On October 27, the chair of the St. Louis city election commission wrote a letter to independent candidate Jennifer Florida, saying that her campaign literature must not refer to herself as an “independent Democrat.” The letter says such literature “shall be seized by the St. Louis City Election Board.”
Florida is the incumbent Recorder of Deeds. She was appointed to that post earlier this year, too late to run in any party primary, so she petitioned as an independent candidate. She is a life-long Democrat and wants the voters to know that. In response to the threatening letter, on October 31 she filed a federal lawsuit, arguing that the Election Commission is violating the First Amendment. Florida v Bd. of Election Cmsrs. for the City of St. Louis, 4:14cv-1840.
I have some news for the St. Louis Election Commission. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution trumps any St. Louis or other law regarding free speech. If Ms. Florida wants to call herself an “Independent Democrat” whether verbally or in print, she has the right to do so.
I believe she will win this case. If not, this is a beginning sign our government wants to re-interpret the First Amendment, and this will be a sad day for this most vital Freedom.
Will the SCOTUS 9 (or just perhaps) their slave clerks be holding court for last second election law cases from now through Jan 2015 ???
i.e. how about LOTS MORE HAMMER opinions on the skulls of the various party HACKS regarding constitutional RIGHTS ???
Why would anyone in St.Louis running on a platform of cleaning after 30 years of corruption and neglect want to be associated with the Democratic Party?
Jim Riley:
“Why would anyone in St.Louis running on a platform of cleaning after 30 years of corruption and neglect want to be associated with the Democratic Party?”
It’s because the “narrow-minded blindness” of a certain percentage of voters, who if they do not see the word “Democratic” next to a candidate’s name, they will not even consider voting for them.
And the same thing can be said about certain other group of voters unless they see the word “Republican” next to the candidate’s name, they too will not vote for such candidate either.
So sad, we have so many “blind” voters in this country.
Heh were seeing the same thing in Cherokee County in the Commission race, a TEA Partyer petitioned as an Ind. and her signs are Independent Real Republican” and went to a forum and the supporters were arguing what a real Repub is
DonW
Is this a County Commission race in Cherokee County, Alabama?
no