Franklin Graham brands PayPal 'hypocrite of the year' for cancelling NC expansion project due to transgender law

Evangelist Franklin Graham slammed PayPal for cancelling their planned expansion project in North Carolina.

"PayPal gets the hypocrite of the year award!" Graham wrote in Facebook. "This company says they're not coming to North Carolina because the legislators and Gov. Pat McCrory have passed a law to protect women and children against sexual predators by not allowing men to use women's restrooms and locker rooms."

McCrory signed House Bill 2, the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, which requires people to use facilities like restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms and shower rooms based on the gender they were born with as stated in their birth certifate rather than on their gender identity. Nicknamed by many as the LGBT bill or transgender law, it protects the rights of people not to be discriminated against based on "race, religion, color, national origin, age, biological sex or handicap." CNN says it also keeps cities from passing broad non-discrimination laws.

"The new law perpetuates discrimination and it violates the values and principles that are at the core of PayPal's mission and culture," said PayPal CEO Dan Schulman in a statement..

The online payments company pulled out their plans to invest millions of dollars in Charlotte after the state passed the law that PayPal deems is discriminatory. The project could have hired 400 employees with PayPal's initial plan to invest US$3.6 million by the end of next year.

Graham cited Congressman Robert Pittenger who pointed out that PayPal does business in many countries where homosexuality is illegal, in some even punishable by death, "yet they object to the North Carolina legislature overturning a misguided ordinance about letting men in to the women's bathroom."

An ordinance in Charlotte that allowed people to use restrooms based on their gender identity could be used by individuals to take advantage of unwary victims. Lt. Gov. Dan Forest said that the law, which overturns this ordinance, is to protect women and children from molestation and assult. He emphasized the value of their lives.

"North Carolina will never put a price tag on the value of our children. They are precious and priceless," he said, as quoted by WBTW News. "If a corporation wanting to do business in North Carolina does not see the worth of our children in the same light, then I wish them well as they do business somewhere else."

The bill was signed by the governor on Wednesday after passing the House with an 82-26 vote and the Senate with 32-0. Democrats reportedly walked out in protest and did not vote.