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(excerpt from) Philly Now
Nader Pissed About Getting Kicked Off 2004 PA Ballot? He’s Not Alone
Jun 29, 2011 by Randy LoBasso
Earlier this week Ralph Nader, that guy you liked until Bush was installed as president, made public a letter he had previously sent to Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille in 2004.* The letter suggests an undermining of democracy based on Nader’s unsuccessful attempt to get on the PA ballot, which include signature challenges, before the Bush and Kerry could get on with their extreme sadshow. We’re not exactly sure why the former independent candidate and public advocate waited until now (he says it’s a shot before Castille’s 2013 re-election), but since he did, it helps to know that 2004 wasn’t the end of independent candidates getting kicked off the ballot in Pennsylvania. Nader’s accusations are pretty [bleep] common.
Last summer, as the races for Pennsylvania governor and U.S. Senate dwindled in the heat, mainstream candidates – both Republican and Democrat – were making sure no one had the chance to take even a single vote “away from them,” too…
This is a huge problem in Pennsylvania politics. Other-party candidates are faced with almost impossible hurdles as it pertains to getting on the ballot, and staying on it. In fact, back in 2006, Pennsylvania was called one of the worst places – in the world! – to have a free election, according to the Helsinki Accords.
…Back in 2006, Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli thought he had something going when he filed almost 100,000 signatures to get on the ballot for Senate, among the most in state history…
The challengers, one of which was Daniel Anders, now a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge, hired the Pittsburgh lawfirm of Thorp, Reed and Armstrong to help them get Romanelli off the ballot.
…Romanelli lost. And was then required to pay more than $80,000 in legal fees to the Pittsburgh lawfirm. That’s not the full bill, he says, just what the court who handed down the decision imposed.
“To date I have not paid a cent,” he says, “and I do not intend to at any time in the future. I did nothing wrong…”…
* Editor’s note from KW – I do not understand if the letter was written in 2011 or 2004. But, it is about a very bad situation that happened in 2004, and the court systems very bad response to the situation.
Filed under: 3rd party, Ballot issues, grassroots democracy, Green Party, News, progressive politics, Ralph Nader, third party Tagged: | carl romanelli, electoral activism, government accountability, Nader
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