Arkansas Democrats Sue Nader

The state Democratic Party filed a legal challenge against Ralph Nader in an effort to keep him off the presidential election ballot in Arkansas. The suit was filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court, a week after the secretary of state`s office officially confirmed Nader`s place on the ballot. Judge Timothy Fox is to hear arguments in the case Tuesday morning. The lawsuit charges widespread fraud and other irregularities in the petitions submitted to place the noted consumer activist on the November 2nd general election ballot. It claims more than 300 signatures on the petitions should have been ruled invalid. The suit named as defendants Secretary of State Charlie Daniels, Nader and running mate Peter Camejo, the Populist Party of Arkansas and the boards of election commissioners in each of the state`s 75 counties. Jim Macri of Mountain View, the chairman of the Nader campaign in Arkansas, said he wasn`t present when all 12 hundred and 34 certified signatures were gathered, but he doesn`t believe there were any fraudulent or forged signatures and he questioned the Democrats` motives. Democrats have said they hoped Nader wouldn`t run because he would likely takes votes away from Democratic nominee John Kerry in his effort to unseat President Bush. Several top state Republicans, meanwhile, participated in the petition drive to put Nader on the ballot.