Posted on 04/17/2015 5:43:27 PM PDT by massmike
Opponents of Houston's non-discrimination ordinance failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum, a state district judge ruled Friday, validating city officials' decision to toss out the petition foes submitted last summer.
After separate rulings from both a jury and state District Judge Robert Schaffer, attorneys for both sides entered dueling counts of the valid signatures, adding and subtracting voters as Schaffer responded to motions. By early this week, the counts were closer together than ever before, fewer than 1,000 signatures apart.
Ultimately, Schaffer on Friday ruled the final count of valid signatures was 16,684, leaving opponents short of the threshold required in the city charter of 17,249 signatures, or 10 percent of the ballots cast in the last mayoral election.
The law, on hold during trial, is now in effect, according to a city spokeswoman. Mayor Annise Parker released a statement celebrating the verdict.
"I would hope that the plaintiffs would not appeal, they lost during a jury trial and today they also lost with the judge's ruling," Parker said. "Now all Houstonians have access to the same protections."
But opponents, largely conservative activists and pastors whose objections center on the protections the law extends to gay and transgender residents, say they will appeal the decision.
Andy Taylor, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he remains confident they will ultimately take the law to voters. He was particularly upset with rulings that some illegible signatures were disqualified.
"We intend to appeal and are confident the higher courts will agree that good handwriting is not a valid reason to deny citizens of their constitutional rights to vote," Taylor said.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Except, of course, for whatever decent people remain in the city. They can leave.
Is lezzie mayor Annise Porker still sending Govag spies into Christian churches in Houston?
Dang. They disqualified eligible signatures, is what I heard. At least they’re planning to appeal. Pray it takes, next time.
And there are those on Free Republic that like to pretend all the liberal nuts are in California, move somewhere else they say, somewhere Conservative..................like Texas, yeah right. The plain simple fact is that the liberals are F’ing up every state.
And yes, they are destroying Texas, and not just Austin. Had to get my annual car inspection today. Guy working at station spoke Farsi and had to moved to Houston suburbs from Boston. Said he didn’t mind high inspection/license fees when he was in Boston because his employer paid them. Tried to explain to him that his employer didn’t pay them, the people who frequented his employer did as part of the fees they paid. He then said I was wrong because it was part of his paycheck. I finally gave up and as I was walking out the door commented that I really wished all the newcomers to our state would just leave and take their literal thinking with them. People in the waiting room clapped.
I hope all the liberal women of Houston will be happy sharing their bathrooms with men...
The Pro Family forces came close and only fell short as many signitures were disqualified. Many of those disqualified signitures should be added into the totals.
He didn’t just side with the city perverts, he dictated the number of votes that were “valid,” just under the required number. Surprise, surprise.
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