NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) - On June 17, 2024, hours after the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners voted to defund the controversial nonprofit Port City United, all five commissioners received multiple emails to their joint email account. North Carolina statute 153A‑99 on county employee political activity states, “No employee may use county funds, supplies, or equipment for partisan purposes, or political purposes except where such political uses are otherwise permitted by law.” The State Board of Elections said it does not have authority to enforce laws on commissioners, and the District Attorney’s Office said it does not have authority to discipline commissioners for policy violations, only for violations of criminal law.