Lawyers for Atlanta ask federal appeals court to kill ‘Stop Cop City’ petition seeking referendum

By JEFF AMY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Lawyers for the city of Atlanta are asking an appeals court to overturn a ruling that let nonresidents collect signatures in the “Stop Cop City” effort to force a referendum on a police and fire training center. Those lawyers on Thursday asked three federal judges to kill the petition drive as illegal under state law. Even a ruling that just narrows which petitions are accepted could doom the chances that opponents will have enough signatures to force a referendum. That is according to an analysis by The Associated Press, Georgia Public Broadcasting, WABE and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Lawyers for people who live outside Atlanta and sued to collect signatures argue the original ruling is justified.