Sharpton won't continue fight to get on La. primary ballot

[Freddie Stubbs]

The Associated Press
3/1/04 3:39 PM


BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Attorneys for the Rev. Al Sharpton say they will not appeal a court ruling keeping his name off the state's March 9 Democratic presidential primary ballot.

District Court Judge Curtis Calloway ruled Feb. 19 that Secretary of State Fox McKeithen was correct not to put Sharpton's name on the ballot after his campaign failed to complete filing forms and sent an improper check as his qualifying fee.

Sharpton attorney George Gates IV said the campaign decided last week not to appeal the ruling and instead "use its resources to get delegates in other parts of the country."

Elections Commissioner Wade Martin said that although three Democratic presidential candidates have dropped out of the race nationally, two of them will have their names on Louisiana's ballot because they haven't filed withdrawal forms.

more: http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?n1352_BC_LA--Sharpton-La.Prima&&news&newsflash-louisiana

[kayleybeth]

1. Yeah I read that

If he had appealed the decision the Louisiana primary would likely have been delayed.

From what I heard, the problem was that he paid his fee by check instead of cash (big no-no).