Governor Pat McCrory’s campaign attacked Attorney General Roy Cooper’s lack of accountability in a campaign stunt today, setting up a hotline for people to report “missing” Roy Cooper.

When one calls this hotline, they’re greeted by a woman saying, “Have you seen Attorney General Roy Cooper? He’s supposed to be at work, but he doesn’t release his public schedule, so no one knows where he is or what he’s doing all day. Last seen running away from reporters trying to ask about his plan to raise taxes on North Carolina families, he may have fled to Hollywood or Washington D.C. to raise money from local megadonors. If you’ve seen Attorney General Roy Cooper, please leave us a message and let us know where he is.”

It’d be a pretty good bit under different circumstances, which is to say, if McCrory wasn’t currently fighting a lawsuit against this paper and several others who can’t get McCrory and his office to answer the simplest public records requests or even requests for comment.

Right now, even as that lawsuit is ongoing, INDY Week is currently waiting on at least the following requests, dating back to March:

– Emails concerning the drafting of the “Myths vs. Facts” press release the McCrory campaign put out on HB 2 back in March, which was promoted on social media by the governor’s office as well as several state agencies.
– Emails with networks regarding Governor McCrory’s several appearances on morning shows defending HB 2
– Financials regarding a case the state joined in an amicus brief last year
– Several requests for comment regarding McCrory’s support of Donald Trump
– The Governor’s communications with staffers

Only once has the Governor’s communications director, Josh Ellis, even bothered to email this reporter back, something that he is required to do by law:

The public records and public information compiled by the agencies of North Carolina government or its subdivisions are the property of the people. Therefore, it is the policy of this State that the people may obtain copies of their public records and public information free or at minimal cost unless otherwise specifically provided by law. As used herein, “minimal cost” shall mean the actual cost of reproducing the public record or public information. (1935, c. 265, s. 1; 1975, c. 787, s. 1; 1995, c. 388, s. 1.)

Hopefully, McCrory can get someone to explain to him what irony is between now and November.