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Griffin, attorneys retread familiar ground in latest court hearing

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carolinapublicpress.org – Sarah Michels – 2025-03-21 17:29:00

As Griffin case drags on, some NC voters can’t help but feel ‘targeted’

RALEIGH — In less than 24 hours, Danielle Brown left an out-of-state bus tour, came home to North Carolina to cast a vote in the 2024 general election and then boarded a plane to rejoin the tour.  Now, her vote is one of nearly 67,000 ballots contested by Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin as part of his attempt to overturn his apparent loss to Democratic Judge Allison Riggs for a seat on the state Supreme Court.

On Election Night, Griffin appeared to be the victor. However, as provisional and absentee ballots were counted, he slowly lost his lead. By the time election staff tallied official results during their canvasses, Riggs was up by a mere 734 votes. Two recounts confirmed Riggs’ win. 

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Griffin then filed a series of election protests attempting to discard tens of thousands of ballots from the count, on grounds that the State Board of Elections illegally allowed certain categories of voters to cast a ballot. In the past four months, Griffin’s election protests have journeyed through state and federal courts. 

On Friday, a panel of N.C. Court of Appeals judges heard the latest arguments and will decide whether a lower state court was right to affirm the State Board of Elections’ dismissal of Griffin’s protests. 

Attorneys for Griffin, Riggs and the State Board covered much of the same territory of the past few months. Their arguments centered on whether the election rules the board established for the 2024 general election were the correct ones, and if they weren’t, whether the law allows Griffin to retroactively remove votes from the count. 

Whatever the appellate court decides will be subject to appeal. The case will most likely return to the state Supreme Court, which previously paused election certification until the case is resolved but declined to take it up early. 

What Griffin is disputing

Griffin is challenging ballots cast by three categories of voters.

First, he contests the ballots of over 60,000 people Griffin alleges were improperly registered to vote because they didn’t provide either a driver’s license or social security number under a faulty voter registration form. The State Board argues that voters who don’t have these numbers have to prove their identity at the polls, so their votes are valid. 

Second, Griffin seeks to remove votes of about 5,500 military and overseas voters who did not include a photo ID with their absentee ballots. He argues that the State Board misinterpreted state law by allowing this category of voters to skip voter ID requirements. 

Third, Griffin identified about 500 voters, who he calls “Never Residents,” who don’t live in North Carolina but claim inherited residency through a special state law provision. He argues that the state law violates the North Carolina Constitution’s residency requirements, and therefore, those votes should not count. 

‘Taking it very personally’

As the case continues, more voters and organizations are getting involved. Carolina Public Press spoke to several of them. 

Brown, a national co-field director for Black Voters Matter, found out that she was on the list through a text from an organization called Democracy NC. Her county board of elections told her they didn’t have her driver’s license on file, but she knows she did everything right. 

Black voters like Brown are twice as likely as white voters to be in the largest Griffin challenge. Other voters of color and younger voters also disproportionately appear on his protest lists, according to an analysis conducted by Western Carolina University political science professor Chris Cooper

“I’m taking it very personally because I do feel as if I am being targeted as a Black woman that works for a Black organization that seeks to empower voting across the country,” Brown said. “You’re making voters feel as if their vote does not count or they have to fight for their vote to count when that’s not democracy.” 

Latino voters faced hurdle after hurdle this election, said Veronica Aguilar of El Pueblo, an advocacy group for that community. 

The new voter ID law presents more of an obstacle for Latino voters and other voters of color than their white counterparts. Voter education tends to be in English, which may hinder the Latino community from staying updated on election rules. Also, many naturalized immigrants come from countries with different voting laws and election processes which may present a learning curve. 

Additionally, Aguilar claims that Latino voters experienced voter intimidation during the election, including a proliferation of “unnecessary” signs telling them that if they aren’t citizens, they can’t vote. U.S. citizenship is required to even register to vote, she said, so this was an effort to make naturalized citizens “question whether or not they could vote.” 

The fact that Latino voters disproportionately appear on the protest lists aligns with political rhetoric that immigrants “don’t belong” in the U.S., Aguilar said. 

