Rulings on November Issues Will be Appealed

Two judicial decisions keeping two initiative petitions off the November ballot will be appealed. Cole County Circuit Judge Richard Callahan has ruled that Secretary of State Robin Carnahan was correct in deciding that the group, Missourians in Charge, failed to meet state requirements for petitions calling for further restrictions on state government spending and eminent domain. Callahan ruled that the group failed to correctly number the petitions submitted on the government spending proposal, in violation of state requirements. Missourians in Charge spokesman, Patrick Tuohey, says the ruling in the eminent domain case is frustrating, because the judge ruled signatures invalid because they were gathered under an incorrect ballot title, a ballot title spoiled by a fiscal note the group had nothing to do with. The State Auditor’s office miscalculated the fiscal note, ruining the title. The judge ruled the mistakes were too great to overlook. Tuohey disagrees with Callahan’s ruling that state requirements for initiative petitions don’t violate the state constitution. Tuohey says the group is considering its next step, but does plan to appeal the rulings.