A Huntsville woman has filed petitions with Alabama's Democratic and Republican parties asking them to disqualify several candidates for the Alabama Supreme Court.
Sherry Broyles says the Democratic Party should disqualify its nominee for chief justice, Harry Lyon, for not filing monthly campaign finance reports as required by a new law enacted by the Legislature.
Lyon calls the complaint bogus and says he hasn't raised enough money to file. Party Chairman Mark Kennedy says he will seriously review the matter.
Broyles asked Republican Party Chairman Bill Armistead to disqualify incumbent Justices Lyn Stuart, Glenn Murdock and Jim Main for not filing all the required reports.
Armistead says the candidates did file monthly reports and they didn't have to file any more frequently because they didn't have opposition.
[DOCUMENT: Armistead Complaint (.pdf)]
[DOCUMENT: Lyon Complaint (.pdf)]
"The allegations made against Mr. Lyon are serious," Kennedy said. "We assure Alabama Democrats and voters across the state that we are taking the allegations seriously and have already begun the process of ensuring they are reviewed in a thorough, proper, and timely manner." Kennedy says the party will review the allegations in a timely manner.
Kennedy added that while the complaint argues for Lyon's disqualification, the ADP has also receieved a copy of another complaint made to the State Republican Party arguing that several GOP judicial nominees have also failed to comply with the same state law.
"I urge Chairman Armistead to take the allegations against the Republican Party's nominees as seriously as we are," Kennedy said.
Lyon is an attorney from Pelham in suburban Birmingham. He faces Republican Roy Moore in the general election Nov. 6.
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