“So even if it is not intentional, it is contributing to the narrative that Latino immigrants, naturalized citizens in this country aren’t allowed to participate in our processes and that their voices don’t count,” she said. 

Voters of color aren’t the only ones feeling targeted. 

Carrie Conley is a military spouse living in Italy. Last year, she requested her absentee ballot through the Guilford County Board of Elections just like she had done seven times before. 

Nobody ever asked for her to attach a photo ID to her absentee ballot because under the State Board’s interpretation, North Carolina law doesn’t require voter identification for military and overseas voters. 

Conley heard about the Griffin case on social media, found the list and discovered her name was on it. However, none of her fellow military spouses were on the list. She soon learned that ballots from only four Democratic-leaning counties — Durham, Forsyth, Buncombe and Guilford — were being challenged as part of the photo ID protest. 

“Why these four counties? Why now?” Conley asked. “It just makes me very upset that this is happening in my state.” 

From 1986 to 2013, Debra Blanton served as Cleveland County’s election director. She loved her job and what it meant to voters to know that their vote would be “sacred,” “safe” and “counted correctly.”

Griffin’s attempt to retroactively take away some North Carolinians’ votes “just really raised the hairs on the back of my neck,” Blanton said. 

Blanton is one of 42 former election directors who filed an amicus brief, or “friend of the court” argument, meant to offer courts additional insight. 

Election directors, current or former, rarely speak publicly on issues. They make a point of being professionally nonpartisan. But Blanton has never seen anyone try to retroactively remove voters from the rolls like this before. 

“It is foreign to me that anybody thinks they could attempt to do that,” she said. “There are rules in place, and the rules in place were in effect for this election.” 

By the rules?

What were the rules in place for the 2024 general election? 

That’s the question lawyers from Griffin, Riggs and the State Board of Elections’ teams tried to answer Friday for a panel of three N.C. Court of Appeals judges. 

Were they rules the State Board established for the election, based on their interpretation of state law and the North Carolina constitution? Or were their interpretations incorrect, deeming those rules invalid?  

Griffin lawyer Craig Schaeur argued in favor of the latter. The State Board can’t decide to conduct elections based on rules that violate state law and the North Carolina Constitution, he said. 

“To be clear, this case is not about changing laws after the election,” Schaeur said. “It’s a case about enforcing the laws that were already on the books before the election.” 

State Board lawyer Nick Brod disagreed. If the State Board’s interpretations were incorrect, there was plenty of opportunity to challenge them before the election, he argued. 

The state law allowing so-called “Never Residents” to inherit the residency of their parents in order to vote was passed unanimously in 2011 and has been enforced in over 40 elections since, he explained.

The photo ID exception for overseas and military voters has been in place for five elections, he added. And the voter registration form issue that may have led to missing drivers license and social security numbers on file is currently being litigated in a federal lawsuit to apply to future elections.

“From the voters’ perspective,” Brod said, “they did everything that they were asked to do in order to cast a ballot.” 

Judges Fred Gore, Toby Hampson and John Tyson will decide the case. Gore and Tyson are Republicans and Hampson is a Democrat. If the panel spits 2-1, then the case may be appealed to the state Supreme Court. 

This article first appeared on Carolina Public Press and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

The post Griffin, attorneys retread familiar ground in latest court hearing appeared first on carolinapublicpress.org

News from the South - North Carolina News Feed

Is nail gel actually harmful? It's complicated

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www.youtube.com – WRAL – 2025-09-12 23:25:29


SUMMARY: Gel nail polishes were recently banned in the EU due to the chemical TPO, which helps the gel harden under UV light. Concerns stem from studies showing potential reproductive risks in rats fed TPO, but humans aren’t exposed this way. The margin of exposure calculated for TPO is very high (1,515), suggesting it’s safe for people. More significant risks come from UV light used to cure nails, which may contribute to skin cancer over time. To stay safe, consider applying sunscreen before your salon visit and discuss toxin-free polish options with your aesthetician. Ultimately, balanced caution is key.

