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TX Supreme Court keeps Green Party hopes alive for fall ballot
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| Contributor | TX DEM |
| Last Edited | TX DEM Jul 04, 2010 08:53pm |
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| Category | News |
| News Date | Monday, July 5, 2010 02:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | The Texas Supreme Court says it wants to hear more about the Democrats' claim that the Green Party used an illegal corporate contribution to get on the state ballot. In the meantime, the Green Party moved ahead this afternoon and certified its candidates to the secretary of state for the fall election. Meanwhile, lawyers are both sides will argue before the Supreme Court whether those candidates should be there. A district judge had blocked the Greens from certifying its candidates. But the high court today issued a stay. That means the Greens the certification process moves forward while attorneys file briefs "on the merits to address whether the disputed contribution was a violation of Texas law" - and if so, what to do about it.
The Green Party still doesn't know whether it will be on the ballot. If the high court eventually rules for the Greens, the party will be able to field candidates in the fall. Should the court rule that the use of corporate money for the petition drive violated state law, the Greens could still be blocked from the ballot.
Here's the issue: Corporations are forbidden from contributing to political parties, but may pay for administrative expenses such as office rent and overhead. The Green Party contends its signature-gathering effort - spearheaded by an out-of-state GOP operative and funded with $532,000 from an undisclosed source -- was an administrative expense.
Democratic Party lawyer Chad Dunn reacted to today's stay by the high court: "It's clearly a political contribution. It's trying to affect the outcome of an election. And if the public can't find out whos buying spots on the ballot, then the public can't make an informed choice." The Green Party has scheduled a news conference for this afternoon at the Capitol. |
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