Florida slots campaign asks judge to dismiss fraud allegations

[DoYouEverWonder]

Dec 17, 2004

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- An attorney for the slot machines campaign asked a judge Friday to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to overturn last month's vote. Overturning the will of voters, the lawyer argued, would be an extreme step.

Circuit Judge Nikki Ann Clark didn't immediately rule on the motion. If she doesn't dismiss the lawsuit, it's to go to trial on Jan. 31.

Floridians Against Expanded Gambling, the Humane Society of the United States and Grey2K USA, a greyhound advocacy group opposed to dog tracks, allege that thousands of signatures submitted by the slots campaign were forged - including signatures from at least three dozen dead people.

The constitutional amendment lets voters in Broward and Miami-Dade counties decide later if they want to allow slots at five race tracks and two jai-alai frontons.

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"The people of the state of Florida had their names stolen," he said.

Marder argued that the 2000 ruling by Florida's high court, called Armstrong v Harris, gave Clark the authority she needed to find the results in the slots election null and void.


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