Judge sides with NRA, rules to block gun safety initiative

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

A Thurston County judge sided with the Gun Lobby on Friday and threw out 377,000 signatures that had put gun safety initiative 1639 on Washington's November ballot.

Responding to a lawsuit filed by the National Rifle Association, and Second Amendment Foundation founder Alan Gottleib, Judge James Dixon rules that signature petitions "did not comport" with state law. He ordered the Secretary of State's office to stop certification of I-1639.

The Alliance for Gun Responsibility immediately appealed the decision. The Washington State Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in September.

"The decision is frankly shocking: The right of voters to make changes to our laws via initiatives has been part of our state's history for more than 100 years and is fundamental to the Washington we know today," said Renee Hopkins of the Alliance.

"Today's decision tossed out the signatures of more than 377,000 voters and undermined rights of the citizens of the state in favor of the interests of the Gun Lobby."

The challenge to initiative petitions represented a legal "Hail Mary" pass for gun rights groups.

Polls have shown strong support for I-1639. Its supporters raised more than $3 million to put it on the ballot, with million-dollar plus donations from Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen as well as entrepreneuer Nick Hanauer and wife Leslie. The National Rifle Association has ponied up only $100,000 to fight the initiative.

https://www.seattlepi.com/local/politics/article/Connelly-Judge-sides-with-NRA-rules-to-block-13164472.php?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=dailynewsletterspi&utm_term=spi

[Aristus]

1. I'm sure he'll be receiving his check from the NRA any time now...

[Jake Stern]

2. From what I read the petition organizers did not follow the law

That states that a clear, readable copy of the question must be on the back of each petition. Apparently they didn't do that.

Their sloppiness and corner cutting aren't the fault of the NRA.

Before someone launches a petition drive they should take a few minutes to read over the laws governing petitions in their state. It will prevent a lot of heartbreak later when more than a quarter million signatures are tossed.

[SeattleVet]

3. They also did not follow any of the rules about formatting their proposed changes in the law.

Anything that is going to be deleted must be shown as text with a line through it, and there is also a very specific format for the added text. The initiative promoters did now follow any of the formatting rules. These requirements are readily available from the state.

If you are going to file something that you hope is going to be law, you have to at least make a very minimal effort to get it into the format that is required.