How Come Lawyer Against Beer, Wine Vote Didn't Pop Top on Case in State Supreme Court?

Andy SiegelA Friend of Unfair Park was saying only yesterday he hadn't heard much in recent weeks about the upcoming vote to get Dallas wet from folks for or against the off-premise sale of beer and wine citywide. Which reminded me: Whatever happened to election foe Andy Siegel's plan to...

By Robert Wilonsky

October 5, 2010

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A Friend of Unfair Park was saying only yesterday he hadn't heard much in recent weeks about the upcoming vote to get Dallas wet from folks for or against the off-premise sale of beer and wine citywide. Which reminded me: Whatever happened to election foe Andy Siegel's plan to take his election-killing writ to the Supreme Court of Texas following 5th District Court of Appeals Judge Elizabeth Lang-Miers's decision to toss the thing out of her courtroom at the end of August? Checked the court's website and found nothing. So I called and e-mailed Siegel and asked: What happened? He replied via e-mail last night:

We've decided not to appeal at this late date b/c it's so unlikely a Court would stop an election from going forward. Thus, regrettably, we'll wait & see how the election turns out & reserve our right to contest a Wet election result. There's no doubt that the City did not properly call a lawful election. Indeed, the City has refused to provide any evidence that it validated the necessary number of qualified Petition signatures PRIOR to calling an election. ... Like it or not, an election called based on a prospective hope or finding of sufficient signatures, is void.

The city, of course, disagrees.

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