When the editor of Ballot Access News, Richard Winger, and five other activists, Steve Chessin, Jeff Mackler, Rodney Martin, Mona Field and Jennifer Wozniak, sued California's Top-Two Open Primaries, known as Prop. 14, they lost their challenge in court, with judges finding that the top-two primary law was valid and constitutional. But unfortunately for these citizen-challengers, that's not the end of the story.
The citizens sued the state, but the wealthy backers of the top-two primary system intervened in the case. Once the ruling went against the plaintiffs, the top-two backers sought to get the citizens to pay their attorneys' fees, and this week a San Francisco judge agreed, ordering the six citizens to pay $243,279.50.
The judge's order, which is likely to be appealed, says that the backers of the initiative are owed the fees because the plaintiffs lost and because they didn't achieve anything in the public interest.
Use these links to read articles about the decision:
The-Cost-of-Taking-on-California-Reformers
Loser Pays
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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