Opening for Donald Trump at a rally in North Carolina Monday night, Republican Gov. Pat McCrory made a joke that his opponent said is no laughing matter.
“Let’s be safe now. We’ve got a big crowd. So, if you need to leave suddenly, we’ve got exits this way, exit this way and exits this way. And if any of you need to use the restrooms …” McCrory said, pausing.
The remarks were met with cheers and applause, an ode to the bill he signed into law in March. The new law, known most commonly as HB2, mandates that transgender people only use the public restroom facility that corresponds with their birth gender, not their gender identity. The law does not contain any guidance on enforcement, and has been called the most anti-LGBT legislation in the country.
“And if you have any questions,” McCrory continued Monday night, “Go to the Philadelphia convention where all the Democrats are.”
He was met again with cheers and applause.
In May, the Justice Department sued the state over the law, and was met with two counter suits.
North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is running for governor, said McCrory’s jokes and the law are “no laughing matter.”
The legislation has already cost North Carolina jobs and revenue, as entertainers cancel their shows in the state and businesses pull out of deals.
Last week, the NBA pulled the 2017 All-Star Game from Charlotte, which would have earned the area an estimated $100 million. McCrory called that decision by the NBA “total P.C. B.S.”
“His discriminatory law is no laughing matter — it has already cost us jobs, hurt our economy and damaged our reputation,” Cooper’s campaign spokesman Jamal Little said in a statement.
“Our state and country deserve better.”
