This is a case of false equivalence. Republicans say it and reporters buy it, but Democrats should reject it.

The canard – a big lie, really – is that the failed HB2 repeal has led to a regrettable lack of trust between Democrats and Republicans in Raleigh. And, by extension, that both sides are equally to blame.

Bullshit. If you’ll excuse me.

Let’s be perfectly clear here. During the campaign, as the political perils of HB2 became clear, Republicans said they would repeal HB2 if Charlotte repealed its non-discrimination ordinance.

That wasn’t a fair trade to begin with. It amounted to the GOP saying, “We’ll repeal our gay-baiting law if you’ll repeal your anti-discrimination law.”

Nevertheless, Charlotte repealed its law. In full. At Governor-elect Cooper’s urging.

The legislature came back to town. And the Republicans didn’t do what they had promised to do. They tied repeal to prohibiting any local government from doing anything to ban discrimination.

Even with his Senate supermajority, Boss Berger couldn’t deliver the votes. He couldn’t control his own caucus.

Democrats wouldn’t bail him out. They insisted on holding Republicans to their promise.

And they found out how far they could trust that promise.

So don’t pretend that both sides broke trust. One side did: the Republicans. They gave their word. Then they took it back.

You can trust me on that.