As petition law falls in Oklahoma, so does criminal case
Criminal charges against three out-of-state signature gatherers were dismissed after the state’s attorney general decided not to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review Oklahoma’s initiative petition law.
Attorney General Drew Edmondson said Thursday his office would stop its legal challenge of a 10th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that ruled unconstitutional Oklahoma’s law requiring petition signature gatherers to be residents.
“It’s my job as attorney general to defend the constitutionality of state statutes as passed by the legislature and signed into law by the governor,” Edmondson said. “We were successful at the district court level with this case, but the circuit court rejected our arguments and denied our petition for rehearing.”
As a result, Edmondson dismissed criminal charges against Richard Merrill Carpenter, Paul Jacob and Susan Johnson. The three were charged in 2007 with violating Oklahoma’s ban on out-of-state signature gatherers. The group was working to get a Taxpayer Bill of Rights initiative on the ballot.
“It’s a great day for the three of us who have become known as the Oklahoma Three,” said Jacob, president of Citizens in Charge and the Citizens in Charge Foundation. “I’m glad it’s over, but I’m sad that it’s had a negative effect on people in Oklahoma who might want to petition their government but will now be too scared to do it.” … (Read More)