Holmes to replace Wood as state auditor
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Thursday tapped former Wake Commissioner Jessica Holmes to replace outgoing State Auditor Beth Wood, who previously said she would step down in the wake of charges related to her use of state-issued vehicles.
Holmes, a Democrat, will be the first Black woman to serve on the North Carolina Council of State, a collection of 10 statewide officials. She said she also plans to seek a full four-year term as auditor in next year's election.
Wood was charged Nov. 7 with a misdemeanor after an eight-month probe by the State Bureau of Investigation found she used at least one state-owned vehicle for private purposes in 2021 and 2022, including traveling back and forth to regularly scheduled hair appointments and dental appointments. She said this month that she chose to resign because of negative attention on her office following the investigation. Her last day is Dec. 15. Holmes said she won't be accepting a state-assigned vehicle in her new role.
The state constitution empowers Cooper to pick a new auditor to replace Wood. He told reporters this month that he didn’t ask Wood to resign.
Another Democrat, Luis Toledo, is also seeking the auditor's job in the 2024 elections. He's a former assistant state auditor who challenged Wood in the 2020 auditor’s race. He didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Five Republicans have expressed interest in the auditor's race. Candidate filing in the contest opens next week.
Holmes is a lawyer with a focus on labor and employment law. She was the Democratic nominee in the 2020 election for Labor Commissioner and lost a close race to current Commissioner Josh Dobson. She was elected to the Wake County Board of Commissioners in 2014 and was believed to be the youngest person ever elected to the board. She became the board's chair in 2017 and served on the body through 2020. She's currently a deputy commissioner with the North Carolina Industrial Commission, which deals with workers compensation claims. She'll give up that appointment to take the auditor position.
The state auditor’s job is to make sure government programs are using their resources as efficiently as possible while complying with state and federal regulations. Holmes and Cooper both expressed confidence in the office's existing staff, with Holmes calling it "excellent, phenomenal and ready to continue to do the work."
After Cooper announced Holmes' appointment during an afternoon press conference at the governor's mansion, Holmes recalled growing up in rural Eastern North Carolina and picking blueberries with her grandmother, who gave her the money they earned from those berries to buy school clothes.
"I know the value of a dollar and how to make it stretch," Holmes said. "I also know that you can’t turn 15 cents into a dollar. … I will ensure that every taxpayer dollar gets to the people and the causes that we all care about.”
Wood had hoped her chief deputy, Linda Hollar, would be chosen to assume the role but said Thursday that she has "a lot of confidence in the choice that the governor made." Wood said that she invited Holmes to work alongside her for the next two weeks so the transition will be smooth.
Cooper said he wanted a state auditor who understands government and believes it should be held accountable, but also someone who will seek a full term.
"Jessica understands how government can be a force for good, but that the details matter and it's important that we do things the right way," Cooper said. "I'm confident that, thanks to her intelligence, integrity and experience, she will make major contributions to the success of our state."
Holmes is not an accountant but said her government experience has helped her understand the auditing process.
“I’m the person to do the job and my credential back that up," she said. "No one will work harder than I will to get up to speed.”
State Treasurer Dale Folwell, whose office often works closely with the state auditor, said in a statement that he looks forward to working with Holmes "and continuing the tradition of cooperation for the betterment of North Carolina and its people."
Wood, a Democrat and Certified Public Accountant, earned bipartisan praise for her efforts to ensure public resources have been used appropriately over her four terms. She has said she wants to start a second career on the public speaking circuit and that she has had some corporate offers.
Her driving habits and state-vehicle use came under scrutiny following a Dec. 8 incident in which Wood crashed a state-issued Toyota sedan into a parked car in downtown Raleigh after a holiday party. Wood was charged in that incident. She ultimately pleaded guilty and apologized for the incident.
Shortly after the crash, the state suspended her vehicle assignment — and discouraged her from driving other state vehicles — while police investigated the crash. After the suspension was issued, however, she used a separate state vehicle for personal trips, according to a State Bureau of Investigation affidavit.
Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said this month that her office planned to prosecute the case. An investigation is ongoing. Wood is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
After the most recent charge, Wood said she had reimbursed the state on a monthly basis for use of a state vehicle that was permanently assigned to her. “I purposely overpaid for my commuting miles to make certain it covered any personal use over and above commuting,” she said.
