On December 31, 2020, proponents of the initiative process filed a federal lawsuit against the Maine law that requires initiative petitioners to be registered voters in Maine. We the People PAC v Dunlap, 1:20cv-489.
Plaintiffs ask for injunctive relief, so a hearing has been set for January 6, 2021.
On January 1, U.S. District Court Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle, a Trump appointee, dismissed the lawsuit Gohmert v Pence, e.d. of Texas, 6:20cv-660. This is the lawsuit filed on December 27 by a Republican Congressman from Texas, Louie Gohmert, and the Arizona Republican candidates for presidential elector. They argued that the federal 1887 “Electoral Count Law” is unconstitutional, and that the Vice-President, as presiding officer of the U.S. Senate when the electoral votes are counted, has the authority to reject any state’s electoral votes.
Here is the 13-page opinion. It says that neither Congressman Gohmert, nor the Republican Arizona candidates for presidential elector, have standing. It also says that if the Republican candidates for presidential elector did have standing, their lawsuit would still fail, because to the extent they are complaining about not being seated in the electoral college, Vice-President Pence doesn’t have the power to seat them. Even under the theory of the lawsuit, all Vice-President Pence could do is reject electoral votes, not add any new ones. Thanks to Thomas Jones for the news.
On January 2, in the middle of the night, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal.
On January 1, former U.S. Senator William Cohen was interviewed on CNN. He said, “Maybe it’s time for a new party.” He was in both houses of Congress, representing Maine as a Republican, from 1972 thru 1996. He was also Secretary of Defense during President Bill Clinton’s second term. See this link. Thanks to Political Wire for that link.
Last month, Chris Cole, Constitution Party nominee for North Carolina State Senate, 41st district, polled 28.07% in a two-person race. He ran in the 41st district, which is centered in Charlotte.
Although it is not exceptional for a minor party candidate to poll as high as 28% in a two-person race, it is unusual in North Carolina. Cole’s percentage was the highest percentage for any third party candidate for North Carolina state office since 1912, when the Progressive Party was running.
The Salt Lake Tribune has this op-ed about the growth of the United Utah Party, written by two of the party’s activists. Thanks to Fairvote for the link.
