Democratic Party officials have filed a motion in 3rd District Court accusing Republican State Treasurer Ed Alter of using the courts to manipulate the recent election.
The dismissal motion, filed this week, contends Alter's petition filed one week before the election cost Democratic opponent Art Monson victory.State Democratic Party attorney Patrick Shea also said that if Judge Michael Murphy agrees the petition charging Monson with violating state election laws was improperly filed, the party will consider asking that Alter be stripped of office.
Democrats charge that Alter's unexpected re-election resulted from "obvious collusion" between the candidate and a voter who improperly filed the petition. Alter in turn gave the petition to the press prior to it being filed in court, the party says.
A week before the November election, Linda Tracy, a private citizen acting as her own attorney, filed suit in 3rd District Court charging Monson with failing to report at least $4,200 in contributions he received from a fund-raiser last June.
Tracy had charged the Democrat with failing to list the contributions he received on his July 11 report.