There is a rumor coming out of Raleigh that is troubling to not just Democrats, but to all of the state’s citizens following last Tuesday’s elections.
According to various media outlets, it appears that Republican leaders in the General Assembly have floated an idea of adding two justices to the state’s Supreme Court.
The reason? To flip the Court back into Republican control since voters selected Democrat Mike Morgan to replace current Supreme Court Justice Bob Edmonds. With Morgan’s election to the Court, the Democrats will have a 4-3 majority.
There is no way the Republicans can do this because there has been seven members on the state’s Supreme Court. However, there is a loophole that the GOP can use to seat another two justices and flip it back into their hands.
Republican leaders can look at Article 4, Section 6 of the state’s constitution. It states: “Membership. The Supreme Court shall consist of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, but the General Assembly may increase the number of Associate Justices to not more than eight. In the event the Chief Justice is unable, on account of absence or temporary incapacity, to perform any of the duties placed upon him, the senior Associate Justice available may discharge those duties.”
Rumor has it that the Republican leadership in the General Assembly will call a special session next month to tackle relief issues from Hurricane Matthew. During this session, it is expected that the Republicans will spring the extra justices surprise onto their Democratic counterparts. Sound like the deal with House Bill 2?
Since the GOP has a super majority, the bill will easily pass the General Assembly and land on Gov. Pat McCrory’s desk. Since these are new vacancies, McCrory will have the power to appoint the new justices, effectively keeping the Republicans in the majority in the highest court in the state.
Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue summed up the way all citizens should feel if the Republicans attempt a power play like this: “This is the height of disrespect of state’s voters … To add justices just because they don’t like the outcome of the election is outrageous.”
Hopefully talk of this kind of action is just that — talk. Voters went to the polls on Nov. 8 and cast their ballot as they saw fit, picking Morgan over Edmonds. We should respect that decision, just as we should honor all the results because we as North Carolinians spoke as one on Election Night.
— Sanford Herald