From a press release of the MILegalize office:
The MILegalize United States Supreme
Court Petition for a Writ of Certiorari was filed yesterday. It will be
in the docketing system in a week or so after standard security delay
and processing. MILegalize will make an official announcement with more
details in the next few days after SCOTUS provides a docket number.
Attached is an electronic copy of the filing.
The
state has been served with notice. Once a docketing number is issued
third parties seeking to file amicus briefs have 20 days to request
permission from the parties. MILegalize welcomes amicus briefs from
anyone supporting this important battle to protect both petitioning and
voting rights and sensible cannabis law reform. The case may set
groundbreaking national precedent for both First Amendment rights and
cannabis reform as an early test of the Trump administration and a new
Supreme Court bench.
The case raises First,
Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendment due process and equal protection
violations due to the gross injustices perpetrated by the Secretary of
State, Board of Canvassers, and Bureau of Elections in refusing to
process MILegalize's 354,000 signatures submitted for the 2016 election.
The Petition seeks a declaration that both MCL 168.472a, the
"rebuttable presumption" law and a 1986 Board of Canvassers policy are
unconstitutional for placing undue burdens on the initiative petition
process, and asks the Court to remand the case with an order to fairly
canvass and qualify MILegalize's petitions for inclusion at the next
regular election -- the 2018 gubernatorial race.
In
this time of grave threats to the integrity of our democratic republic,
MILegalize remains committed to fighting for cannabis reform and for
protecting the fundamental rights of all Michiganders-- most importantly
herein, our imperiled petition and voting rights, the very essence of
government by We the People. The refusal to respect such rights by the
State of Michigan requires supervision by the Highest Court in the Land.
While the likelihood of the Court granting certiorari on any petition
remains low, MILegalize made a commitment to the People of the State of
Michigan it will not break-- we will fight as long as it takes for our
Freedom.
We continue to Demand that the
Legislature Respect the Will of Michigan voters and enact the MILegalize
plan immediately during lame duck, and also repeal all restrictions on
the right of the People to petition, most especially PA 142 of 2016. As
the likelihood for anything sensible out of this Legislature is slim,
MILegalize is also gearing up to launch another petition in spring of
2017, MILegalize2018. Learn more at
www.MILegalize.com.
