Release date:
6/20/2017
Stein Reacts to Last-Minute Gut to Department of Justice Budget
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein released the below statement in response to the General Assembly’s last-minute inclusion of a nearly 40 percent cut to the North Carolina Department of Justice’s (NCDOJ) General Fund budget. The cut, which was not included in either the House or the Senate budgets, would require NCDOJ to eliminate as many as 123 positions from its legal services department. “This move is as irresponsible as it is short-sighted,” said Attorney General Stein. “I am deeply troubled that the General Assembly would direct the Department of Justice to eliminate the attorneys who work to prosecute criminals and keep them behind bars, who save taxpayers millions of dollars by defending against frivolous suits, who keep corporate bad actors in line, and who protect our clean air and water.”
“These cuts would gut our Department and have damaging, long-term impacts on our state. Public safety would not be maintained at its current level. The taxpayer would be exposed to hundreds of millions of dollars in potential liability from lawsuits that we would not be able to defend appropriately.”
“What’s more, this budget cut was not included in either the House or Senate bill. North Carolinians have had no opportunity to weigh in on this dramatic shift in the way our state protects its people.”
“I have reached out to the leadership of the Senate and the House to urge them to reconsider. I hope that we can work together to ensure that NCDOJ has the resources it needs to protect the people of North Carolina.”
Contact:
Laura Brewer
(919) 716-6484
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