Buncombe County Democratic Senator Terry Van Duyn was sharply critical of a committee looking at changes to North Carolina's judiciary Friday. The Joint Select Committee On Judicial Reform and Redistricting looked at proposals for new maps for judges. They also discussed proposals to take the power of vacancy appointments away from Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and give it to the Republican-dominated General Assembly. Towards the end of the two hour meeting, Van Duyn took the bill's proponents on.
"I can find no justification for subdividing Buncombe County except to change the party of the judges that get elected there. And now this. This just seems baldly political to me."
Sponsors of the bills said the changes would make judges more accountable and that redistricting is long overdue. No votes were taken during the meeting. The full legislature reconvenes in May.
You can hear the meeting in full above.