From the Raleigh News-Observer

Gov. Pat McCrory began his first week as governor making clear a new chief executive is at the helm at the state capital.

In his first executive order, the Republican repealed a nonpartisan judicial nominating commission put in place by his Democratic predecessor.

“We are going back to the original constitutional authority granted to the governor,” he said. “With the signing of this order, I intend to appoint individuals with the highest quality of temperament, education, experience, ability and integrity who will impartially interpret the laws and administer justice.”

The Republican said the commission didn’t work, noting that even former Gov. Bev Perdue temporarily suspended the order in the final weeks of her term to fill a vacancy on the N.C. Supreme Court. Perdue selected N.C. Appeals Court Judge Cheri Beasley for the seat and then put her legal counsel Mark Davis on the appellate court – the kind of patronage appointment her original order was intended to prevent.