Gov. Sanders names second appointee to decide medical marijuana court ballot battle

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Monday, Gov. Sarah Huckabee-Sanders (R) appointed Don Curdie as special justice to the Arkansas Supreme Court to help decide if the proposed medical marijuana expansion amendment should be allowed on the ballot.

Curdie is currently on the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy, which oversees certified public accountants. According to the website, Curdie previously served as a federal administrative law judge. According to the profile on the Republican National Lawyers Association webpage, Curdie volunteered for numerous Republican campaigns, including Sanders.

The special appointments were made after AR Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kemp and Associate Justice Courtney Hudson recused themselves from the case without offering any additional information about why.

According to the latest court filings on Monday, the case could come down to what the word "sponsor" means and if a sponsor's agent can sign off on required paperwork for paying canvassers to gather signed petitions. Two temporary appointees with strong ties to the governor will help decide the issue before voters ever get the chance to weigh in for the upcoming election.




https://www.4029tv.com/article/gov-sanders-names-second-appointee-to-decide-medical-marijuana-court-ballot-battle/62535081