On April 27, Colorado filed this brief in defense of its ban on out-of-state circulators. It says that the plaintiffs, including Congressman Doug Lamborn, waited too long to file the federal lawsuit against the ban. However, Congressman Lamborn filed his federal case only two days after the Colorado Supreme Court had removed him from the Republican primary ballot.
The state says Lamborn is free to be a write-in candidate in the Republican primary. And the state says it needs a ban on out-of-state circulators because if the state needs to interview out-of-state circulators about their work, it would take too long to get in touch with them.
The out-of-state petitioner ban was thrown out for initiative and referendum petitions in CA several years ago. It should be thrown out for candidate petitions as well.
The leading Republican candidate for governor, Walker Stapleton, withdrew after questions were raised about his petitions. He had hired the same firm that Lamborn used. Stapleton may be able to qualify by convention. Stapleton’s main opponent is Cynthia Coffman, the current Attorney General who is defending the current law.
Each of the States in the *United* *STATES* of America is a FREE INDEPENDENT SOVEREIGN NATION-STATE —
Declaration of Independence 4 July 1776, last paragraph.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the *United* States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these *United* Colonies are, and of Right ought to be [[[ Free and Independent States ]]]; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as [[[ Free and Independent States ]]], they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which [[[ Independent States ]]] may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. [[[added]]]
1787 USA Const —
Art VII
The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for [[[ the Establishment of this Constitution between the States ]]] so ratifying the Same.
9 ratify – 2 more ratify before 4 Mar 1789 – 2 late ratify (NC and RI] – after being deemed FOREIGN nations.
[[[Doom for the 1777 Articles of Confederation — survives only in records]]]