Public Media from Michigan State University

Ballot bid by MI "Tea Party" group fails

By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-922117.mp3

LANSING, MI –
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There won't be a "Tea Party" fielding candidates on the November ballot. As we hear from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta, a state Supreme Court decision ends the legal battle over what many people believe was an attempt to hijack the Tea Party movement.

AUDIO:
The Michigan Supreme Court refused to take the case and allowed a state Court of Appeals decision to stand. It says an elections panel was within its rights to refuse to approve petitions to put a Tea Party on the November ballot based on a technical error.

A bipartisan majority of three Republicans and two Democrats on the Supreme Court voted not to take the case. Two Democrats said they would take it.

Republicans and Tea Party movement activists tried to block putting a "Tea Party" on the ballot. They say this is a fake "Tea Party" that was trying to dilute the voting power of conservatives in competitive races. This "Tea Party" does have ties to Democrats and the Oakland County Sheriff's Department is conducting a criminal investigation into irregularities on many "Tea Party" candidate filings.


Election 2010 - WKAR
For more election reporting, interviews and analysis from WKAR, visit WKAR.org/election2010

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