RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper will no longer defend in court the state law requiring photo identification to vote and creating other voting restrictions because it was struck down by federal appeals judges.

The attorney general’s office confirmed Tuesday its lawyers won’t keep appealing. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last Friday determined the 2013 law was passed with “discriminatory intent” and blocked enforcement.

Cooper’s decision won’t halt appeals, since Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and GOP legislative leaders have their attorneys on the case. Still, McCrory blasted Cooper for failing to do his job and keep defending the state. Cooper is challenging McCrory for governor.

Cooper has said he would have vetoed the voting changes but his office could still robustly defend laws he opposed personally.