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Judi Lynn

(160,416 posts) Wed Jun 11, 2014, 03:33 AM Jun 2014

Cesar Chavez's grandson sues Arizona candidate for using activist's name on ballot

Source: Reuters

Cesar Chavez's grandson sues Arizona candidate for using activist's name on ballot
Source: Reuters - Wed, 11 Jun 2014 03:39 GMT

By David Schwartz

PHOENIX, June 10 (Reuters) - A relative of celebrated Mexican-American labor leader Cesar Chavez filed a legal challenge on Tuesday to have a man using his grandfather's name booted off the ballot in Arizona.

The challenge, filed on behalf of Alejandro Chavez, alleges that the man who changed his name to Cesar Chavez from Scott Fistler should be removed from the primary election ballot for misleading voters in his bid to win a seat in the largely Hispanic seventh congressional district.

"We believe he is trying to corrupt the process," said attorney Jim Barton, who filed the legal action in Maricopa County Superior Court on Tuesday.

Chavez, co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, is a revered civil rights figure for his work on behalf of farm workers and Hispanic Americans. He died in 1993.

~snip~
In addition to the name change, Fistler switched political parties to be able to vie in the Democratic primary to replace retiring long-time U.S. Representative Ed Pastor.

Read more: http://www.trust.org/item/20140611033710-01is8/

14 replies

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Highlight:

Cesar Chavez's grandson sues Arizona candidate for using activist's name on ballot (Original Post) Judi Lynn Jun 2014 OP

the more attention it gets, the more folks will realize the Fistler (love that name) Fake-out tomm2thumbs Jun 2014 #1

I don't think he'll win the lawsuit rpannier Jun 2014 #2

i'm guessing Fistler is running as a decoy to split Democratic vote and let Republican win. Bernardo de La Paz Jun 2014 #3

If he wins I wouldn't be surprised if he'd change it back rpannier Jun 2014 #5

Not how it works. former9thward Jun 2014 #9

I understand what he's trying to do and I know who he is rpannier Jun 2014 #13

Yes, I agree former9thward Jun 2014 #14

It is if you intend to commit fraud Demeter Jun 2014 #4

I don't think so leftynyc Jun 2014 #6

"But it's not illegal to change your name to Cesar Chavez." No but..... yellowcanine Jun 2014 #8

Corporations have legal protections for their names and products. former9thward Jun 2014 #11

Colbert Report does an awesome job to expose the vote-fraudster, Republican Scott Fistler. Sunlei Jun 2014 #7

Scott Fistler? Octafish Jun 2014 #10

Were I Hispanic I'd be insulted rickyhall Jun 2014 #12

tomm2thumbs

(13,297 posts)

1. the more attention it gets, the more folks will realize the Fistler (love that name) Fake-out

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 03:47 AM

Jun 2014

Doubt he'll win the lawsuit but the public awareness is invaluable

rpannier

(24,327 posts)

2. I don't think he'll win the lawsuit

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 03:50 AM

Jun 2014

And TBH not sure he should.
Yes, Fistler is using the name to try and get elected.
Yes, it's probably in poor taste.
But it's not illegal to change your name to Cesar Chavez
It'll be up to his opponent to get the word out as to who he really is.
If I wanted to get elected badly enough in a Republican district in Kansas I might change my name to Kassebaum or Landon in hopes of getting votes

Bernardo de La Paz

(48,938 posts)

3. i'm guessing Fistler is running as a decoy to split Democratic vote and let Republican win.

Reply to rpannier (Reply #2)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 05:32 AM

Jun 2014

Watch him change his name back when he loses and then Fistler will get a fat reward job from some Republican crony.

rpannier

(24,327 posts)

5. If he wins I wouldn't be surprised if he'd change it back

Reply to Bernardo de La Paz (Reply #3)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 07:09 AM

Jun 2014

He got what he wanted

former9thward

(31,925 posts)

9. Not how it works.

Reply to Bernardo de La Paz (Reply #3)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 11:01 AM

Jun 2014

This is a D district. Fistler is running in the Democratic primary. Whoever wins the primary will face the Republican in November. The Democrat will win. So there is no chance the official R candidate can win. What Fistler is hoping to do is confuse people and get enough votes to win the primary. Little chance of that happening.

rpannier

(24,327 posts)

13. I understand what he's trying to do and I know who he is

Reply to former9thward (Reply #9)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 07:11 PM

Jun 2014

But suing him for using the name is not likely to win because it's not illegal

former9thward

(31,925 posts)

14. Yes, I agree

Reply to rpannier (Reply #13)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 07:42 PM

Jun 2014

Demeter

(85,373 posts)

4. It is if you intend to commit fraud

Reply to rpannier (Reply #2)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 06:31 AM

Jun 2014

but our electoral process is so corrupt already, doubt that this would trigger any judge's sensitivity.

Besides, we already let corporations pass on fraud, esp. banks.

leftynyc

(26,060 posts)

6. I don't think so

Reply to Demeter (Reply #4)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 07:28 AM

Jun 2014

All he did was change his name. If people are too stupid to realize he's not Chavez, why is that his problem?

yellowcanine

(35,693 posts)

8. "But it's not illegal to change your name to Cesar Chavez." No but.....

Reply to rpannier (Reply #2)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 10:30 AM

Jun 2014

Seems to me that people should not just be able to change their names willy nilly like this - particularly to a famous name just to game the process. The courts should have some discretion to deny name changes for this kind of frivolous reason. You can't change your name to McDonald and open a McDonald's restaurant without getting your ass successfully sued by McDonald's. I don't see how this is that different.

former9thward

(31,925 posts)

11. Corporations have legal protections for their names and products.

Reply to yellowcanine (Reply #8)

Wed Jun 11, 2014, 11:31 AM

Jun 2014

Your name is not protected. Whatever your name is there are probably at least dozens, maybe hundreds or more, with the same name in the U.S. Famous people do not get to protect their name just because they are famous. The only way a court can deny a name change is if it is being done for legally fraudulent reasons such as you are trying to escape a valid debt or something.