JUSTICE NEWBY
ANALYSIS SHOWS NEWBY CHALLENGED
DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT
OF BLACK MAIL-IN BALLOTS
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
If an analysis by the News and Observer of Raleigh is correct, the campaign of Republican NC Supreme Court Associate Justice Paul Newby legally challenged a disproportionate number of mail-in absentee ballots by Black North Carolina voters in his recount effort to unseat Cheri Beasley, Chief Justice of the state’s High Court.
“…the N&O’s analysis shows that the Newby campaign challenged the ballots of Black voters at nearly three times the rate of white voters, a disparity that largely persists regardless of party,” the Raleigh newspaper reported this week.
Newby’s campaign denies that there was any racial intent to their challenge of thousands of counted mail-in ballots in an attempt to disqualify many because of minor errors (a voter not writing down their full address on the mail-in envelope), and yet, according to the N&O analysis, at least 32 percent of the mail-in ballots challenged were from African-American voters across eight counties.
Normally, Black voters make up only 16% of the electorate per those counties.
“Newby’s protests, on the other hand, seek “to disqualify and remove from the final vote count the votes that should not have counted,” the N&O reported.
At press time Monday, the Nov. 3rd race for the chief justice seat between Newby and Beasley had not been officially decided by the State Board of Elections because of three counties that had not completed their recounts by the Nov. 25th deadline for certification, even though Newby led Beasley by less than 500 votes out of 5.6 million cast.
Supporters of Chief Justice Beasley were hopeful that she could win the recount because the three outstanding counties - Mecklenburg, Forsyth and Guilford - all have significant Black populations.
Beasley, a Democrat, is the first African-American woman ever to lead the NC Supreme Court as chief justice. She was appointed to the post in February 2019 by Gov. Roy Cooper. An angry Newby, the longest serving justice on the state’s High Court, felt that he should have been the one appointed, and immediately promised to run against Beasley for the seat.
For her part, the Beasley campaign is trying to get thousands of otherwise “improperly” rejected mail-in ballots to be counted, thus adding to her total, and possible victory.
“The people of North Carolina deserve to have their votes counted and their voices heard, regardless of race or creed, and the Chief Justice will continue to advocate for accountability and fairness until that goal is accomplished,” said Beasley campaign manager Benjamin Woods in a statement.
Bill Busa, founder and president of EQV Analytics, a campaign data analytics firm that works with Democratic candidates (but not the Beasley campaign), called the use of race in an election strategy “detestable.”
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PROTESTORS RETURN TO
GRAHAM MONTH AFTER
POLICE CONFRONTATION
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
A month after police and sheriff’s deputies confronted them with pepper spray during an otherwise peaceful “March to the Polls”, protestors, again led by Greensboro pastor Rev. Greg Drumwright and Justice 4 the Next Generation, along with members of Alamance Alliance for Justice, returned to Graham in Alamance County Sunday to demonstrate against police brutality.
Over one hundred protestors, who did not have a permit to march so they couldn’t legally block roads, also demanded that both Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson and Graham Police Chief Kristy Cole resign because of the pepper spray incident by their officers. The incident drew national attention.
Law enforcement officials said the pepper spray was necessary to move kneeling marchers who were blocking the street around the Confederate statue in front of the courthouse downtown. Marchers counter that they were given no warning before officers moved in. Several marchers have been charged, and a lawsuit has been filed against both the sheriff’s and police departments as a result.
Last Sunday was different, however. Officers did not escort the protestors during their three-hour march through Graham, though they did watch them closely.
With state NAACP Pres. Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman joining them, the protestors, chanting that they were “Ready for Change,” marched to the county courthouse, Sheriff’s office, Graham police headquarters, and the county detention center, demanding criminal justice reform.
Through it all, Rev. Drumwright reemphasized that the rally and march would be peaceful, even if provoked by counter-demonstrators who met protestors at the Courthouse Square, who openly challenged them on their opposition to the Confederate Statue there.
“"We come together to gain justice for the next generation, we don't fight for ourselves we fight for our children and our grandchildren,” Rev. Drumwright told the marchers.
Even though there were some harsh words exchanged at some points, Black Lives Matter marchers stepped in to calm things down, and make sure that things ended peacefully.
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STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 12-03-20
GOVERNOR SAYS STATE PREPARING TO RECEIVE VACCINE
[RALEIGH] North Carolina is preparing to receive the Pfizer vaccine for coronavirus once it’s approved, and distribute the first batch of 85,000 doses to healthcare workers fighting the disease., Gov. Roy Cooper said during a press conference Tuesday. He added that hopefully they’ll see the first batch later this month. Most importantly, when it is distributed, it will be free to the public, regardless of health insurance. But Cooper warned the the state has to go through another deadly wave of infections first, brought on by the Thanksgiving holidays.
REV. DRUMWRIGHT, ATTY CRUMP TARGETED BY ALAMANCE DA
[GRAHAM] The Rev. Greg Drumwright, leader of the Oct. 31st march in Graham where police and sheriff’s deputies pepper sprayed peaceful marchers, and Attorney Benjamin Crump, who took part in that march and rally, notified by the District Attorney’s office in Alamance County that they have been banned from county property, and would have their bond doubled and face arrest if they violate the order. Drumwright, who was arrested after that march, also faces an upgrade in charges. Both attended a criminal court hearing in Graham Wednesday.
WILMINGTON CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSED FIRING OF RACIST OFFICER
[WILMINGTON] Because they did so in close session, the public does not know what was said, but we know that last Monday, the Wilmington City Council discussed the June firing of former police Officer James Gilmore. Gilmore was one of three officers heard on a patrol car recording making racist remarks about Black people during civil unrest last Spring, and was fired Police Chief Donny Williams. He is appealing his termination to the Wilmington Civil Service Commission. Gilmore’s case was an agenda item for the Council meeting Monday. Because it was a personnel matter, the council voted to discuss it in closed session. Gilmore maintains that he is not a racist.
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