Former Constitution Party Nominee for Public Office Wins in U.S. Supreme Court on Attorneys’ Fees

Posted on by November 5, 2012
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On November 5, the U.S. Supreme Court summarily reversed both the 4th circuit, and a U.S. District Court in South Carolina, and ruled that Steve Lefemine is entitled to collect attorneys’ fees from the county government of Greenwood County, South Carolina. Here is the 4-page decision in Lefemine v Wideman, 12-168. In 2008, Lefemine had filed a lawsuit, alleging that his freedom of speech was being violated because the sheriff of Greenwood County had told him that he could not demonstrate on public sidewalks with signs showing pictures of aborted fetuses. He won the case, and the U.S. District Court issued declaratory relief, preventing him from being arrested in the future. But the U.S. District Court refused to award attorneys fees to Lefemine.

The U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th circuit, also refused to award attorneys fees to Lefemine, but on November 5, 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the lower courts on the attorneys fees matter and said the county must pay attorneys’ fees to Lefemine, under the federal law passed in 1976 that permits plaintiffs to recover attorneys’ fees from governments, when governments violate Civil Rights, including First Amendment rights.

Lefemine was a Constitution Party nominee for Congress or state legislature in 2000, 2001 (a special election), 2002, and 2004. Thanks to Thomas Jones for this news.

Newspaper Story Explains How Chilton County, Alabama Uses Cumulative Voting to Enable Minority Groups to Elect Someone to Local Partisan Office

Posted on by November 4, 2012
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The Montgomery, Alabama Advertiser has this interesting story about how Chilton County uses cumulative voting. The reason it exists in Chilton County is to enable blacks, who are only 10% of the population, to elect one of their own to countywide partisan office. However, everything about cumulative voting would also enable minor party members to have a chance to elect one of their own as well.

Chilton County is in the geographical center of Alabama, between Montgomery and Birmingham. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.

Maine Holds a Televised Debate for All Six Ballot-Listed U.S. Senate Candidates

Posted on by November 4, 2012
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On Saturday evening, November 3, all six candidates who are on the ballot for the U.S. Senate race in Maine debated each other on television. See this story. One of the independent candidates, Stephen Woods, announced during the debate that he is no longer asking for votes, and endorsed independent Angus King, who is leading in the polls.

The other candidates in the race are Democratic nominee Cynthia Dill, who is running third in the polls; Republican nominee Charles Summers, who is running second; Libertarian Andrew Ian Dodge, whose ballot label is “Independents for Liberty”; and independent candidate Danny Dalton.