White House: North Carolina's Law Is 'Mean-Spirited'

The White House is jumping into the debate about North Carolina's ban on LGBT-inclusive antidiscrimination laws, calling it "mean-spirited."

White House press secretary Josh Earnest commented on House Bill 2, which lawmakers in North Carolina passed in the span of a single day, and which bars any city from passing an antidiscrimination ordinance that's inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. It also prevents transgender people from using facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity.

"This administration is strongly committed to advancing the cause of equality for LGBT Americans and to ensuring that they do not face discrimination simply because of who they are or who they love," Earnest said in a statement. "Like so many others across the country, we are concerned about the potential harmful impact of this law, especially on transgender youth, and believe it is mean-spirited and sends the wrong message."

Both Democrats running to replace President Obama in the White House have also spoken out against the law. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was the first, tweeting that, "It's time to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This law has no place in America."

"LGBT people should be protected from discrimination under the law -- period," wrote Hillary Clinton, who shared a story from The Advocate about HB 2's passage.