Salem Mayor Justin Green today filed a motion this afternoon to continue a hearing to quash a lawsuit brought by former candidate William Ackerman arguing that Green should not have been a candidate for Mayor based on his residency.
Green asked for the hearing to be moved to Feb. 19 at 4p.
Medlock set an emergency order for a hearing to sort out several motions filed by Green in his ongoing battle with former Mayoral candidate Ackerman who has questioned Green’s legitimacy to be mayor.
Green’s attorney, Larry Wilder, filed several motions on January 21.
Wilder requested the Court conduct an Emergency Hearing on his request for an Immediate Motion to Quash Non-Party Subpoenas; Motion for Finding of Contempt and his request for Attorney Fees.
Medlock approved the order on the same day and set the emergency hearing for this afternoon (February 4) at 3p.
In December, Medlock set two dates for a trial to settle the issue of whether or not Mayor Green can serve as Salem’s first Republican Mayor in 34 years.
Trial dates were set for Feb. 27 and 28 2020 as a result of the Democratic candidate in the Nov. 5 election William “Bill” Ackerman’s November 18 suit that alleges Green wasn’t a resident of Salem and therefore not eligible to run in the election for mayor.
Green lives at 509 East Tucker Street in Salem but also owns property east of Salem, outside the city limits.
Twice in 2019, the local Democratic party challenged that Green didn’t live in the City of Salem election district.
However, Washington County Clerk Stephanie Rockey said Green was certified to run in the 2019 General election and beat Ackerman by 572 votes.
Ackerman is being represented by former Washington County Democratic Chair and attorney Doug Leatherbury.
