Eric O’Keefe

Federal Judge Robert Holmes Bell of Michigan has just issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Secretary of State to review all of the signatures in the petition to recall house speaker Andy Dillon.

This will likely lead to a recall vote on Dillon on the November 4 general election ballot.

The decision is based on the “’strong’ liklihood” that restrictions on petition circulators “violate Plaintiff’s First Amendment rights…”

More from the preliminary injunction:

“…Defendant Terri Lynn Land, as Michigan’s Secretary of State, SHALL re-examine the petitions filed seeking a recall election against Representative Dillon of Michigan’s 17th House District WITHOUT consideration of M.C.L. 168.957 requirements that (1) recall petition circulators be registered to vote, and that (2) recall petition circulators be residents of the legislative district of the official to be recalled. If upon such re-examination Defendant determines that the required 8,724 valid signatures were gathered, then Defendant SHALL place the recall against Representative Dillon on the November 4, 2008 general election ballot.”
(emphasis in original.)

Tim Eyman has mortgaged his home to assure payment for the rest of a petition drive in Washington. Eyman is a veteran anti-tax leader heading the effort to pass Initiative 985 , a measure to introduce some sanity into transportation policies and spending.

Eyman reported in an e-mail alert to the media and donors that the campaign has raised $279,000, but needs another $250,000 to complete the petition drive. Eyman has been an innovative initiative leader, with a history of putting creative and popular measures on the ballot, and then running only earned media efforts to advocate a “yes” vote. Last year voters passed Initiative 960, and his organization Permanent Offense is living up to its name with this new proposal.

The Sam Adams Alliance contributed to last year’s petition drive, and is considering a significant contribution to help with this petition drive.