VKMHVM2

Bob Barr Files Suit in Texas to Remove McCain, Obama from Ballot

September 17, 2008 9:31 am EST

Atlanta, GA – Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party's nominee for president, has filed a lawsuit in Texas demanding Senators John McCain and Barack Obama be removed from the ballot after they missed the official filing deadline.

"The seriousness of this issue is self-evident," the lawsuit states. "The hubris of the major parties has risen to such a level that they do not believe that the election laws of the State of Texas apply to them."

Texas election code §192.031 requires that the “written certification” of the “party’s nominees” be delivered “before 5 p.m. of the 70th day before election day.” Because neither candidate had been nominated by the official filing deadline, the Barr campaign argues it was impossible for the candidates to file under state law.

"Supreme Court justices should recognize that their responsibility is to apply the law as passed by the Legislature, and the law is clear that the candidates cannot be certified on the ballot if their filings are late," says Drew Shirley, a local attorney for the Barr campaign, who is also a Libertarian candidate for the Texas Supreme Court.

A 2006 Texas Supreme Court decision ruled that state laws "does not allow political parties or candidates to ignore statutory deadlines."

Orrin Grover, attorney for Bob Barr and Wayne Root, said that he believes that the Texas Secretary of State is bound by Texas law to remove the Republican and Democratic nominees from the November ballot. "Either we have rules and deadlines, or we do not," Grover said.

The Chairman of the Texas Libertarian Party, Pat Dixon stated, "Libertarian principles require personal responsibility for your acts and failures. Obama and McCain failed to meet the deadlines. They must follow the law like everyone else."

The petition also alleges that the Democratic Party's late presidential filing falsely claimed under oath that Senator Obama had been nominated hours before the nomination actually occurred.

"The facts of the case are not in dispute," says Russell Verney, manager of the Barr campaign. "Republicans and Democrats missed the deadline, but were still allowed on the ballot. Third parties are not allowed on the ballot for missing deadlines, as was the case for our campaign in West Virginia, yet the Texas secretary of state's office believes Republicans and Democrats to be above the law."

__________________
It's All Here!

Dr. Albert Pastore: An Independent Investigation of 9-11 and the War on Terrorism

"Missing Links" - the 911 film THEY do NOT want you to see!

PursuitOfHappinessParty

Barr does have his moments.

However, whenever anyone does any variation of this kind of thing it leaves me to think that the individual involved has such a weak over-all position that they must try to remove competition as opposed to defeating it. "If I remove my competition, I'll get elected" doesn't sound very democratic. If Barr were genuine about election rules why do we only hear of him getting involved when its only beneficial to himself?

__________________
" Tie two birds together and though they have four wings they cannot fly " Blind Master in 'Circle Of Iron'

guest1234567

Yay Barr. The two party system sucks ass and I hope I see more of this in the news.

This also highlights one of Nader's main issues about how some states have rules that make it nearly impossible for a third party to get on the ballot.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander. TAKE THEM OFF THE BALLOT!!!!

(besides, that's 34 electoral votes that would have probably gone to McCain)

poetrychic

you know what? i really hope they do have their names removed from the ballots...hopefully it'll teach the 2 party system a lesson in allowing for a broader range of candidates, well, at least the republicans anyway, especially when mccain loses those 34 electoral votes....

and for those of you who would automatically bitch about voter disenfranchisement, no one is preventing anyone from casting their votes and as always, voters could write in their preferred candidate if none on the ballot suit them...this is about fair play and breaking texas law, and no one should be rewarded for breaking the law....

__________________
"it was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation, yes we can!"

poetrychic

that's that touch of egocentrism in us all, you know, that "what's in it for me" jazz....in this case though, if it makes noise, shakes things up and allows for more even electoral laws across the board where all parties are concerned, then his selfishness is worth it and ultimately the essence of being democratic...

__________________
"it was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation, yes we can!"

PursuitOfHappinessParty

True
However, no matter what you or I think or whom we support, shouldn't McCain and Obama supporters get their choice? How about doing away with ballots all together and allow people to actually elect whom they wish? Anyone left off a ballot is an anti-vote by the government (rules) and thus unconstitutional and definitely not democratic.

__________________
" Tie two birds together and though they have four wings they cannot fly " Blind Master in 'Circle Of Iron'

RK77

Bob Barr will drop this. It is attention getting behavior at it's worse!

I am for it though. The rule of law is going to have to retaught and all the lost respect regained. This is as good a place to start as any!

Heretic

Barr's money would be better spent fighting to keep his own name on the ballot rather than sink so low as to engage in the same unethical slapsuits the two major parties use to keep out comeptition.

__________________
"In space no one can hear you scream. in D.C. it won't matter..." -Clinton Resurrection: The Alien Queen lives!

PursuitOfHappinessParty

Bush. Bush Jr. Ron Paul. Bob Barrr.

Admit it. Y'all just love Texans.

__________________
" Tie two birds together and though they have four wings they cannot fly " Blind Master in 'Circle Of Iron'

CosmicRocker

well there is Kinky Fiedman, and Ann Richards, was terrific

__________________

Traveling Wilburys (l to r)

Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Roy Orbison