Richard Winger has an update on today's hearing in Pennsylvania where the McCain campaign is attempting to have Bob Barr removed from the ballot:
On September 5, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in Philadelphia held a trial on whether there is anything deficient with the paperwork that names Bob Barr as the Libertarian presidential nominee in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania law authorizes substitution. The Libertarian Party started circulating its statewide petition in February 2008, before the party had chosen its national nominee. After the petition was submitted, paperwork was submitted showing that the stand-in, Rochelle Etzel, had withdrawn, and that Bob Barr is the substitution committee’s choice to replace her.
The objectors had claimed that it was wrong for the party to continue circulating the petition (with the stand-in’s name on it) in the months after the Libertarian national convention. Bob Barr’s attorney put on witnesses to establish that the party simply followed normal procedure in Pennsylvania for presidential petitions, and that the same thing was done in the three previous presidential elections, not only for the Libertarians, but for other minor parties as well.
We’re anxiously waiting a decision. Russ Verney just told me that he is “confidant that this frivolous lawsuit will fail” and he expect Bob Barr to appear on the ballot in Pennsylvania.
We’ll keep you posted.
