At a hearing this morning in Catoosa County, Lookout Mountain Superior Court Judge Don Thompson told the leadership of the Catoosa County Republican Party that he could put them in jail for not complying with his order earlier this week to qualify four incumbent Republican Catoosa County Commissioners.

Earlier this week Judge Thompson issued an emergency ruling, ordering the local party to qualify the four candidates.  The leadership of the Catoosa County GOP said that they would not comply.  At a hearing yesterday, Judge Thompson issued a ruling saying that each officer of the Catoosa County Republican Party would be fined $1,000 per hour that they refused to comply with the court order.

Judge Thompson determined that the party has no standard or process for the approval of candidates, the rules cited aren’t consistent with state law and the rules of the state party’s executive committee don’t include provisions for the preapproval of candidates.

At a hearing this morning, the GOP leaders said that they will not abide by the judge’s ruling.  Judge Thompson said the fines would continue to run at a rate of $1,000 per hour.  The judge said that while he could put the GOP party leaders in jail, he would not, because he thinks they are getting bad legal advice.

Judge Thompson then ordered the Catoosa County Board of Elections to qualify the four candidates in question.  The Catoosa County Republican Party has indicated that they will go to court to have the candidates removed from the ballot.