“Protect the legitimate ballots cast by over 65,000 North Carolinians, including those of our fellow service members and military families – we’re urging the North Carolina Court of Appeals to step up with us to protect the rule of law, to protect the rights of our fellow citizens and their desire to participate in our democracy and to protect our Constitution.”
As Republican Judge Jefferson Griffin sues to discard more than 65,000 ballots in the state Supreme Court race, questions around legal costs have been raised as the lawsuit has hit a four-month mark. Griffin’s legal defense fund has reportedly raised $17,200 and $14,000 in legal expenditures, according to The News & Observer. Amid Griffin running up an ever-increasing legal bill, one of his biggest donors is on the state Court of Appeals preparing to hear this case.
“Judge Griffin’s insistence on throwing out over 65,000 votes disregards the will of the people in service of a political power grab,” stated Kristi Graunke, legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina, in a press release. “Our judicial system is dependent on respecting the will of the people in choosing their judges. The ongoing effort to disqualify the ballots of eligible voters undermines the constitutional guarantee that ‘political power is vested in and derived from the people.’ North Carolina voters have spoken, it is time to respect their choice and move on.”
The case will now be with the 15-member Appeals Court. Last week, Riggs filed a motion for Judge Tom Murry, who is on the Court of Appeals, to recuse himself from the case. According to WUNC, Murry contributed $5,000 to a legal defense fund supporting Griffin’s ballot challenge to throw out 65,500 votes.
“We are protesting that he is holding this up,” Cathy Walsh with Common Cause NC, told WLOS. “It has cost thousands of dollars for each of the 100 counties in the state, the number of hours that have been wasted, it’s just disgraceful.”
Hosted by Common Cause North Carolina, the rallies over the President’s Day holiday will give impacted voters a chance to raise their voices and condemn N.C. Appeals Court Judge Jefferson Griffin’s effort to throw out 65,500 ballots cast in the November election.
Rallies will take place in various locations including Raleigh, Hillsborough, Apex, Greensboro, Charlotte, Salisbury, Asheville, Boone, Rutherfordton, Franklin, Greenville, Elizabeth City, Nags Head, Warrenton, Fayetteville, New Bern, and more.
On Tuesday, a panel of federal judges issued an order for Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin’s challenge of more than 60,000 votes cast in the NC Supreme Court race to stay in state court.
Almost two months after Election Day was held, Republican Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin has continued to drag out his loss – shifting efforts to erase over 5,500 ballots cast by military personnel, their family members, and overseas voters.
As Jefferson Griffin’s shameless campaign to disenfranchise over 60,000 legal voters trudges on, impacted North Carolinians have started speaking out. With reactions ranging from disbelief to disgust, voters are working to raise awareness of Griffin’s attempts to overturn the results of a legitimate election.
Election Day was Nov. 5, 2024, and more than two and a half months later, no one has been declared the winner of the race