Submitted by BlueNC on Sun, 04/25/2021 - 08:46 LEGISLATOR'S DEMOTION HIGHLIGHTS BACKROOM DEAL, POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Moore and his deputies defended their behavior ousting Howard from her leadership post, saying a deal had been cut in a closed-door meeting of Republicans to move the bill. "Several weeks ago, the North Carolina Republican House Legislative Caucus overwhelmingly voted to move forward on House Bill 334. ... Over the proceeding weeks, against the will of the caucus, Rep. Julia Howard, in her role as one of four Senior House Finance Chairs did not move the bill," said a statement from Moore, House Speaker Pro Tem Sarah Stevens, R-Surry County and House Majority Leader John Bell, R-Wayne County. Here's the rub. The House Republican Caucus has NO official standing (same goes for the Democrats’ caucus). It does not meet in public. There are no publicly available recorded votes. Nothing done or said in those secret sessions is open to the scrutiny of the people legislators represent, the voters who put them into office or the news reporters who can shine light onto what they say and do.