Vol. 56 No. 10
Trial Magazine
Hearsay
The Lighter Side of the Law
October 2020“Do citizens of Baker City wish to approve the sale of a 1995 Backhoe for a sum that exceeds $10,000?”
A recent ballot measure that overwhelmingly passed in an Oregon town whose charter required voter approval to sell town property valued above a certain amount. Voters also amended the charter to remove this condition.
“Rojo, put your tail down please.”
Scottish National Parliament member John Nicolson to his cat, who interrupted a virtual committee session by waving his tail in front of the camera while the lawmaker was speaking.
“The elector who had promised to vote for the winning candidate could suddenly say, you know, I’m going to vote for Frodo Baggins. . . . You’re saying, under your system, you can’t do anything about that.”
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas referencing the famous hobbit from The Lord of the Rings during arguments in Colorado Department of State v. Baca, about faithless electors who opt not to vote for the winner of their state’s popular vote.
