Closing arguments conclude in trial for Nebraska’s medical cannabis ballot measures

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BACK TO YOU. 14 HOURS, 58 MINUTES. IT IS THE FINAL SPRINT TO ELECTION DAY AS BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES MAKE THEIR FINAL PITCH TO VOTERS IN BATTLEGROUND STATES. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP CAMPAIGNED IN PENNSYLVANIA, NORTH CAROLINA AND MICHIGAN, WHILE VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS IS SPENDING THE ENTIRE DAY IN PENNSYLVANIA AS WE SPEAK, MORE THAN 78 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY VOTED IN THE U.S., 35 MILLION MAIL-IN ABSENTEE BALLOTS AND A RECORD 42 MILLION EARLY IN-PERSON VOTERS HERE IN NEBRASKA. THE CIVIL TRIAL, SEEKING TO INVALIDATE TWO MEDICAL MARIJUANA INITIATIVES ON THE BALLOT, HAS CONCLUDED IT COULD BE WEEKS BEFORE A JUDGE RULES IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO TOSS OUT THOUSANDS OF PETITION SIGNATURES DUE TO ALLEGED WIDESPREAD MISCONDUCT AND FRAUD BY BALLOT ORGANIZERS. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S ANDREW OZAKI HAS BEEN COVERING THE PROCEEDING AND NOW REPORTS ON WHAT THIS MEANS FOR TOMORROW’S ELECTION. AFTER FOUR DAYS OF TESTIMONY, ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND FORMER STATE SENATOR JOHN KEANE, WHO FILED THE SUIT, SAY THEY BELIEVE THERE’S ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO TOSS OUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PETITION SIGNATURES AND INVALIDATE THE TWO MARIJUANA PETITIONS. THE PEOPLE DESERVE THAT ONLY VALIDLY GATHERED SIGNATURES SHOULD BE COUNTED IN THAT TOTAL. THEY POINTED TO CIRCULATORS WHO SAY NOTARIES WERE NOT PRESENT WHEN THEY SIGNED PETITION PAGES AS REQUIRED BY LAW. ONE EVEN FORGED NAMES FROM A PHONE BOOK. THEY ALSO INTRODUCED TEXT COMMUNICATIONS THAT INDICATED AN ATTITUDE BY ORGANIZERS. IT WAS THE WIN AT ALL COSTS THAT THE ARE. THERE ARE NO RULES ATTITUDE EMBRACED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NEBRASKANS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA CAMPAIGN AND ONE OF ITS SPONSORS IN PARTICULAR. THAT IS WHAT IS UNPRECEDENTED. BUT ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING NEBRASKANS FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA SAY THE OPPOSITION HAS NOT SHOWN THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH MISTAKES AND EVEN POSSIBLE FRAUD TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THE PETITION. CERTIFICATION AND QUESTIONED THE CREDIBILITY OF THE KEY WITNESSES AND SAY THE COMMUNICATIONS WERE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. WHY IS OUR GOVERNMENT SO COMMITTED TO UNDERMINING THESE INITIATIVES? WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT PROSECUTING PEOPLE CIVILLY AND CRIMINALLY FOR HUMAN ERROR? AS FOR THE ELECTION, BOTH MEASURES WERE CERTIFIED AND ARE ON THE BALLOT AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE COUNTED AND REPORTED AS NORMAL. THE JUDGE HAS GIVEN EACH SIDE UNTIL NOVEMBER 12TH TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL BRIEFS. EVEN IF SHE RULES IN FAVOR OF THE PLAINTIFF, MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO PROVE THE SIGNATURES WERE LEGITIMATE. WELL, RIGHT NOW, IT MEANS THAT VOTERS ARE GOING TO VOTE TOMORROW ON BOTH INITIATIVES TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE’RE GOING TO HEAR THE FINAL RESULT FROM THE VOTERS AND THE JUDGE EVENTUALLY, IN A FEW WEEKS I

“]] It could be weeks before a judge rules if there is sufficient evidence to toss out thousands of petition signatures due to alleged widespread misconduct and fraud by ballot organizers.  Read More