Latest news with #McClusky
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Olney will not be on June 24 Watertown council primary ballot
Jun. 5—WATERTOWN — Councilman Cliff G. Olney's last argument to get on the City Council ballot for the June 24 primary was not successful on Thursday morning. State Supreme Court Judge James P. McClusky on Thursday denied Olney's request to put him back on the ballot. Olney was ready to give oral arguments, but the judge ruled from the bench. "This was decided before I got here today," Olney said. He reiterated that he will run as a write-in candidate and has already started taking steps to get the word out to the public on how to vote for him. He has put together a campaign card explaining what voters have to do vote for him. Olney plans to go door to door to pass them out before the June 24 primary. He also plans to notify all the people who signed his ballots to tell them that they've "been disenfranchised," Olney said. Olney, a first-term councilman, was in court Thursday after refiling a motion seeking to have Judge McClusky reverse a decision that his name not be on the ballot. Seven other candidates are running in the June 24 primary. Four will go on to the November general election. Olney, who acted as his own attorney in the court matter, requested that Judge McClusky reconsider a ruling that a legal challenge of an elections board determination that he did not have enough valid signatures on his campaign petitions was not filed in a timely manner. Olney initially filed suit asking to have his petitions reviewed by the court after it was determined he lacked the required minimum number of signatures to be on the ballot. While Judge McClusky did rule that Olney had enough signatures to be on the ballot, he subsequently dismissed Olney's complaint because it had not been served on the defendants in a timely manner. Olney, who contended he followed the court's timeline when serving the papers, filed a motion to have the matter reconsidered. Judge McClusky declined the request, ruling that Olney did not abide by state Civil Practice Laws and Rules when filing his motion for reconsideration. Olney subsequently refiled the motion, indicating that he had corrected any procedural error in his filings.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Printed Watertown City Council primary ballots do not include Olney's name
May 30—WATERTOWN — Ballots have been printed for the June 24 City Council primary and Councilman Cliff G. Olney's name is not on them. The Jefferson County Board of Elections went ahead printing the ballots while Olney is continuing his efforts in court to secure a spot on the ballot as he runs for reelection. Olney, a first-term councilman, has a court hearing next Friday after refiling a motion seeking to have a state Supreme Court judge reverse a decision that his name is not on the ballot. If he's successful in court, the elections board can reprint them with his name on it before the primary, County Attorney John L. Sabik said. If Judge McClusky denies his legal argument, Olney plans to run as a write-in candidate. "I won't have a lot of time to let my supporters know how they can vote for me," he said. Seven other candidates are running in the June 24 primary. Four will go on to the November election. Olney, who is acting as his own attorney in the court matter, said Thursday night that he was surprised to learn that Judge McClusky did not place a restraining order on stopping the elections board from printing the ballots until after Friday's court hearing. He's requesting that Judge McClusky reconsider a ruling that a legal challenge of an elections board determination that he did not have enough valid signatures on his campaign petitions was not filed in a timely manner. Olney initially filed suit asking to have his petitions reviewed by the court after it was determined he lacked the required minimum number of signatures to be on the ballot. While Judge McClusky did rule that Olney had enough signatures to be on the ballot, he subsequently dismissed Olney's complaint because it had not been served on the defendants in a timely manner. Olney, who contended he followed the court's timeline when serving the papers, filed a motion to have the matter reconsidered. Judge McClusky declined the request, ruling that Olney did not abide by state Civil Practice Laws and Rules when filing his motion for reconsideration. Olney subsequently refiled the motion, indicating that he has corrected any procedural error in his filings.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watertown Councilman Olney refiles motion to have election challenge reheard
May 28—WATERTOWN — City Councilman Cliff G. Olney III is continuing his efforts in court to secure a spot on the ballot as he runs for reelection. He refiled a motion seeking to have a state Supreme Court judge reconsider a ruling that a legal challenge of a Jefferson County Board of Elections determination that he did not have enough valid signatures on his campaign petitions was not filed in a timely manner. Olney initially filed suit asking to have his petitions reviewed by the court after it was determined he lacked the required minimum number of signatures to be on the upcoming June 24 City Council ballot. While Judge James P. McClusky did rule that Olney had enough signatures to be on the ballot, he subsequently dismissed Olney's complaint because it had not been served on the defendants in a timely manner. Olney, who contended he followed the court's timeline when serving the papers, filed a motion to have the matter reconsidered. Judge McClusky declined the request, ruling that Olney did not abide by state Civil Practice Laws and Rules when filing his motion for reconsideration. Olney, who is acting as his own attorney in the matter, has now refiled the motion, indicating that he has corrected any procedural error in his filings. Judge McClusky has scheduled an order to show cause hearing for June 5.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge rejects reconsideration of Olney's ballot challenge
