Washblog || Eyman is still full of crap (fraud and paid per signature ban)

Eyman is still full of crap (fraud and paid per signature ban)

By emmettoconnell
Fri Jan 26, 2007 at 08:51:12 AM PST
Section: Washington State Topic: Legislation

Update [2007-1-26 18:36:46 by emmettoconnell]: Horsesass and McCranium have more.

It's ridiculous they would be passing a law the courts have already rejected. It's not a similar law; its the exact same bill as in 1993.

Eyman quoted in the Olympian this morning about the paid per signature ban, and he's showing his loose grip on the facts. In the quote, he's referring to HB 1645, a paid per signature ban passed by the legislature in 1993 and overturned a year later in LIMIT v. Maleng.

Eyman and folks like Stephan Sharkansky would like you to believe that the court had a problem with any sort of ban on how signature gatherers are paid, but that simply isn't true. What the court had a problem with is that at the time, the state didn't produce any evidence about fraud connected to signature gatherers being paid per signature, therefore the ban overstepped constitutional bounds.

From the Jaeger decision:

In LIMIT v. Maleng, 874 F. Supp. 1138, 1140 (W.D.Wash. 1994), the state did not produce any evidence to support its contention that paying circulators on a per signature basis would encourage fraud. Therefore, the district court found that the prohibition on payment per signature was an unconstitutional infringement on freedom of political speech.

Its not that they didn't produce some evidence of fraud, and the court didn't believe them, they didn't produce any evidence. The origianal law was badly defended. Given a fair shake, like a similar law in Oregon, it would likely be upheld by the courts. In the Oregon case, the state was able to show that fraud was connected to the paid-per-signature model, and the court upheld the law.

< Information about Transportation to and Rally at Watada Trial | Paid per signature ban has worked in Oregon >

Eyman is still full of crap (fraud and paid per signature ban) | 0 comments ( topical)

RE-ELECT
ALEC FISKEN
Seattle Port Commission

FISKEN'S PORT WATCH
Environmental Issues

REAL CHANGE
HOMELESS EMPOWERMENT PROJECT

PIRATE TELEVISION
Challenging the Corporate Media Blockade

Watch Live or Archived Shows:
Seattle SCAN
South End PSA

Photo courtesy of photographer/thankyoult.org
THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT WATADA

WA PEACE LINKS

ABUSE OF POWER
Inspired by Rob McKenna's Fake Attorney General Letterhead
GIF of Letter

PNW TOPIC HOTLIST

Blog Directory

WELCOME AND FAQ
ABOUT

Login

Make a new account

Recommended Diaries

Political Graphics 101: 34th LD lit deconstructed
As part of my highly opinionated, ruthlessly honest series on political graphics, I zero in on campaign lit from the 34th.
By dinazina (6 comments)
Gulliver's Travels
Jeb Bush came to town today and stopped by to speak with the Microsoft Political Action Committee. Most memorable metaphor on
By BryceM (8 comments)
WA Insurance Commissioner Says: Don't Believe the Hype (Yes on R -67)
Today I received the email copied below from Mike Kreidler, Washington State's Insurance Commissioner. It contrasts interestingly with the letter full
By noemie maxwell (2 comments)
Here in Douglas County who you are still seems to carry a lot of clout.
Commissioner Dane Keane has done it again! This time he has damaged a county vehicle while apparently under the influence. Although
By Dixie (3 comments)
John Edwards In Seattle - Why You Should Be There
Hello everyone. My name is Michael, I live in Puyallup, and this is my first time posting here. I wanted to
By Michael 4 Edwards (14 comments)
West Seattle Neighbors' 9-11 Antiwar newspaper ad
ON 9-11-07, the Robinson newspapers (West Seattle Herald, etc) will display this half-page ad, paid for by West Seattle Neigbors
By dinazina (9 comments)