WS Chronicle

BY TODD LUCK 

THE CHRONICLE

Just days before the election, Rep. Alma Adams and other Democrats called out Sen. Richard Burr for saying that blocking judicial nominees was the “right thing to do” despite their qualifications.

Audio of Burr talking to supporters was released by CNN last week. During the remarks, Burr quipped about being surprised there wasn’t a bullseye on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when he saw her on the cover of a gun magazine. Burr has since apologized for the remarks.

In the same recording, he talked about the Supreme Court, which has had a vacancy since February because Republican lawmakers refuse to hold a hearing for President Barack Obama’s nominee for the seat.

“If Hillary Clinton becomes president, I’m going to do everything I can do to make sure that four years from now, we’ve still got an opening on the Supreme Court,” he told them.

He told the audience that blocking such a high level nomination wasn’t tough for him because he has the longest judicial vacancy in the history of the United States in the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Adams gave her response in front of Burr’s local field office at a Democratic press event held on Thursday, Nov. 3, saying he’s “taken partisan obstruction to a new low.” She pointed out he also voted against the attorney general nomination of Greensboro-native Loretta Lynch, but she was confirmed, anyway.

“Anyone who refuses to do their job should be fired,” said Adams.

Adams, who represents the 12th District that currently contains parts of Winston-Salem, was joined by City Council Member Denise “D.D.” Adams, who represents the North Ward. Denise Adams also condemned his remarks, saying it was time to end the “partisan blockade” on judicial nominations.

Forsyth County Democratic Party Chair Eric Ellison, who is also a lawyer, said that the absence of a ninth judge on the U.S. Supreme Court is resulting in deadlocks as the court is now evenly split between liberal and conservative justices. This means lower court rulings still stand, creating what he called a “patchwork of uncertainty” of legal rulings that varies between districts.

All three Democrats urged for the election of Democrat Deborah Ross, who was running against Burr.