Stein vows veto of NC bill granting chief justice power to suspend judges

Gov. Josh Stein said he will veto House Bill 377, which would let the North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice suspend any trial court judge without pay, a power critics say would threaten judicial independence and invite political retaliation. Supporters argue it would increase accountability for judges facing ethics investigations, but the bill would only apply during such investigations by a Judicial Standards Commission that is GOP-leaning and keeps details private, raising concerns about politicization of the judiciary.