May 23—WATERTOWN — A state Supreme Court judge has declined to hear a motion brought by City Councilman Clifford G. Olney III asking the judge to reconsider an earlier ruling that keeps Olney off the ballot for the upcoming City Council race. Judge James P. McClusky had ruled Tuesday that a suit brought by Olney against the Jefferson County Board of Elections be dismissed because notice of the action had not been served on the county and a second defendant, Jeanne Barker, in a timely manner. Olney was challenging a determination made by the board that he lacked the necessary number of valid signatures on his candidate petitions to be included on the ballot. While McClusky's ruling did give validation to enough signatures on the petitions to restore Olney to the ballot, the issue was rendered moot when McClusky further ruled that the defendants were not given sufficient timely notice of the action, resulting in the dismissal of the suit. Barker, a city resident, was named in the action because she was the one who filed a challenge to Olney's petitions with the Board of Elections. Following McClusky's ruling, Olney almost immediately filed a motion with the court asking that the matter be reconsidered or that he have an opportunity to reargue the case. He made the argument, among other things, that his notice upon the defendants had been served in accordance with a timeline set by the court, which he had met. In his subsequent ruling, McClusky said that Olney, who represented himself in the action, did not abide by state Civil Practice Laws and Rules when filing his motion for reconsideration. The judge wrote that, under CPLR, it is Olney's obligation to prepare and serve the defendants with the motion and advise them of a return date for court. McClusky said Olney's motion included no return date or time for argument. The judge also wrote that Olney had provided the court with an affidavit indicating he had personally served the notices. Under CPLR, a party to an action may not serve papers, making Olney's service "ineffective," according to McClusky's ruling. The judge also took issue with six legal cases cited by Olney in his motion that Olney contended supported his claims under Election Law. "None of those cases exist," McClusky wrote. "The citations provided have reference to other cases with no connection to the matters at issue in this case." "The Court is not sure how Petitioner conducted his legal research, but he clearly did not check to ensure that his citations were correct," the judge wrote. "If an attorney had submitted these same papers, the Court would conduct a hearing and, if appropriate, sanction that attorney." Recognizing that Olney was acting as his own attorney, the judge cautioned Olney that he is still held to the same standards as an attorney, "and if further legal papers are submitted with the same type of mistakes, such a hearing will be held." Again recognizing that Olney is representing himself, the judge said he was rejecting his motion "without prejudice," leaving the door open for Olney to refile it. READ FULL DECISION BELOW
Associated Press
26-03-2025
- Associated Press
Bank robbery suspect was killed and 2 others were injured in an exchange of gunfire, officials say
FLORENCE, Ala. (AP) — A law enforcement officer shot and killed a bank robbery suspect Tuesday in north Alabama during an exchange of gunfire, state officials said. A police officer and a bystander were also wounded during the shooting. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's State Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the fatal shooting that occurred in Florence. Louis Michael Hill, 26, of Rogersville was killed in the shooting, the agency said. Deputies with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office and officers with the Florence Police Department were responding to a call about a bank robbery, a news release from the state agency said. The suspect's vehicle became disabled during a chase. 'While attempting to steal another vehicle, Hill presented a firearm and fired at law enforcement officers. Officers returned fire, fatally wounding Hill,' state agency officials wrote in the news release. The agency said a person in the vehicle that the suspect was attempting to steal, as well as an officer with the Florence Police Department, were struck by gunfire. Their injuries were not life-threatening. Center Star Fire/Rescue, a small fire department in north Alabama, identified one of its firefighters, Grace McClusky, as the injured bystander. The department wrote in a Facebook post that McClusky came upon the scene of the car crash and 'immediately pulled over to render aid, unaware that the individual involved was engaged in a police pursuit with local law enforcement.' 'Without hesitation, she acted in accordance with her training, prioritizing the well-being of those in need,' the department wrote. The fire department said McClusky is recovering at home. A witness told WAFF that the man began shooting after crashing his car. 'And he got out and ran toward another red car and tried to open the door. He couldn't get into the car, so you could see where he gave up and just made his way to the police officers just aiming at them and shooting at them.' Kaden Agee told WAFF.
