Senate leader Phil Berger, one of the state's leading Republicans, says Gov. Bev Perdue should follow her own rules in choosing a replacement for outgoing state Supreme Court justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson.
A spokeswoman for Perdue, a Democrat, has indicated that Perdue intends to make the choice, meaning that it is unlikely a judicial nominating commission she created would be used as part of the decision. That commission was created to remove politics from judicial appointment decisions.
Berger blasted the idea that Perdue will not follow her own process in the waning days of her administration.
Berger's full statement, through a spokeswoman:
"Gov. Perdue made a binding commitment to the people of the state about how she would select judicial appointees. If she fails to follow her own rules and makes an 11th hour appointment, then it's one more example of the rank hypocrisy soiling her legacy. Gov. Perdue has not earned, nor does she have, the state's trust to make this type of decision."
J. Andrew Curliss covered state and local politics and government for The News & Observer for more than a decade before joining the investigative team in December 2008.
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