North Carolina
Government ethics groups protest ‘dark money’ bill to open NC elections to more anonymous spending
As state lawmakers prepare to pass a bill allowing corporations and anonymous donors to more directly fund individual politicians in North Carolina, advocates for government ethics and transparency flocked to the state legislature Thursday to denounce the changes.
Under current state law, politicians must disclose who’s giving their campaigns money. They can’t take money from corporations at all. And they can only take a maximum of $6,400 from individual people and political groups.
But now, critics say the changes North Carolina’s Republican legislative leaders are proposing would create a massive loophole: Allowing for unlimited amounts of untraceable “dark money” to flow into politicians’ campaigns, by using state political parties as the middleman, and without the public being able to see who’s behind it.
“The ability to oversee and understand who’s influencing our elections is really diminished by this policy,” said Ann Webb of the government ethics reform group Common Cause North Carolina.
The state Senate voted to approve the changes last week, prompting all the chamber’s Democratic members to skip the vote in protest. The state House plans to vote on approving the changes Tuesday afternoon.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper could veto the bill — on Tuesday Cooper’s office told WRAL that “political donations should be more transparent, not less” — but Republicans have enough votes in the legislature to override Cooper’s vetoes, and they have done so every time this session.
Republican leaders say the change will level the playing field in the race for governor, to replace the term-limited Cooper.
The latest campaign finance records show Democratic nominee Josh Stein had raised $19.1 million as of February, with $12.7 million left to spend.
Republican nominee Mark Robinson was millions of dollars behind, having raised $10.7 million in that same period, with $4.5 million left to spend.
Super PACs spending millions
While North Carolina’s current campaign finance laws mostly set strict limits on how much money politicians can take from a single source, there are limited exceptions: They can personally loan their own campaigns as much money as they want, and political parties can also give candidates as much as they want.
The new changes to state law would loosen up the rules for state political parties, allowing them to now take money from a type of federal political action committee commonly called Super PACs.
Unlike individual politicians or political parties, Super PACs can keep their donors secret. They can also receive unlimited amounts of funding, including from otherwise banned sources such as labor unions and corporations. For that reason, Super PACs haven’t been allowed to donate money directly to politicians or political parties in North Carolina.
Democrats say the changes are clearly intended to let corporations and others give anonymously to Robinson’s campaign, by giving their money to Super PACs which could then route it through the NCGOP to Robinson.
A Robinson campaign spokesman declined to comment. House Speaker Tim Moore confirmed last week the changes are aimed at the governor’s race, although he said he hadn’t personally spoken with Robinson about it.
“The way the rules have been interpreted seemed to give a balance in favor of the way the Democrats did it,” Moore said.
That’s a reference to a 2020 memo from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, which indicated that a major national Democratic group had taken the necessary extra steps to keep its funds separate depending on where the money came from — which allowed it to send some of its money to the state Democratic Party without breaking state laws.
A similar Republican group had not taken the same steps to be allowed to legally give to the North Carolina Republican Party; GOP leaders say that’s why the law needs to be changed.
“What we’re seeking to do is to level the playing field,” Moore said.
Tied to bill targeting protesters
The campaign finance changes have received further criticism for the way they’ve passed through the legislature, with limited debated and tacked onto an unrelated bill targeting protesters.
Republican lawmakers initially proposed banning people from wearing masks in public for health reasons, saying they believe protesters have taken advantage of that rule, and Covid-era norms on mask-wearing, to hide their identities at demonstrations. Banning masks would make it easier for police to search, detain and potentially arrest people for wearing masks that hide part of their faces, the proposal’s supporters and critics all said.
But after that proposal received widespread backlash, including from fellow GOP lawmakers, legislative leaders agreed to a compromise that would allow people to still wear masks in public to stop the spread of diseases, but clarified that it has to be a medical-grade mask.
The bill will also increase criminal penalties for protesters who block a road, and allow civil lawsuits against the organizers of protests that end up blocking a road, even if the organizer wasn’t personally present.
“Protesting is a part of democracy,” said Dawn Blagrove, a prominent Black Lives Matter activist who leads the group Emancipate North Carolina. “To chill the right to protest is a surefire sign that you are afraid of the people. And when you are afraid of the people you are afraid of their power.”
At least two people are dead and “several” others are injured after a “planned fight” at a North Carolina park escalated into a mass shooting, authorities said.
Police have identified several victims and suspects after Monday’s shooting at Leinbach Park near Jefferson Middle School, according to the Winston-Salem Police Department.
Authorities confirmed there were multiple victims in the shooting, but did not provide an exact number. The suspects were still at large over two hours later.
Officers were called to the park just before 10 a.m. after reports of a fight, which then escalated into multiple people shooting each other.
Area schools are not in lockdown, and classes are operating as normal, police said.
“Due to the number of people involved, efforts are ongoing to account for everyone. At this time, some of those involved in the incident are juveniles,” police said.
According to local news station WFMY, at least three people were taken to the hospital. Officials have not shared their conditions.
Police said the shooting was an isolated incident and remains under investigation.
This is a developing story
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 19, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 6-2-0, Fireball: 6
Evening: 4-1-7, Fireball: 5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 7-6-9-4, Fireball: 4
Evening: 8-1-5-6, Fireball: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
02-21-32-35-37
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from April 19 drawing
18-26-27-31-42
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The North Carolina Tar Heels will be a young program across the board next season, with well over two dozen freshmen and numerous additions from the transfer portal this offseason. Expectations for the 2026 season are lowered dramatically after a disastrous first season for head coach Bill Belichick, though those expectations could help the Tar Heels fly under the radar.
As the Tar Heels approach the end of spring ball, it is time to look at the veterans of the team—the ones who have the experience to lead, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s look at three underrated seniors for the 2026 football season.
Ade Willie, Cornerback
Willie joins the Tar Heels program after four years with Michigan State, as the former 4-star player in the 2022 recruiting class gets an opportunity to not only provide depth to the secondary, but potentially start Week 0 against TCU.
Willie played in over 30 games with the Spartans and brings experience in the secondary at cornerback and safety, along with quality length and closing speed to the football. For a defense that needs players to step up, the redshirt senior from IMG Academy will be asked to do so.
Isaiah Johnson, Defensive Lineman
The defensive line is beginning to look like one of the Tar Heels’ strengths for the 2026 season. Johnson, a former transfer from Arizona, enters his redshirt senior year looking to add another year of production after 40 tackles and two sacks this past season.
North Carolina has an impressive group of starters with Malkart Abou-Jaoude, Leroy Jackson, and incoming transfer Jaylen Harvey. Johnson adds value to the group as a run defender with the ability to penetrate the pocket. While not discussed as a key player, Johnson’s name will be used plenty during the regular season as a potential standout for the program’s defensive front.
Coleman Bryson, Safety
Bryson was a reserve player for the Tar Heels’ secondary last season as a big nickel defender in the rotation. Heading into his redshirt senior year, the former Minnesota Gopher is looking to become a full-time starter in the secondary.
It wasn’t long ago when Bryson was making plays as the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl Defensive MVP. His special teams abilities were valuable for North Carolina last season, and he flashed at times in coverage against tight ends, including a pass breakup in the season-opener against TCU. The Waynesville, North Carolina, native could be a key defender on the back-seven in 2026.
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