Editor's Note: Another legal action joins the spectacle of the November ballot issue in Ohio. Here's a quick look at some of the components that make up and have contributed to the issue that has gone seriously awry:
• marijuana advocates who support the current ballot initiative put forth by the group ResponsibleOhio (RO);
• "monopoly" stones cast by the likes of High Times magazine, and "cartel" stones thrown by others, over specific details of the legislation, which would limit the marijuana cultivation market to 10 already-specified-in-the-proposed--legislation grow sites;
• state legislators who actually have passed an anti-monopoly bill with RO's name all over it;
• a fraud investigation into RO around a high number of invalid petition signatures submitted;
• RO crying foul, saying they're being unjustly targeted;
• a counter lawsuit (against the Secretary of State's subpoena for RO's petition signature records) by RO that cries "McCarthyism"—outlined in the article below;
• RO challenging in the Supreme Court the ballot title and language that will be put in front of voters; and
• a bizarre (and poor) choice for a marijuana-legalization mascot (superhero) thrown into the mix.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s elections chief is being sued over his investigation into the ballot petitions of a group backing a marijuana legalization effort.
A person identified as “John Doe” filed the federal lawsuit Thursday, claiming that a subpoena issued in the probe is overly broad and violates his constitutional rights. Doe, a pot issue supporter, wants the court to block the disclosure of records to the government that could contain his private political speech and his identity.
The complaint, says Doe, a Hamilton County resident, has engaged in activity subject to disclosure by the subpoena, which was issued through Secretary of State Jon Husted and directed at the group ResponsibleOhio, its campaign’s executive director, Ian James, and James’ consulting firm, The Strategy Network.
