Aug 15, 2008 10:41 pm US/Pacific
Libertarian's Bid To Join Saddleback Event Denied
SANTA ANA, Calif.
A federal judge Friday denied Libertarian presidential hopeful Bob Barr's bid to be included in a presidential forum in Lake Forest with Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama or stop the event as a violation of federal campaign law.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter refused to issue an order on behalf of Barr and Wayne Root, his vice presidential running mate, that would disrupt the Civil Forum on Leadership and Compassion scheduled to begin Saturday at 5 p.m. at Saddleback Church.
"Plaintiffs will lose out on a fair amount of exposure and the opportunity to express their views in a popular forum," Carter conceded. "On the other hand, halting this event would deny the other candidates the opportunity to be heard and would deprive the public of an opportunity to see the candidates and hear their views.
"Forcing Saddleback to include another candidate at the last moment could cause serious logistical problems and take away from the presentations of other candidate," Carter said. "This might well disrupt the planned presentation."
Carter said Barr and Root "will have many other opportunities in the coming months to express their views and make their candidacy known."
Barr's attorney, Robert Karwin, said Pastor Rick Warren failed to draw up objective criteria that candidates could prove they meet in order to participate, such as a minimum threshold of voter support.
Barr and Root are on the ballot in 37 states, including California, and polls have shown he has drawn 6 percent of nationwide respondents' votes, Karwin said.
Attorney Robert C. Braun, representing Saddleback Church, said Warren could simply act to immediately set a certain level of criteria -- such as one that the candidates have to demonstrate that can draw at least 15 percent of the vote -- and Barr and Root still would not qualify.
Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, is scheduled to speak at a town hall meeting Saturday at the Islamic Institute of Orange County in Anaheim.
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