The case was set for Dec 1 and Elaine Brown won her motion for a continuance until Dec 19. Now that Dec 19 is next week, the word around Brunswick is that Elaine Brown and Zack Lyde decided at the last minute to drop their contests of election lawsuit. Yes they both filed a lawsuit.

The truth of the matter won out. Elaine Brown was not a legal resident of Brunswick for at least 12 months and could not run for office. Otherwise she would of continued to fight this case if she felt in her heart that she was within the law.

Is the matter done? Only Elaine Brown and her friends know.

A counter suit against Elaine Brown is still pending.

December 10, 2005

Elaine Brown being Counter-Sued

Elaine Brown, the former and only female leader of the Black Panther Party, wanted to be Mayor of Brunswick, Georgia. Before the election a challenge was filed to the candidacy of Elaine Brown. A hearing was held and evidence presented established that Elaine Brown DID NOT meet the legal requirements to run for Mayor.

Elaine Brown has since filed appeal after appeal and filed other lawsuits challenging the Nov 8 Election results citing many violations and other reasons she cites in her lawsuits.

Now, the first COUNTER-SUIT has been filed against Elaine Brown seeking damages and legal fees.

This is a copy of the news report from The Brunswick News, Friday, December 9, 2005 on Page 2-A

Mayoral election back in court
The Brunswick News
Brunswick, Georgia

The two Brunswick residents who successfully petitioned to get Elaine brown off the mayoral ballot in the Nov 8 city election are now counter-suing her.

Brown has challenged the Glynn County Board of Elections ruling that removed her from the ballot in both Superior Court and U.S. District Court.

In their lawsuit filed Wednesday, Howard Buie and Alice Norman seek restitution of their legal fees for defending themselves during Brown’s hearings.

A hearing on Brown’s lawsuit contesting the results of last month’s election and a request for a new election will be held Dec 19 in Glynn County Superior Court.

A hearing date has not been set for the counter-suit.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 17, 2005
CONTACT: Cathy Browning, 912-996-6523

(Brunswick, Georgia)

MAYORAL ELECTION TO BE CONTESTED

Former candidate for mayor Elaine Brown has filed a Petition in Glynn County Superior Court contesting the result of the mayoral election of November 8, 2005. The Affidavits of poll watchers and monitors attest to misconduct, fraud and irregularity in the conduct of the election and place the results in doubt.
Brown states that despite the Order by U.S. District Court Judge Anthony Alaimo, the Glynn County Board of Elections did not “preserve and tally” her write-in votes. Brown also charges that her name was illegally removed from the ballot. She has notified the two other mayoral candidates, Betsy Bean and Otis Herrington, of her contest of the election.

Bryan Thompson Ineligible to Hold Office

Relatedly, Brunswick activist Zack Lyde filed an additional contest on the same grounds as Brown.
Brown also contests the election on the grounds that Bryan Thompson is not eligible to hold office because he is CEO of Blueprint Brunswick, Inc., which receives City funding. Under the legal doctrine of “incompatible offices,” it is illegal for a person to be an official of a government that funds his own company.

1. # # # #

70% of the residents are black and do not want to suffer the consequences of redevelopment and gentrification because these plans certainly don’t include THEM.

Please note that out of 16,000 residents, only approximately 7,500 are REGISTERED VOTERS, and 1,936 actually voted.

The Glynn County Board of Elections disqualified her as a candidate and voter on October 14th. This was done with no evidence and was in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the U.S. Constitution, and the Official Code of Georgia.

The decision came after 5 p.m. and without taking a vote of the Board, it was decided they would remove Brown from the ballot. They had the ballots reprinted over the weekend in time to send out the Absentee Ballot on Oct. 18.

The opposition, including power brokers and developers from Sea Island and beyond continued with their “plan to get Brown off the ballot” when Senior Superior Court Judge Pope upheld the Board’s decision.

Without a name on the ballot and newspaper coverage that votes for her would not count, voters were disenfranchised.

One day before the election, Brown filed a petition in federal court. Judge Alaimo ruled that the Board had to preserve a record of her write-ins pending a trial on the merits of her case.

The Board of Elections was not expecting this and voiced their opinions in print.

On Election Day, Brown’s name was not on the list of write-ins.

Poll Watchers have already reported misconduct at every city precinct and the election will probably be contested based on this, while Brown pursues her case in the courts.

When the law is selectively used by local election boards, judges, state election divisions, and any others—-you have the right to seek justice in all courts, including the federal Supreme Court.

So, if any are dismayed that Brown is exercising her rights and continuing her case in the courts, then I suggest you think again.

None of us should be content with this “managed democracy.”