Court Proceedings in Tobacco Tax Challenge End for Week

The legal challenge to Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s decision to reject the tobacco tax initiative on the grounds proponents were 274 votes short of the amount needed in the 5th Congressional District in Jackson County ends for the week. It will resume Monday with Cole County Circuit Judge Tom Brown hearing more arguments. Attorney Chuck Hatfield, representing the plaintiffs, says there are more than a thousand valid signatures that were not counted. Attorney Marc Ellinger, representing the opponents, claims mistakes were made during the collection of the signatures – and some of the signatures were tossed because of that. The judge could rule as early as Monday.