Pamela Cousins, Jefferson County judicial candidate, back on general ballot

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Pamela Cousins
[Photo Credit: Pamela Cousin's Facebook page]

A Jefferson County district judge candidate will be reinstated on the November general election ballot, following a ruling by a Montgomery County Circuit Judge on Friday.

Pamela Cousins, a Democratic candidate for district judge in Jefferson County was disqualified recently for not filing a Statement of Economic Interests with the Ethics Commission.

After learning of her disqualification, Cousins filed a complaint in court according to the Associated Press, explaining she had filed the statement with the Democratic Party and the state Supreme Court, but not the Ethics Commission; but either way it shouldn’t matter.

In her complaint, Cousins contends that although she did not file the proper report with the proper entity, she had qualified and run in both the June 5 primary, and the July 17 runoff election without receiving any notification about the failure; and won.

Cousins also stated that she promptly filed the correct statement with the Ethics Commission after receiving the notification of her failure.

On Friday, Montgomery County Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick ruled that she followed the spirit and intent of the law, and that she belongs on the ballot.

“The Court finds that Plaintiff filed her Statement of Economic Interest with the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Supreme Court. Having done that, Plaintiff complied with the spirit and the intent of the statute in question and acted in good faith,” AL.com reported. “Hardwick also ruled that the Alabama Democratic Executive Committee has the authority to name Cousins as its candidate even if is determined that she had been disqualified because of the failure to file a statement until this week.”