By Josh Bergeron

josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

Attendees of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s Charlotte rally may have noticed a familiar character outside of the convention center.

The Democratic National Committee brought its newest creation “Donald Ducks” to the Charlotte rally to draw attention to the fact that Trump hasn’t yet released his tax returns — a practice nominees of both parties have followed for the last 40 years.

The “Donald Ducks” mascot — modeled after the well-known Disney character — carried signs that read “Donald Ducks releasing his tax returns. The mascot was joined by a number of other protesters. However, the other protesters weren’t dressed up in similar duck costumes.

The protesters questioned why Trump hasn’t released the returns. Perhaps it’s because Trump doesn’t make as much as he says he does, doesn’t pay any taxes, has foreign investments that could compromise national security, or doesn’t give to charities in amounts he says.

“Whatever it is – it’s no excuse. Donald Trump should stop ducking and release his tax returns to the American people,” the mascot said through a news release.

NC congressional delegation opposed to Gitmo prisoner transfer

President Barack Obama this week announced his plan to release 15 prisoners to the United Arab Emirates and Republican members of Congress rapidly noted their opposition.

Members of Congress representing Rowan County were among the crowd of opponents.

Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican who represents a part of Rowan, called the move “breathtaking.”

“He continues to endanger the lives of Americans to fulfill a campaign promise,” Hudson said. “I’ll continue to fight the closing of Guantanamo Bay and the release of dangerous war criminals and hardened terrorists who keep finding their way back to the battlefield.”

Two months ago, Hudson introduced a measure that would essentially prevent the Guantanamo Bay prison from being closed this year — a goal Obama hopes to accomplish. Hudson’s measure would have prevented the transfer of any prisoner housed in Guantanamo Bay.

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said the prisoner transfer puts America’s security in danger.

“President Obama has blatantly ignored the lessons he should have learned from his previous transfers of terrorists from Guantanamo to other countries, which resulted in terrorists returning to the battlefield to fight against the United States and our allies,” Tillis said.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., called the transfer “unconscionable.”

“Several terrorists released by the Obama administration have returned to the battlefield and re-engaged in attacks against coalition forces and our allies,” Burr said. “The administration continues to put our national security at risk in misguided attempts to fulfill campaign pledges and to cement the President’s legacy.”

Unaffiliated voters like Trump, McCrory?

Unaffiliated voters in North Carolina like Republicans in the presidential race and the state’s gubernatorial race, according to the conservative Civitas Institute.

A poll released this week by the conservative-leaning Civitas Institute shows Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump leading Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. In the gubernatorial race, incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory is beating his Democratic Party opponent Roy Cooper, according to Civitas.

For its poll, Civitas surveyed 400 likely voters who all identified as unaffiliated. The poll has a 5 percent margin of error.

The poll shows much larger leads for Republicans than all other recent surveys monitored by Real Clear Politics. In the gubernatorial race, for example, Real Clear Politics shows Cooper with a one percent lead over McCrory.

Trump has 38 percent support from unaffiliated votes, according to Civitas. Clinton has 28 percent support. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has 15 percent support and 16 percent of voters are undecided.

In the North Carolina governor’s race, McCrory has 43 percent of support among unaffiliated voters and Cooper has 35 percent of support.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.