N.J. federal appeals court panel puts Carl Lewis back on ballot for state Senate race

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: NJ.com

TRENTON — Carl Lewis will get to run for the state Senate after all.

In an 11th-hour reprieve for Lewis and a blow to Gov. Chris Christie's administration, a federal appeals court panel today gave the former Olympic gold medalist the green light for his campaign just days before the deadline to print ballots.

The ruling overturned Lt. Gov Kim Guadagno's decision to remove Lewis from ballot on the ground that he did not meet the state's four-year residency requirement for state Senate candidates.

In reversing the district court ruling, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Ambro said the judge had "incorrectly applied a rational basis standard of review."

Read more: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/federal_judge_puts_carl_lewis.html

[msanthrope]

1. In other words, the Bush appointee judge who kicked him off the ballot --(2x,) is now being called a

dumbass by the 3rd circuit. The 3rd has now sent this case back to Judge Hillman, twice.

Judge Hillman recently refused a request from Lewis's lawyer to question the Repub. Secretary of State Kim Guadagno with regards to any influence Chris Christie might have had on her decision to strike Lewis....after she went against the Court of Appeals ruling in April.


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"The nine-time Olympic gold medalist’s attorney, William Tambussi, said he had "reason to believe" Gov. Chris Christie influenced Guadagno, who is also the secretary of state, to rule that Lewis did not meet the state’s four-year requirement for state Senate candidates.

Hillman, however, doubted that. "Any allegation that the governor, as powerful as he may be under our state constitution, would improperly control, influence or dictate the result of the process is to me blatantly false," he said.

Guadagno on Tuesday refused to certify Lewis as a Democratic candidate for state Senate, saying a federal appeals court order that he remain on the ballot while a case challenging his residency winds its way through court only applied to the primary.

Hillman said Guadagno’s action may be inconsistent with the appeals court order, but she was also following her obligation under state law. The judge said he didn’t need to rule on the matter Friday because the county clerks’ deadline for receiving ballot information was two weeks away."

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/judge_wont_let_carl_lewis_atto.html