coming.
So when representatives of the state's NAACP asked her to speak out against the legislature in Raleigh last Thursday, Ryals-Figueroa obliged.
"When NAACP asked, I said of course," she said.
"I am offended," she said, "that they used our disaster, our circumstances, to cover up what they really wanted to do."
Ryals-Figueroa's home is now condemned due due to 3-feet of flooding, and more than two months after Hurricane Matthew devastated the area. She is still displaced, living in a vacant home belonging to her son-in-law.
She said the assembly taking advantage of her situation and those in situations similar to hers was abhorrent.
"I wanted to put a face to a victim," she said.
Sen. Don Davis, D-Dist. 5, said the Democratic state legislators were caught off guard when the GOP-led assembly called a second special session after the Hurricane Matthew spending package was approved.
Democrats had been on the lookout for potential add-ons to the funding measure during the initial session, Davis said, but none were aware of the GOP's plan to call a second session immediately after.
"It was clearly a surprise," he said.
Rumors the Republicans would move to "pack the courts" with right-leaning Supreme Court justices were prevalent heading into the hurricane funding session.
"We were just trying to keep an eye out on (Republicans) adding items into a hurricane package," Davis said.
But when the first session concluded with little action other than the spending bill being approved for hurricane relief, Davis and fellow Democrats thought they might have escaped unscathed for the time being.
Before anyone could leave for the holidays, however, the announcement was made not to head out just yet.
"They already had the signatures required for a forced session," Davis said.
Kept there unexpectedly, Democrats had little recourse when Republicans introduced -- and passed -- Senate Bill 4 and House Bill 17 which limit Cooper's ability to make appointments and also cut the number of exempt positions from about 1,500 to 425, Davis said.
"I'm looking at all of this as the reason I say it is definitely a power grab," he said. "All of this is a response to Roy Cooper being elected governor and Mark Johnson being elected as the superintendent of public instruction."
The Republicans captured all other offices of significance in the November election, but to ensure their ability to implement and enforce their policies, Davis said, Republicans still needed to act.
The result has been a stripping of powers of the governor to make appointments, to control the budget, and to otherwise have check-and-balance sway over the GOP-led assembly, he added.
The limitations were signed by Gov. Pat McCrory last week.
Despite the so-called "power grab," Davis said that Democrats will work with Republicans as much as possible to continue to serve the interests of the people of North Carolina.
That does not mean though that Democrats will take what Republicans offer them -- or try to take from them -- lying down.
Neither will their supporters, many of whom responded last week with the demonstrations and protests of which Ryals-Figueroa was part.
Her motivations were born from anger and a willingness to fight for those that could not fight for themselves, she said.
"I felt like we were used," she said.
"I felt like we were exploited. I felt like we were raped. I know that is a strong term, but it is true.
She said she felt the GOP had an ulterior motive, to use the disaster and the misfortune of others to get forec through measures they wanted to see passed.
During the NAACP press conference last Thursday Ryals-Figueroa criticized the legislature's continued presence after the funding package was passed.
"Two hundred million dollars -- we need more than that," she said Thursday to a crowd of protesters.
Ryals-Figueroa said at the height of the protesting on Thursday they were removed from the legislative building, which was also an affront to her.
"I am hurt about how the people -- elected by the people -- they kicked us out (Thursday)," she said.
"I told them I have been kicked out of better places than this," she continued with a spirited laugh.
Cooper for his part has already said he will use the courts to combat anything that might bleed into overreach by the Republicans.
But Davis said he would rather Democrats did not have to resort to more legal battles. To do so would further tie the assembly's hands and add to the millions the state has already spent fighting Republican legislation when the state should be spending it's time and money governing.
"When you put this on top of all these other policies that effect our residents, it does not reflect well who we (North Carolinians) are," Davis said.
"All the money spent in the state of North Carolina -- we're talking about millions -- it would be great if we could divert some of that money to education, to our teachers and state employees who are working hard and who are still underpaid."
Ryals-Figueroa said her fight isn't over.
She remains concerned about the actions of the legislature in regards to how they have treated the hurricane victims thus far and said she will carry on with her objections.
"Everybody doesn't have someone to fight for them," she said.
"I didn't get arrested, but I am still fighting."