State Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs is facing a complaint from Republican state senators for allegedly violating the state Code of Judicial Conduct during her campaign for election to North Carolina’s highest court. The senators accuse Riggs of taking positions on specific issues that may come before the court and running attack ads against her opponent, Republican Judge Jefferson Griffin.
Riggs, a Democrat appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, responded to the complaint by stating that she will not be intimidated by the accusations and will continue to speak boldly about her values of transparency, integrity, reproductive freedom, and democracy. She emphasized the importance of voters being informed about the candidates in the upcoming election.
The Republican senators, led by Buck Newton, called for a full investigation by the state Judicial Standards Commission and expressed concerns about judicial independence and transparency. They warned of potential legislative action to prevent such breaches of judicial conduct in the future.
The outcome of the election will determine whether the Republican majority on the state Supreme Court remains at 5-2 or grows to 6-1. Despite the controversy, Riggs remains committed to advocating for judicial accountability and the separation of powers in North Carolina. The situation highlights the tensions surrounding judicial elections and the role of political influence in the judiciary.
Source
Photo credit www.carolinajournal.com