Quincy moves for “recall fraud” lawsuit to be dismissed

The City of Quincy wants a judge to throw out the lawsuit from Yvette Bittle, who is leading efforts to have Commissioner Keith Dowdell removed from office.

Bittle, chairperson of the District 1 Recall Committee, said a fraudulent recall petition was filed in an attempt to sabotage her real recall attempt.

Last month, attorney Larry K. White, the same attorney who is representing former City Manager Jack McLean in his lawsuit against the city, submitted a motion on Bittle’s behalf - asking a judge to declare a recall petition she filed on January 12 as the official recall petition to remove Quincy District 1 Commissioner Keith Dowdell from office, after another recall petition was filed with Quincy’s city clerk for the same thing.

Bittle asked the courts to order Gadsden County Supervisor of Elections Shirley Knight disregard a “fraudulent recall petition” that was submitted on January 4, and to stop the city clerk, Janice Shackelford-Clemons, from handling any matters related to the District 1 recall petition.

However, Judge David Frank determined there was no need, since the supervisor of elections had already verified Bittle’s recall petition – and disregarded the petition that was submitted on January 4 with only 10 signatures.

Judge Frank denied Bittle’s request for temporary injunction with or without a hearing on January 28.

Attorney Mohammad Jazil, representing the City of Quincy, filed a motion to dismiss the case on February 3.

“This case is moot because the allegedly fraudulent recall petition is no longer being considered,” the document states.

The motion to dismiss also says Bittle might argue that if the case is dismissed, she would not have the ability to challenge Supervisor Knight’s signature verification process, however, the motion also states that Bittle’s complaint does not challenge Knight’s verification process.

It’s important to note that Bittle’s complaint was filed on January 13.

Knight didn’t send her letter certifying the results of the recall petition until January 18.

Knight’s letter states the recall petition needed at least 100 valid signatures.

Of the 161 recall petitions that were submitted by Bittle for the removal of Dowdell, only one was accepted by the Supervisor of Elections.

One signature was deemed ineligible.

Three other signatures were signed by people who are not registered voters in District 1.

There were incomplete addresses for 119 other signatures.

There were incomplete dates on 19 of the petition forms.

Two people who signed were not registered to vote.

One person signed before they were eligible, and three had the wrong birthdate for the person who signed.

Dowdell, Shackelford-Clemons, Knight, Dowdell, and a Quincy man named Travis Marshall are listed as defendants in the case as well.

According to Bittle’s complaint, Marshall, who has previously worked on Dowdell’s re-election campaigns, not only signed the recall petition for a district he was not registered to vote in, but he also represented he was the witness to signatures on the “fraudulent” recall petitions.

Knight has said she is not at liberty to comment on the matter because of litigation.

Shackelford-Clemons did say it was not Travis Marshall who dropped the fraudulent recall petition off at her office on January 4.

Shackelford-Clemons declined making any further comments on the case.

Dowdell, on the other hand, denies being involved in a scheme to sabotage the recall process.

“I saw Travis one day and he said, ‘Man I helped you out,” Dowdell said. “He said ‘Yvette told me to go get some signatures.”’

Bittle says she is aware that Dowdell is saying she gave Marshall the petition, but she says that is a lie.

It’s worth noting that on January 3, the day before Marshall’s petition was turned in to the clerk, Marshall shared a Facebook status originally posted by Dowdell on January 2 telling voters in his district to ask questions before signing a petition.

“If you were told this is to help me…This is false!!!” Dowdell’s post states.

The commissioner also urged the citizens to call the city clerk if they signed under false pretenses.

Although the judge denied Bittle’s request for an emergency temporary injunction, a final hearing on the injunctive declaratory relief will be held at a later date.

Members of the recall committee have also begun collecting signatures to have Commissioner Anessa Albritton-Canidate removed from the District 5 seat.

Erin Hill - erin@gadsdencountytimes.com

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Quincy moves for “recall fraud” lawsuit to be dismissed

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Catching up with the Jameses: spotlighting the 50 year love story of Gadsden County natives

Public Safety Day gives insight into public safety careers

Public Safety Day gives insight into public safety careers

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Obituary – Lillie Greene

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