It’s never been more clear that the North Carolina Supreme Court needs real ethics reform than it is now. Phil Berger Jr. gets to rule on the legality of laws passed by his dad, Senate President Phil Berger Sr.; and just last week, Chief Justice Paul Newby ruled in favor of Duke Energy, a company he holds massive investments in. In the Duke case, Newby joined his fellow Republicans to rule that Duke Energy could raise rates and charge North Carolinians in the Western and Central part of the state more for the exact same services received by North Carolinians in the Eastern part of the state.

Chief Justice Newby failing to recuse himself from this case is particularly notable because he has an undisclosed sum of “at least $20,000 in Duke Energy stock.” This isn’t the first time Newby has ruled in favor of Duke Energy. In 2023, WUNC reported that in at least 6 cases since 2015, “Paul Newby… sided with the utility.” Since Newby first reported owning Duke stock in 2015, the value of their stock has nearly tripled.

North Carolinians deserve to know just how much money Paul Newby has in Duke Energy Stock, how much he’s personally profiting at the expense of ratepayers, and why he refuses to recuse himself from cases that have a direct impact on his wealth.

“Death, taxes, and a North Carolina Republican violating basic ethics to enrich themselves seem to be the only certainties in life,” said Dawson McNamara-Bloom, a spokesperson for the North Carolina Democratic Party.

“Chief Justice Paul Newby has a responsibility to explain to North Carolinians how much money he has invested in Duke Energy and why he consistently refuses to recuse himself from cases involving them. North Carolina ratepayers deserve to feel like they have a fair shot when they get to our state’s highest court, but right now it looks like a rigged system. ”