What does the end of public financing and more money in judicial elections mean for the state of North Carolina moving forward? North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed a bill on August 12, 2013, eliminating the state’s innovative public financing program for judicial elections, and this year, candidates raised nearly $4 million—the first time in a decade that candidates had to solicit big donations.
Please join the Center for American Progress for a screening of a brief mini-documentary that chronicles the effect of coal ash pollution on North Carolina families and discusses reforms that keep polluters and other campaign donors from influencing our courts. A panel of experts will analyze the role that U.S. state courts play in protecting the environment. The panel will discuss reforms that keep courts fair for those suing powerful companies, as well as a recent CAP report, which found that public financing for judicial campaigns undermined the influence of campaign contributors in North Carolina judicial elections.
Welcoming remarks:
Michele Jawando, Vice President for Legal Progress, Center for American Progress
Distinguished panelists:
Alicia Bannon, Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice
Mary Anne Hitt, Beyond Coal Campaign Director, Sierra Club
Frank Holleman, Senior Attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center
Chris Kromm, Executive Director, Institute for Southern Studies
Moderated by:
Billy Corriher, Director of Research for Legal Progress, Center for American Progress