Whoa - heads up:
The surprise session on constitutional amendments *now also includes* a bill to retroactively change election rules in order to help the GOP win a state Supreme Court election. It makes one of two R's run as Unaffiliated.
It's happening right now. #ncpol
The surprise session on constitutional amendments *now also includes* a bill to retroactively change election rules in order to help the GOP win a state Supreme Court election. It makes one of two R's run as Unaffiliated.
It's happening right now. #ncpol
Two Republicans and one Democrat are running for the state Supreme Court. This would retroactively change the rules in a way that would result in one of the Republicans (the non-incumbent) being listed as Unaffiliated.
This bill became public within the last 90 minutes and has already passed through committee. I'm now being called to the floor to vote on it. They are going to steamroll this.
Just spoke on senate floor. Said the principle at stake is simple: You don’t change the rules of an election once that election has begun – and this election has begun. Candidates have filed. They’ve started campaigning. And they filed in reliance on the rules as they are now.
When this becomes a litigated matter and the majority party laments being embroiled in yet another court case, it will be because in this moment a decision was made to change the rules after an election had already begun.
Republicans in floor debate are now virtually conceding this is about the Supreme Court race. Many have admitted they don't like "changing the rules in the middle of the game" but have decided to do so out of frustration at one of the GOP judicial candidates.
