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Two More Cooper Cabinet Members Expected Before Senate Panels

Two more members of Gov. Roy Cooper's Cabinet are expected at the Legislative Building to answer questions as a legal fight over confirmation remains unresolved.

Senate Republicans agreed last week to subpoena Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon and Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks. Each is supposed to appear before Senate committees Wednesday.

Cooper says the legislature lacks authority to subject his department heads to confirmation, and sued over the December law that mandated it. Republicans disagree and point to the state Constitution for the Senate's "advice and consent" powers. A three-judge panel heard those arguments last week but hasn't ruled.

Maneuver For HB2 Repeal Falls Short In North Carolina House

The latest effort by Democrats at the North Carolina legislature to try to repeal the state's so-called "bathroom bill" has fallen short.

House Minority Leader Darren Jackson proposed an amendment Tuesday to a measure dealing with the state Banking Commission that would have repealed the law known as House Bill 2.

Republican rules Chairman David Lewis — leading the floor debate — deemed the amendment out of order because it wasn't relevant to the banking legislation. The chamber voted essentially along party lines to uphold Lewis' decision.

McCrory: LGBT Law Backlash Hurting Job Search

North Carolina's former governor says he's had trouble finding a job, even part-time teaching positions, because of backlash from legislation he signed involving transgender rights.

Pat McCrory said in a recent podcast with God's World Publications in Asheville that some potential employers are reluctant to hire him.

The ex-governor told The News & Observer of Raleigh Monday he's doing consulting and advisory board work but some universities are reluctant to hire him amid fears of student protests.

Muslim Neighbors Slain: Defendant Faces Families In Court

A man accused of gunning down his Muslim neighbors in Chapel Hill was emotionless during a brief court appearance where he faced his victims' relatives for the first time in nearly two years.

Defendant Craig Hicks appeared to have lost a significant amount of weight since the fatal shootings in February 2015. He wore an orange jumpsuit and said nothing during the pretrial hearing Tuesday in which attorneys discussed discovery issues.

Hicks is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the killings of 23-year-old Deah Barakat; his wife, 21-year-old Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha; and her sister, 19-year-old Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha.

North Carolina Town Hall To Focus On Race, Class And Poverty

The Rev. William Barber will lead a town hall meeting about race, class and poverty in the U.S. that will be held at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh.

A panel of experts will discuss those subjects during the town hall Wednesday. Those experts include Dr. Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, who's a Duke University sociology professor, and Michelle Lanier, executive director of the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission.

Barber is president of Repairers of the Breach, a nonprofit that's holding the town meeting Wednesday. He's also the architect of the "Moral Monday" movement in North Carolina.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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