(AP Photos/Rogelio V. Solis)
The action filed in Hinds County asks the court to certify Hickingbottom’s candidacy, allowing him to run in the Democratic Primary against Brandon Presley.
In late March, disqualified Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Hickingbottom’s attorney sent a letter to Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Tyree Irving demanding that his client be certified to run for Governor or face a lawsuit.
Hickingbottom and another Democratic gubernatorial candidate Greg Wash qualified to run for governor as Democrats and both were later disqualified, clearing the field for presumptive Democratic favorite, Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley.
READ MORE: Democratic hopeful Hickingbottom ‘lawyers up’ to challenge his own party
Today, with no certification coming from the state party, Hickingbottom filed a lawsuit against the Mississippi Democratic Party in the Circuit Court of Hinds County contesting his disqualification.
In the action, Hickingbottom states that the party disqualified him over not filing campaign finance reports from his failed 2019 campaign as well as not timely filing a Statement of Economic Interest with the Ethics Commission.
The lawsuit claims the Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Committee held a hearing on the matter and ultimately voted against Hickingbottom’s certification stating that he “did not meet the statutory requirements” but did not state which requirements were not met.
Hickingbottom’s attorney, John Reeves, outlines in the filing that the candidate does meet all necessary requirements to run for Governor in 2023. He asks the court to place his name on the ballot for the Democratic Primary. He also seeks an injunction prohibiting the printing and distribution of ballots until the matter is resolved.
You can read the full filing here.
#####
UPDATE:
On Thursday, the Mississippi Supreme Court entered an order appointing Senior Status Judge Forrest Al Johnson of Natchez as the special judge to hear this case.
Frank Corder
