North Carolina Republicans overrode a budget veto while Democrats were at a 9/11 ceremony

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Republicans in the North Carolina House of Representatives stunned their Democratic colleagues on Wednesday by holding a surprise vote and passing a controversial budget while many of its members were absent.

The Republicans overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's veto of the state budget with a 55-9 vote, while colleagues were absent from the floor during a 9/11 memorial ceremony.

To override the governor's veto, the Republicans needed to secure a three-fifths majority vote among those present. Local news outlets reported that Republicans in the state had been trying for months to override Cooper's veto and seized an opportunity on a morning typically set aside to honor the 2,977 people killed in the 9/11 attacks 18 years ago.

It remains unclear where Democrats were during the vote and how many were attending commemoration ceremonies in districts around the state; The News & Observer reported that only one Democrat did so. Cooper also said he was at a memorial event but didn't know whether other members were present.

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Cooper told reporters in a press conference Wednesday that Republicans' move was an "assault on our democracy."

"There is no question about it," he said.

He said voters should be "outraged that this Republican leadership would orchestrate such deception, such trickery in order to get their way."

Reports quickly surfaced on social media of chaos on the House floor as Democrats shouted at their Republican colleagues about the move. In a video, Rep. Deb Butler, a Democrat who was present for the vote, could be heard condemning the Republican House Speaker Tim Moore.

"How dare you do this, Mr. Speaker," Butler said. "Mr. Speaker, you are making a mockery of this process. You are deceiving all of North Carolina. Your leadership is an embarrassment to the history of this great state."

Butler later told reporters she was threatened with arrest, though the House's sergeant at arms denied that, the NBC affiliate WRAL reported.

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