Today, Governor Roy Cooper issued the following statement:

“The fear that this Republican Supreme Court would give in to all the demands of the Republican legislature regardless of the constitution, precedent or judicial independence, is now clearly justified. Rehearing cases because you dislike the previous outcome isn’t how our judicial system is supposed to work because the meaning of our constitution doesn’t change when new judges are elected.

"For this Court to reopen rulings just weeks after they were decided is unprecedented and appalling and indicates that these justices reject the idea of an independent judiciary and swear allegiance to the whims of the Republican legislative leadership.

"The plan by the Republican legislature to create a subservient judiciary began with changing the law to force judges to run for election under a political party label, and now we are seeing the ominous result.

"These rulings threaten the public’s confidence in the courts and the very foundation of our democracy."