Judge Rules Against ''Recall Ron'' Petitioners

     Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Jeff Hollingsworth ruled that state statute controls all aspects of the recall effort against Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield. That means the petitioners do NOT have enough signatures to bring about a recall vote in November.

    Supports of the "Recall Ron" effort gathered 9,903 signatures of registered voters in Chattanooga, almost 950 more than the threshold set by the Hamilton Election Commission.

   However a state statute set a threshold of 14,854  signatures and Judge Hollingsworth said that law supersedes the local ruling.

Several security officers were on hand in Judge Hollingsworth's courtroom when the decision was handed down.