Greens appeal to Texas Supremes

[PDittie]

Emergency hearing, court has to rule on this by Friday 7/2.

http://brainsandeggs.blogspot.com/2010/06/greens-appeal-to-texas-supremes.html

It could turn out well for them, with the SCOTX being 100% GOP, favoring defendants 86% of the time, and the Citizens United case in the SCOTUS last month possibly cited as precedent. Of course that would make them an "activist" buncha judges, but you won't hear that from the Pukes...

[sonias]

1. Let me predict the ruling

The 100% Republican controlled Texas Supreme Court will rule for the Republicans Greens and leave them on the ballot.

Who wants to bet against me? Anybody?

[sonias]

2. Are Green Party leaders at risk of indictment?

First Reading blog AAS 6/29/10
Are Green Party leaders at risk of indictment?

(snip)
But there are other legal ramifications lurking out there. Election lawyer Buck Wood, who often helps Democratic candidates, said Monday that the Green Party leaders who certify the ballot could be susceptible to criminal charges if the Supreme Court agrees with Dietz that the money that got the Greens onto the ballot was an illegal corporate contribution. Or, more to the point, if they do not disagree with Dietz.

They would become vulnerable if they followed through with their plan to certify the candidates on the ballot, Wood said. The key is that they now know that it was a corporate contribution that came in from Take Initiative America, which paid for the petition drive that appeared to make the Greens eligible for the ballot.

"They’ve been told it’s illegal. They’ve got knowledge now," Wood said. "If I were their lawyer, I’d say, ‘You go ahead and certify those names and hopefully the Travis County district attorney’s office won’t take an interest in you.’"

In a normal Texas world Buck Wood would be right, but in a corporation controlled Texas world, where the Texas Ethics Commission and some TX higher courts have ruled that checks are not money, a rational ruling can not be expected.

The court will twist the law to suit the ruling they want and need to help the Republicans. So a $532,000 corporate paid for petition drive will become a "normal administrative expense" for the Republicans Greens. You just watch it. :grr:

[TfG]

3. I've been following this as well

and I agree. They probably will side with the Greens, which is actually a vote for the Republicans. Of course, I support environmental causes, but this is nothing more than a ploy to take votes from Bill Perry and to better ensure a victory for Rick Perry. I hope it backfires bigtime.

[sonias]

4. It really pains me to watch the Greens get used like this

And they know it too. Essentially they have sold their soul to the Republicans in Texas.

I have no problem with the Greens getting on the ballot with signature collection that is legitimate. I know Texas has some of the worst ballot access laws in the country and it's super hard for them to achieve it every year.

A real "administrative" expense of this money would have been to lobby at the Lege to get the ballot laws changed.

I consider myself a green Democrat, but damn if I'm going to support any of the Greens with this kind of tactic.

[TfG]

5. I couldn't agree more...

with everything you said. The Republicans are taking advantage of the situation too.

[PDittie]

6. Right. If the GOP wanted to improve ballot access ...

... then why haven't we seen that bill pass the Lege anytime during the past dozen years?

The Greens are a bunch of sockpuppets at this point.



And don't miss the latest from the LSP:

http://www.greenequalsred.com/index.html

[sonias]

7. My what lovely toes you have

Elephant toes!

Great toon!

:thumbsup:

[sonias]

8. Enviro group condemns Green Party’s ballot efforts

Postcards from the Lege blog AAS 7/1/10
Enviro group condemns Green Party’s ballot efforts

The Texas League of Conservation Voters says the Green Party should stop trying to get on the November ballot.

In a letter to Green Party co-chair Kat Swift, TLCV Executive Director David Weinberg criticizes the Greens' work with an out-of-state group that paid to collect petition signatures making the Greens eligible for the November ballot. ..

(snip)
Weinberg wrote to Swift, “The League believes the use of corporate, out-of-state money directed from partisan operatives for a petition drive corrupts and manipulates the electoral process. We also believe that candidates for office who owe their place on the ballot to funders who do not support cracking down on polluters and a clean environment cannot be trusted by the public to adhere to a pro-environment agenda if elected to office. For these reasons, we respectfully request that Green Party candidates remove their names from consideration for public office in Texas in 2010."

Later, Weinberg wrote, "It stands to reason that the ballot petition drive funders’ primary interest was to siphon votes away from Bill White to the benefit of a big polluter like Rick Perry. It is profoundly dismaying that the Green Party decided, by accepting this tainted money, to be a willing accomplice in this endeavor."

:applause: To the League of Conservation Voters!
:kick:

[sonias]

9. Texas Green Party entangled in quite a mess

AAS 7/1/10
Texas Green Party entangled in quite a mess

You really know it's an election year in Texas when courthouse testimony offers a window into the skullduggery and scheming that's been going on behind the scenes.

(snip)
It seems like Dietz is correct, but let's see how the higher courts — including the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court — handle this.

That will be interesting because Texas GOP interests have backed the Green Party petition drive. Why? Simple, Green Party candidates take votes from Democratic candidates, just as Libertarian candidates often take votes from GOP contenders.

(snip)
It's a healthy process, but it must include full disclosure of the source of money used to hire companies that specialize in gathering petition signatures. In this case, so far, we don't really know the source of the money that benefited the Green Party.

You should want to know that. So should the Green Party. Its credibility is damaged if it moves forward without that answer.

Today is the day the Greens get on the November ballot, thanks to the Republicans pulling strings for them.

[sonias]

10. They're on - Republicans win ruling at TX Supremes

AAS 7/2/10
Greens can put candidates on ballot for now, Supreme Court says

The Texas Supreme Court today issued a stay in the dispute over whether the Green Party of Texas can field statewide candidates this year, meaning the party can move forward and certify its candidates for the November elections.

But that certification may be temporary. The courts have asked for additional briefs in the next few weeks in the Democratic Party’s lawsuit against the Greens.

In response to the Democrats’ lawsuit, District Judge John Dietz last week issued an order blocking the Green Party from fielding candidates this November. A petition drive that appeared to qualify the Greens for the ballot was paid for with illegal corporate money, Dietz said.

Oh the charade to ask for more information. They know the ruling now and so do we all. :(