Blaine told The News & Observer he did not want to comment beyond his remarks Wednesday or provide more information about what leads him to believe a ban might be on the horizon.

Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore’s offices did not respond to requests for comment from The N&O Thursday about whether they are considering a ban on DEI this legislative session.

State Rep. Jon Hardister, a Whitsett Republican who co-chairs the House committee on universities, told The N&O that legislators have talked about DEI legislation “in an abstract manner” but said he was not aware of any bill that had been drafted.

“Several legislators have talked about it casually, but there’s no concrete plan that I’m aware of,” Hardister said. He added that “it certainly wouldn’t surprise” him if the issue comes up in the short session, which begins April 24.

Blaine is a partner at Martin & Blaine, also known as The Differentiators, a political consulting firm he operates with Ray Martin, Berger’s former press secretary.

The pair are considered to be highly connected politically, working in 2020 on the attorney general’s race and a congressional race and with an organization raising money to ensure that Republicans maintain control of the North Carolina House and Senate, The N&O previously reported. For the 2024 elections, campaign finance reports show several statewide GOP candidates have paid Martin & Blaine for work, including UNC trustee Dave Boliek, who is running for state auditor as a Republican.

Blaine also previously served as a consultant and strategic adviser for the UNC System, making $15,000 per month.

In a 2018 News & Observer report, written when Blaine still worked for Berger, he was described by fellow trustee and former Republican nominee for governor Patrick Ballantine as “one of the most powerful people in the state that no one’s ever heard of.”

Redirecting DEI funds

A handful of other trustees on the 15-member board — which consists mostly of conservative-leaning members — agreed with Blaine during a roughly 10-minute discussion of DEI Wednesday, though one member said the board’s discussion was outside its scope of authority. On Thursday, the university’s student body president voiced his support for diversity efforts at the university.

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