FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, Sept. 27, 2024
CONTACT: Gerrick Brenner
919.452.2248 / gerrick@blueridgecampaign.com
Candidate for Judge in Wayne County Is Repeated Violator of North Carolina’s Code of Judicial Conduct
Goldsboro attorney Billy Strickland has repeatedly made campaign contributions to other political candidates after he filed as a candidate for judge - which is prohibited by NC’s Code of Judicial Conduct. Judge Ericka James calls on Strickland to claw back donations to Donald Trump, Mark Robinson & others, and denounce hateful rhetoric of Robinson who praised slavery and called himself a “Black Nazi.”
GOLDSBORO, NC - An examination of 2024 campaign finance records shows Wayne County attorney Billy Strickland - a Republican running for Superior Court judge - to be a serial violator of North Carolina’s Code of Judicial Conduct. Canon 7(B)3 of NC’s judicial code clearly states that candidates for judge who have filed for elected office are forbidden from making financial contributions to campaigns of other political candidates. Strickland has violated this code at least ten times since filing to run for Superior Court Judge.
On December 5, 2023, Billy Strickland filed to run for Superior Court Judge in Wayne County. He has since made at least ten donations totalling more than $17,000 in campaign contributions to candidates seeking elected office. Strickland this year made $7,600 in campaign contributions to Mark Robinson, the now disgraced Republican candidate for governor who called himself a “Black Nazi” and who praised slavery on pornographic websites in past years. Strickland has not denounced Robinson’s vile comments, nor has Strickland renounced his support for Robinson.
“Either Billy Strickland does not have a clue about North Carolina’s Code of Judicial Conduct, or he does not care about judicial conduct,” said Judge Ericka James, a District Court Judge of ten years who is also running for Superior Court Judge. “In either case, it’s clear Billy Strickland is more interested in currying favor with like-minded politicians than he is in knowing and following the judicial standards needed to build and maintain the public’s confidence in our courts and legal system. Strickland has no experience as a judge and it shows.”
Billy Strickland’s Campaign Contributions to Political Candidates Since Strickland Filed as Candidate for Superior Court Judge in Wayne County on December 5, 2023
Date | Candidate | Amount |
Dec. 21, 2023 | Laurie Buckhout for Congress | $2,900 |
Jan. 23, 2024 | Nikki Haley for President | $500 |
Jan. 31, 2024 | Mark Robinson for NC Governor | $4,400 |
Feb. 26, 2024 | Donald Trump for President | $900 |
March 15, 2024 | Hal Weatherman for NC Lt. Gov. | $1,500 |
March 26, 2024 | Mark Robinson for NC Governor | $3,200 |
May 20, 2024 | Donald Trump for President | $900 |
May 20, 2024 | Donald Trump for President | $900 |
May 20, 2024 | Dan Bishop for NC Atty. Gen | $1,000 |
May 22, 2024 | Hal Weatherman for NC Lt. Gov. | $1,000 |
TOTAL | All Candidates since 12/05/2023 | $17,200 |
Source: OpenSecrets.org
Strickland has no judicial experience but has run for political office three times before. He has run for County Commissioner, Congress, and State Senate and has never won. Judge Ericka James has won three consecutive elections for District Court Judge (2012, ‘16 and ‘20). She has never run for any office other than judge.
“Wayne County residents deserve judges who are focused on the law - not politics,” said James. “They deserve judges who are not distracted by partisan politics, whose rulings are not swayed by political ideology, and whose treatment of people is not impacted by their party registration or partisan loyalties.”
Judge James is calling on Strickland to take three measures of corrective action to clean up his campaign.
“Billy Strickland should request that his improper contributions to candidates be returned. Strickland should denounce Mark Robinson’s offensive conduct and language, and Strickland should pledge to renounce his support of Robinson. Robinson’s description of himself as a “Black Nazi” and his support for slavery are reprehensible. It is fair to assume that any public figure who has contributed to Robinson’s campaign and not denounced his rhetoric is supporting his hateful language. Wayne County deserves judges who are clearly respectful of all residents.”
More information about Judge Ericka James and her campaign can be found at www.erickaforjudge.com
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