ACS Condemns NC Supreme Court Decision Blocking Certification of Justice Allison Riggs’ Re-election

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nancy Rodriguez, media@acslaw.org

Washington, D.C. – Earlier this week, the Supreme Court of North Carolina blocked the certification of Justice Allison Riggs’ re-election, allowing a spurious challenge by her opponent, state Appeals Court Judge Jefferson Griffin, to proceed in an attempt to overturn an election for purely partisan reasons.

American Constitution Society President Russ Feingold released the following statement in response to the court’s decision:

“North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs won her re-election bid in November. I am deeply concerned that the hyper-partisan Republican majority of the North Carolina Supreme Court is attempting to subvert the will of the people and disenfranchise approximately 60,000 North Carolinians who have already cast their votes.

Although the margin of victory between Justice Riggs and Judge Griffin was narrow, multiple recounts have confirmed that Justice Riggs received the most votes. The North Carolina State Board of Elections has already rejected Judge Griffin’s challenge to over 60,000 ballots—ballots that were counted for the state’s other races, including for President, Congress, and other state and local races. Furthermore, a federal judge already rejected similar arguments in litigation brought by the Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party prior to the election.

That the Supreme Court of North Carolina would delay certification of this election and consider Judge Griffin’s far-fetched legal claims is a replay of the 2020 efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election, which did irreparable harm to American democracy. At a time when state courts must serve as a bulwark to protect voters’ right, reproductive and other healthcare rights, the rule of law, and democratic institutions, this effort to subvert the will of the voters serves as a warning we must heed about what the conservative legal movement will attempt in states throughout the country.”

Gene Nichol, Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and ACS Faculty Advisor, said the court’s decision is the latest in a long line of partisan rulings.

“The North Carolina Supreme Court, in stopping the certification of Allison Riggs’ election is merely continuing its now persistent pattern of acting as a subservient, rigidly obedient, caucus of the Republican Party.  This crew on the bench are not actually judges. They’re only partisan foot soldiers. There is no law to be found in their opinions – only banners to be waved, cheering on the Republican effort to destroy democracy in North Carolina. In lockstep with the Republican General Assembly, they get closer to that pernicious goal every day.”

###

AMERICAN CONSTITUTION SOCIETY
The American Constitution Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan legal organization. Through a diverse nationwide network of progressive lawyers, law students, judges, scholars, advocates, and many others, our mission is to support and advocate for laws and legal systems that redress the founding failures of our Constitution, strengthen our democratic legitimacy, uphold the rule of law, and realize the promise of equality for all, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and other historically excluded communities. For more information, visit us at www.acslaw.org.