Judge: Team Berger cannot have TIMMY’s judge pal handle their case. (Uncle Phil is NOT pleased.)
Occasionally, we encounter instances where the powerful DO NOT get their way.
We’ve told you about a Rockingham County political candidate who filed a defamation complaint in Wake County against state senator Phil Berger‘s son, the county GOP chairwoman, and a number of other close Berger allies.
The matter is now before a judge in Wake County. An attempt was made by the defendants in this case to have the case declared “exceptional” and get special Superior Court Judge Clayton Somers — close friend and former chief of staff to former House speaker and current congressman Tim Moore — appointed to hear the matter.
Well, the effort was made by the defendants and a decision was handed down. It does not appear that the state senate president pro tem and the defendants will be happy with that decision:
[…]
[…]
If this case had been found “exceptional,” the door would have been opened to give the case special scheduling treatment and to name Somers as the judge to hear and rule upon the entire case. The ruling appears to give the plaintiff a fighting chance and to ensure that someone who does not appear beholden unto the Berger mystique presides over the matter.
With Phil Berger already in the midst of a tough primary for reelection, this ruling surely is not viewed as a positive development within the Berger camp.
May we speculate that the Wake County Superior Court judge who made the decision against the defendants was someone not fond of Phil Berger? Or of the GOP in general? It is Wake County, after all. Not that the defendants’ plea for a friendly judge did not involve some serious questions of bias or cronyism! It was without any merit whatsoever, in fact. Very interesting to watch all this going on and good luck to the plaintiff!