RALEIGH (AP) — The first executive order signed by new North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory repeals an order of his Democratic predecessor creating a state commission to nominate new judges.
The Republican signed an order Monday effectively undoing Gov. Bev. Perdue’s 2011 creation of the commission. Perdue’s goal was to remove politics from the process by selecting appeals and superior
court judges from candidates nominated by the non-partisan commission.
Perdue faced criticism last month after she temporarily suspended her own order to make last-minute judicial appointments as her term expired without waiting for the lengthy nominating process.
McCrory says he is also concerned about the potential for politics to influence judicial appointments, but he says Perdue’s order simply didn’t work. He’s reverting to making direct appointments as outlined by the state Constitution.