As liberal critics of North Carolina’s Republican governor and GOP-led General Assembly gathered for their first so-called “Moral Monday” protest of the 2014 legislative session, the activist group Carolina Rising and the Civitas Institute held a news conference to counter the criticism.

Click play below to watch the 12:49 news briefing with: Dallas Woodhouse, president of Carolina Rising; Brian Balfour of the Civitas Institute; Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake; Rep. Jim Fulghum, R-Wake; and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Macon.