By GARY D. ROBERTSON
(AP) -- A document written for liberal-leaning groups brainstorming how to fight back against Gov. Pat McCrory and fellow Republican legislative leaders has shaken up North Carolina's political landscape.
Strategy memos by consultants evaluating a politician or party's strengths and weaknesses aren't unusual. But the draft memo attributed to the state affiliate of a national political group called America Votes surprised many for its bluntness.
The document suggested mitigating Republican legislation by "crippling their leaders" through a series of political maneuvers and "eviscerating" them. The memo's disclosure couldn't have come at a better time for GOP leaders and McCrory. Democrats had criticized them for weeks for supporting bills they say hurt the poor. Now Republicans can say people aligned with Democrats are all about personal attacks.