Certain gel nail polishes are no longer widespread in Europe as a chemical was banned due to potential health risks with long-term exposure. But a closer look at the study prompts some questions.

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What we know about Charlie Kirk shooting suspect, how he was caught

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www.youtube.com – ABC11 – 2025-09-12 11:29:29


SUMMARY: Tyler Robinson, 22, from Utah, is in custody as the suspect in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Robinson’s father identified him and convinced him to surrender after family members reported his possible involvement and negative comments about Kirk. Authorities believe Robinson acted alone. Investigators linked Robinson to the crime through Facebook posts and messages retrieved with help from his roommate. Robinson was arrested after fleeing the scene post-shooting. A rifle was found nearby. Charges are expected within three days. Officials praised coordination among police and government agencies in the swift arrest.

Authorities have taken into custody the person they suspect of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on …

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Federal hate crime charge sought in Charlotte stabbing | North Carolina

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-11 08:05:00


Decarlos Brown Jr. faces federal and state charges for the August 22 killing of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail. The North Carolina chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has urged federal prosecutors to classify the murder as a hate crime, citing video footage allegedly showing Brown making racist remarks. Brown, arrested 15 times previously, is charged with first-degree murder and a federal charge related to mass transportation. The case has sparked viral attention, legislative proposals, and a state audit of transit safety. CAIR condemns the murder and warns against using the crime to promote racial bias.

(The Center Square) – When a federal charge was levied this week against Decarlos Brown Jr. in the killing of Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail, authorities said more charges were possible.

North Carolina’s chapter of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the nation has formally requested federal prosecutors charge Brown with a hate crime.

“We join calls for the U.S. attorney to investigate the murder of Iryna Zarutska as a possible hate crime given video footage that appears to show the perpetrator commenting on her race and gender after brutally attacking her,” the North Carolina chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement. “Whenever someone commits similar acts of violence while engaging in racist or bigoted rhetoric, law enforcement should automatically investigate a bias motive.”

Zarutska, 23, was killed while aboard the Lynx Blue Line light rail train about 10 p.m. Aug. 22 alongside Camden Road near the East/West station, according to the Charlotte Area Transit System video. Brown, arrested a 15th time in as many years, is charged with first-degree murder on the state level and charged on the federal level with committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

While in the local news immediately, the story went viral over the weekend and into this week when Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police released video from the transit system. Congressional proposals are in the works; state Republicans in the U.S. House have requested the chief judge in the district remove the magistrate signing off on cashless bail for Brown in January; and a probe of safety and budget for the transit system is underway by the state auditor.

CAIR-North Carolina said, “Video footage from the incident reportedly shows the alleged attacker, Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr., pacing through the train and twice saying, ‘I got that white girl.’”

The Center Square has not confirmed the comments. Video released by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police is from cameras aboard the Charlotte Area Transit System light rail train.

General Assembly leaders planned a noon press conference connected to the stabbing.

CAIR-North Carolina said, “As we condemn Ms. Zarutska’s horrific murder and call for a hate crime probe, we also condemn those using this crime to resurrect racist talking points about the Black community. This selective outrage is dangerous, hypocritical, and racially motivated, especially given that white supremacists fall silent about other stabbings, mass shootings, hate crimes, financial crimes, rapes, and various other misconduct committed by people of all races and backgrounds. Our society must secure justice for victims of crimes, not turn them into pawns for extremists.”

The post Federal hate crime charge sought in Charlotte stabbing | North Carolina appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article presents a factual overview of the incident and related responses without adopting or promoting a distinct ideological stance. It reports on the victim’s killing, the ongoing legal actions, and the call from the North Carolina chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) for hate crime charges. The article quotes CAIR’s statements, which include both a call for investigation and a critique of racial double standards, but it does so without endorsing or challenging these views. It also mentions political actions from state Republicans and other official responses, maintaining a neutral tone throughout. The language is primarily descriptive, focusing on reporting events and stated positions rather than framing them in a way that suggests bias. Thus, the content adheres to neutral, factual reporting rather than expressing an ideological perspective.

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