LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Attorney General Tim Griffin filed a motion Friday to dismiss the lawsuit regarding the Arkansas Abortion Amendment, saying Secretary of State John Thurston's decision to reject the ballot measure due to a lack of required documents was correct.
Arkansans For Limited Government (AFLG), the group behind the abortion amendment proposal, turned in over 100,000 signatures by the July 5 deadline. Still, Thurston tossed the measure because they lacked an up-to-date form about paid canvassers.
In response, AFLG filed a lawsuit claiming Thurston "unlawfully" rejected the abortion amendment, accusing the Secretary of State of failing to "fulfill [his] duty to perform an initial count of all signatures submitted by AFLG."
Griffin said AFLG's lawsuit challenging the decision "fails as a matter of law," which is why it should be dismissed "without further proceedings."
"AFLG claims to have submitted approximately 17 signed statements between May 8 and June 27," Griffin said. "The actual number is lower because, on multiple occasions, [Allison] Clark mistakenly submitted affidavits for Arkansans For A Free Press, a different ballot question committee sponsoring two other ballot measures."
Griffin said Clark submitted an affidavit as a paid canvasser instead of a sponsor. The attorney general argued that a person "cannot be both a paid canvasser and a measure's sponsor," as it "defeats the whole purpose of requiring a separate sponsor's statement."
"Clark is a paid canvasser, and she cannot sign as 'the sponsor,'" Griffin said. "Nor does AFLG argue Clark did."
AFLG asked the state supreme court to order a count of the signatures. However, Griffin said the law doesn't allow that, and the case should be dismissed.
There is no word on when the high court will respond, but the petition group has requested expedited hearings.