Nebraska secretary of state believes there is ‘tangible evidence of fraud’ involving medical marijuana petitions
Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen said in a new court filing that he believes there is “tangible evidence of fraud, malfeasance, and related irregularities regarding both signature collection and notarization” of the medical marijuana petitions.He said it now calls into question 49,000 signatures that would take it below the number needed to qualify for the ballot.Related video above: Nebraska judge dismisses part of lawsuit against medical marijuana ballot initiativesEvnen is asking the court to speed up its process of determining the matter, remove it from the ballot before the election, or declare it void and not count the ballots after the election.Nebraska Families for Medical Cannabis released a statement in response.”We are appalled by the state of Nebraska and its elected officials who are willing to stop at nothing to deprive Nebraskans of the chance to vote on compassionate access to medical cannabis for suffering patients. The secretary of state names and attacks patients and caregivers who have been tirelessly fighting for access for over a decade—based on alleged notary mistakes on a handful of petitions. It is both sickening and wrong to go after individuals who have given everything to this fight. Nebraskans should be outraged that the state is trying to toss aside the will of the people, by using power, money and intimidation. We will not back down, and will continue to advocate for patients in this state as well as those who have been fighting alongside.”In the cross-claim filed by Evnen on Oct. 4, he says the attorney general’s ongoing investigation has already resulted in two criminal complaints, and more than 10 other people in several counties could be criminally charged as well.Evnen said the alleged violations include not properly submitting circulator’s oath signatures or notaries not being present when circulators turned in petition pages.He said his decision to certify the petitions on Sept. 13 was based on the information available at that time. Related coverage: What are Nebraskans voting for? Breaking down the ballot initiatives, referendumIn an email to KETV, a spokesperson for the secretary of state said the cannabis petitions will still be on the ballots, and the court will decide whether the organizers properly collected signatures and if the vote toward the measures should be counted.Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen said in a new court filing that he believes there is “tangible evidence of fraud, malfeasance, and related irregularities regarding both signature collection and notarization” of the medical marijuana petitions.
He said it now calls into question 49,000 signatures that would take it below the number needed to qualify for the ballot.
Related video above: Nebraska judge dismisses part of lawsuit against medical marijuana ballot initiatives
Evnen is asking the court to speed up its process of determining the matter, remove it from the ballot before the election, or declare it void and not count the ballots after the election.
Nebraska Families for Medical Cannabis released a statement in response.
“We are appalled by the state of Nebraska and its elected officials who are willing to stop at nothing to deprive Nebraskans of the chance to vote on compassionate access to medical cannabis for suffering patients. The secretary of state names and attacks patients and caregivers who have been tirelessly fighting for access for over a decade—based on alleged notary mistakes on a handful of petitions. It is both sickening and wrong to go after individuals who have given everything to this fight. Nebraskans should be outraged that the state is trying to toss aside the will of the people, by using power, money and intimidation. We will not back down, and will continue to advocate for patients in this state as well as those who have been fighting alongside.”
In the cross-claim filed by Evnen on Oct. 4, he says the attorney general’s ongoing investigation has already resulted in two criminal complaints, and more than 10 other people in several counties could be criminally charged as well.
Evnen said the alleged violations include not properly submitting circulator’s oath signatures or notaries not being present when circulators turned in petition pages.
He said his decision to certify the petitions on Sept. 13 was based on the information available at that time.
Related coverage: What are Nebraskans voting for? Breaking down the ballot initiatives, referendum
In an email to KETV, a spokesperson for the secretary of state said the cannabis petitions will still be on the ballots, and the court will decide whether the organizers properly collected signatures and if the vote toward the measures should be counted.