Check out the latest reporting on North Carolina’s Atlantic Coast Pipeline deal from Carolina Journal. This story compares the agreements made by Virginia and North Carolina, and includes a great question from an expert: Is the $57.8 million discretionary fund state money?

Former state Supreme Court justice Bob Orr said the discretionary fund raises constitutional questions.

“I would refer you to Article 5, Section 7 of the [state] constitution, which says no money shall be drawn from the state treasury but in consequence of appropriations made by law, and an accurate account of the receipts and expenditures published,” Orr said.

“If it’s money the state has a claim to, why isn’t it going to the treasury through the proper process?” Orr asked. “I think that’s the $64,000 question: Is it state money?”

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