First I would like to mention that back in August when we ( a group of about a dozen Greens from throughout the state) delivered the petitions to place Nader and LaDuke on the ballot, to the secretary of state we were detained by the security guards.

The Secretay Of State here in Ohio has offices in a private building ( owned by the Borden Co. ) and the security guards refused us entry to the building due to the fact that some of us were wearing Nader/LaDuke t-shirts and some of us carried signs. We offered to put down the signs, but were told that even the t-shirts were not acceptable, and that in anycase only one of us would be admitted to the building.

We also challenged this and pointed to our right to freedom of speach. This was dismissed on the grounds that this was not a public building but a private building. I have no doubt that we would not have been allowed up to the secretary of states office if word had not reached them that we were being detained at the door.

A staff person from the Secretary Of State came down to the lobby and escorted us past the security guards, who were still objecting. This incident is fairly insignificent in and of its self, but demonstrates a general attitude of hostility towards those who dare to engage in political actions beyond the mainstream, that is beyond being cogs in the great Democrat and Republican wheels. Along with the petitions we also submitted a letter from an attorney which requested that Nader and LaDuke be listed on the ballot as Green Party candidates. Since we are not an officially recognized party here in Ohio we were seeking to follow a precident set by the Libertarians, in a court case where they won the right to have their candidate listed as Libertarian simply by listing him as such on their petitions.

We had circulated the petitions with Green Party listed, thus we expected that our candidates would be listed as Green Party candidates. ( the case that the Libertarians won over this issue is currently being appealed by the Secretary Of State)

When we were advised that Nader and LaDuke were on the ballot we were also advised that they were Independent rather than Green Party candidates. Yesterday In Federal Court in Columbus Ohio, Attys. Terry Lodge and Johnathan Bailey filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Ohio Green Party Organizing Committee, requesting that Nader and LaDuke be listed on the Ohio ballot as Green Party candidates. They also requested an injunction that would direct the secretary of state to do that NOW. The attorneys will have a conference with the Magistrate this Friday ( 9/30) to discuss that injunction.

(Many thanks to Terry Lodge for advocating for the Green Party, and who drafted the letter which we submitted with our petitions pro bono, and is the local attorney in the Nader lawsuit against DaimlerCrysler. Thanks also to Jonathan Bailey who is assisting in the current lawsuit and to attorney Dave Thomas for his assistance in providing access to the Federal Court in Columbus. Kind of restores ones faith in the legal profession )