Activist asks clerk to certify Conyers - or wait for federal hearing
8:08 PM, May 12, 2014
By Marlon A. Walker
Detroit Free Press Staff Writer
Community activist Robert Davis has asked Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett to allow the roughly 1,200 signatures submitted by U.S. Rep. John Conyers’ campaign to be used to certify the 84-year-old congressman for his latest run for office.
If not, he asked in a letter today that she delay her decision until after his hearing Thursday in U.S. District Court on arguments regarding the constitutionality of requiring petition circulators to be registered voters. Davis has an emergency hearing before U.S. District Judge Gershwin A. Drain.
Questions arose about the validity of signatures Conyers’ campaign turned in to qualify for the ballot, with more than 1,400 of the 2,000 signatures now being called invalid. Conyers could join Davis’ lawsuit. His camp said last week that they’re waiting to see Garrett’s determination before saying what their next steps will be. Conyers, who has state Sen. Bert Johnson, D-Highland Park, running his campaign, has until June 6 to get on the ballot.
“He’s affected by the same provision which I’m trying to have ruled unconstitutional,” Davis said of Conyers. “It is a binding precedent of this circuit. They are required to follow the rule of law and the precedent of the circuit, which has been done in other situations involving other candidates” ...
http://www.freep.com/article/20140512/NEWS06/305120195/1008/NEWS06/Labor-activist-ask-clerk-certify-Conyers-re-election-using-roughly-1-200-signatures