With a referendum against the police facility in the works, Atlanta is making sure it won’t be valid. Activists have other ways to fight.
by Natasha Lennard, The Intercept
The City of Atlanta is signaling its intention to preemptively invalidate a referendum campaign to stop the construction of a vast police training facility — “Cop City” — on Atlanta forest land.
A federal court filing late last week, made on behalf of the city by attorneys from elite Atlanta law firm Bondurant Mixson & Elmore, calls the effort to put a Cop City referendum on the November ballot “invalid” and “futile.” Meanwhile, organizers are still gathering the necessary 70,000 signatures to move forward with the petition.
The city’s filing is not a direct challenge to the entire referendum campaign, but it makes clear that Atlanta officials will act to nullify the democratic effort in court, should organizers succeed in getting Cop City on the ballot.
Recent Posts
Democratic Governance Depends On Stable, Affordable Housing
Take Action Now A population that cannot afford to stay in one place cannot build civic associations, and a society without civic associations cannot…
The Lobby Is Milking The Bondi Beach Attack To Silence Critics Of Israel’s Genocide
Take Action Now It is years of dedicated work by the Israel lobby that has ensured the mass murder of Palestinians is viewed by governments, the…
White House Refuses To Rule Out Summary Executions Of People On Its Secret Domestic Terrorist List
Take Action Now The Trump administration ignored questions about whether it would order the killings of those on its NSPM-7 list — even while…
Koch Network Fuels Republican Push To Kill ACA Subsidies
Take Action Now As millions face higher premiums, Koch‑funded groups are pressuring Republicans to oppose Obamacare subsidy extensions.By Donald…