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Husted Asks Court to Enforce Subpoenas in Pot Issue Probe
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio’s elections chief is asking a court to enforce subpoenas issued in his probe into ballot signatures gathered by a group supporting a marijuana legalization initiative.
Secretary of State Jon Husted has tapped a special investigator to review why a number of petition signatures collected by ResponsibleOhio were invalid, and some paper forms didn’t match electronic copies. Husted says Ohio law allows him investigate suspicions of fraud.
ResponsibleOhio’s executive director, Ian James, was subpoenaed, with his consulting firm. ResponsibleOhio has called the investigation “a witch hunt.”
Husted’s request Tuesday to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas is the latest in a spat over the subpoenas, which are also being challenged in federal court as overly broad and in violation of pot issue supporters’ First Amendment and privacy rights.