Jefferson Griffin concedes NC Supreme Court race to incumbent Allison Riggs
WE GET NEW UPDATES, WE'LL LET
YOU KNOW. ALL RIGHT, BRIAN,
THANK YOU.
>> IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 183 DAYS
SINCE THAT NOVEMBER. 22 WERE
ELECTION. AND TONIGHT, FINALLY
THE RACE FOR THE LAST STATE
SUPREME COURT SEAT IS NOW OVER
REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER JEFFERSON
GRIFFIN CONCEDED TO DEMOCRAT
ALLISON RIGGS TODAY AFTER
MONTHS OF BACK AND FORTH.
WRAL'S CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF
LAURA LESLIE JOINS US NOW LIVE
FROM THE STATE SUPREME COURT
BUILDING. LAURA, TELL US WHAT'S
NEXT. NOW.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN,
DEMOCRATS, OF COURSE, ARE
CELEBRATING JEFFERSON GRIFFIN'S
A CONCESSION TODAY. BUT
REPUBLICANS WERE PUTTING THE
BLAME FIRMLY ON THE FORMER
STATE ELECTIONS BOARD AND
OUTGOING DIRECTOR KAREN BRINSON
BELL. THEY SAY THE DEMOCRATS ON
THAT BOARD DID NOT FAITHFULLY
FOLLOW STATE ELECTION LAW.
REPUBLICAN JUDGE JEFFERSON
GRIFFIN CONCEDED WEDNESDAY, 6
MONTHS AFTER LOSING THE STATE
SUPREME COURT RACE TO
DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT ALLISON
RIGGS BY JUST 734 VOTES.
>> GRIFFIN HAS THE COURTS TO
THROW OUT MORE THAN 60,000
BALLOTS. HE SAID MAY HAVE BEEN
IMPROPERLY CAST, BUT MONDAY, A
FEDERAL JUDGE BLUNTLY DISMISSED
HIS CHALLENGES, RULING THAT ALL
THE VOTES HAD TO BE COUNTED.
GRIFFIN SAID HE DIDN'T FULLY
AGREE WITH THE DECISION BUT
RESPECTED AND WOULD NOT APPEAL
IT AS A JUDGE. I BELIEVE
EVERYBODY, MYSELF INCLUDED HAS
A RIGHT TO THEIR DAY IN COURT.
THIS EFFORT HAS ALWAYS BEEN
ABOUT UPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW
AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERY
LEGAL VOTE IN AN ELECTION IS
COUNTED. RIGS AND OTHER
DEMOCRATS CALLED IT A WIN FOR
DEMOCRACY. I'M GLAD THE WILL OF
THE VOTERS WAS FINALLY HEARD 6
MONTHS AND 2 DAYS AFTER
ELECTION DAY, RICK SAID IT'S
BEEN MY HONOR TO LEAD THIS
FIGHT EVEN THOUGH IT SHOULD
NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. HOUSE
DEMOCRATIC LEADER ROBERT REEVES
SAID HE'S HAPPY THE VOTERS
DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANY
MORE UNCERTAINTY. MOST
IMPORTANT THING ALWAYS TALK
ABOUT IS WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE
TO HAVE FAITH IN THEIR
INSTITUTIONS. THERE WAS NO
REASON TO SEPARATE THIS CASE
OUT FROM ALL THE OTHER CLOSE
RACES THAT WE HAD AND SO I AM
APPRECIATIVE THAT IT'S OVER.
REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER DESTIN
HALL SAYS DEMOCRATS ON THE
STATE ELECTIONS BOARD WERE TO
BLAME FOR THE CHALLENGE BECAUSE
HE SAYS THEY DIDN'T ADHERE TO
ELECTION LAWS, BUT HE SAYS THE
GOP WILL RESPECT THE RULING.
WHAT THEY SAID. IT IS THE STATE
BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
>> MAY VERY WELL HAVE NOT
FOLLOWED THE LAW, BUT IT'S TOO
LATE IN THE PROCESS TO DO
ANYTHING ABOUT IT. NOW. AND
THAT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW.
>> NOW THAT A NEW STATE
ELECTIONS BOARD WITH THE
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY WAS SWORN
IN TODAY AND THEY SELECTED A
NEW REPUBLICAN STATE ELECTIONS.
DIRECTOR ACTUAL AT REPUBLICAN
ELECTIONS LAWYER TO BE THE NEW
DIRECTOR HALL SAID HE'S
CONFIDENT THAT THE NEW
LEADERSHIP WERE MORE FAITHFULLY
FOLLOW REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS