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9 <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Aero Contractors is headquartered at the Johnston County Airport in Smithfield, <br />NC, and also used the state-run Global TransPark in Kinston for “torture taxi” flights; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, North Carolina residents have been calling since 2005 for investigation of Aero <br />Contractors, and support has come from people of faith, veterans, elected officials, civic groups, <br />labor, various political parties, and members of different racial and ethnic groups; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS. 10 NCCIT Commissioners – a diverse, blue-ribbon panel of distinguished <br />individuals – heard testimony from 20 witnesses (survivors, journalists, human rights experts) on <br />November 30 and December 1, 2017, in Raleigh; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein are expected to respond to <br />the 84-page NCCIT Report (NCTortureReport.org) since its release on September 27, 2018; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted the RESOLUTION IN <br />SUPPORT OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ON TORTURE (RES- <br />2016-08) in December 2016; <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, <br />do hereby urge Governor Cooper and Attorney General Stein to hold private contractors such <br />as Aero Contractors accountable for involvement in the torture program; to enforce state, <br />federal, and international law; and to stop hosting Aero at public airports to prevent North <br />Carolina from being the home to “torture taxis.” <br /> <br />This, the 18th day of December 2018. <br /> <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Greene, seconded by Commissioner Price for the <br />Board to approve and authorize the Chair to sign the resolution. <br /> <br />Commissioner McKee referred to “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners, do hereby urge Governor Cooper and Attorney <br />General Stein to hold private contractors such as Aero Contractors accountable for involvement <br />in the torture program,” and asked John Roberts if this could be explained. <br />John Roberts said the language means what it says, and he would have to research <br />further into existing laws that may apply. <br />Commissioner McKee asked if one commits an act that is legal at one point, but is made <br />illegal in the future, can one be held to the future law retroactively. <br />John Roberts said he does not think one can be held accountable to a law retroactively. <br />Commissioner McKee asked if there are any current protocols in place that could <br />prevent Aero from landing. <br />John Roberts said he cannot answer that at this time. <br />Commissioner McKee said he would support this motion, but he has issues of bringing <br />resolutions before the Board with language that is so nebulous. He said he does not know how <br />one can be held accountable for something against which there is no law available. He said <br />torture is egregious, but he has issues with bringing resolutions that have this type of vague <br />language and the ultimately become meaningless. <br />Commissioner Marcoplos said he does not read the word accountable as a legal term, <br />and asked if this word indicates legal action. <br />John Roberts said it does not have to indicate legal action. <br />Commissioner McKee asked if accountable could be more clearly defined.