Chastain Lawsuit Dismissed, Plans Appeal May 6, 2015

Former Kansas City mayoral candidate Clay Chastain says he’ll appeal his court defeat.

A Jackson County Judge, Joel Fahnestock dismissed his lawsuit against Kansas City Mayor Sly Kames.

Chastain claimed that James should be disqualified from running for re-election because he was late paying his city taxes.

In dismissing Chastain’s claim, the judge determined Chastain’s lawsuit misses the mark.

“Chastain’s time to challenge the Mayors’ qualifications in the primary
election has long expired, and he does not have standing to raise the same challenges in the
general election, as he is not a “candidate.”

The judge says Chastain’s challenge should have been filed within five days after the primary election on April 7. His suit was filed April 15.

The Judge also says Chastain doesn’t have a place in the case because he was eliminated in the city primary when his finished third in a field of three candidates and was eliminated.

James today said he was happy the matter was over. He called it “a distraction”.

“There was never a time when there was intent,” the Mayor told reporters Wednesday.

“Every time there was a mistake, I corrected it.

Chastain also tried to bring the mayor’s challenger, Vincent lee into his suit, But the judge ruled lee was already on the ballot.

Lee and James spoke briefly Wednesday at an announcement for a new grocery store on the city’s east side.

Later the Mayor said he saw no reason to debate lee before the June 23 finals.

“Because I don’t think there is any purpose in it, to be honest with you,” James said.

Lee and Vincent were at the same forums twice in the city primary.

Chastain Says KC Votes Should Reject the Light Rail Issues October 1, 2014

Light Rail activist Clay Chastain is now urging Kansas City voters to defeat the light rail and mass transit plans on the November ballot.
“It would not be wise or righto ask the voters of Kansas City to vote for such a dark election scheme hoping we could straighten out after the vote,” Chastain wrote in a news release Wednesday.
Chastain’s bid to get his mass transit proposals are in court. A hearing on the matter is not set until after the November election.
Chastain says the two tax questions that are on the ballot are listed as Questions 1 and 2, and contain no mention of using the money for light rail or mass transit.
Chastain says he’s urging voters not “be railroaded” by Mayor Sly James and the City Council , and voters should defeat both questions.

Chastain Calls for August Vote on Revived Mass Transit Plan February 5, 2014

Light Rail Activist Clay Chastain says Kansas City should put in multi-billion dollar light rail
Plan on the August 2014 Missouri primary ballot.
Chastain claimed victory in a news release after Tuesday’s Missouri Supreme Court opinion
The opinion sends the matter back to the trial court. The majority opinion says the trial judge made some errors.
The opinion, however, did not endorse Chastain’s plan.
Chastain sued the city, saying it had no right to not present voters with his plan after he obtained the required voter signatures to put it on the ballot.
Chastain now wants the August vote.
“What are they afraid of?” He asked in his statement.
The City intends to put the first of two street care expansion votes on the same August ballot.
The City has plans to extend its still-under-construction street care line to much of the heart of the city.
The original two-mile line will go from the River Market area to Union Station.
Construction starts later this
Month. It’s expected to be running in late 2015.

Missouri High Court Send Clay Chastain Lawsuit Back to Circuit Court February 4, 2014

The Missouri Supreme Court has handed mass transit activist Clay Chastain a partial victory.
The State Supreme Court send the case back to the Jackson County Circuit Court.
Chastain sued the city after they refused to put his multi- billion dollar lawsuit on the Kansas City ballot.
The Justices ruled the Circuit Court made a mistake in declaring the proposal unconstitutional.
The ruling says the Local court made a mistake by not putting thee aside on the ballot
The court did not, however, make a judgement on the merits of the case.

Missouri Supremes Set Date for Chastain Mass Transit Lawsuit August 28, 2013

Mass transit activist Clay Chastain says oral arguments in his suit against Kansas City are set for Thursday, October 3.
The case centers around Chastain’s billion dollar mass transit plan for the city.
Even though Chastain had enough signatures to put the measure on a city ballot, the plan was disregarded by the city council as unworkable.
While Chastain lost on major points at the trial level, the case has now reached the state’s highest court.
Chastain issued a news release today on the announcement.
He says if he wins at the Supreme Court level, City Hall should try to block
him in the future.
He’s warning to launch a recall effort against any council member who try to block the plan, or repeal it in the future.
He said he’d try to also amend the charter to restrict voter approved measures from being repealed by anyone but the voters in another election.
He also warned he’d push for a charter change saying anybody can run for Kansas City Mayor, as long as they are a resident by the time the term starts.
Chastain now lives in Virginia.
He finished his news release by writing, “hint…hint King James”.