Over at LegalNewsline.com, Rob Luke reports that citizen-rights activist Paul Jacob “plans to spend the next year highlighting legal threats to the citizens’ initiative movement around the country.” (The main goal of the tour is to explain his case and rally support among bloggers.)

After that, he admits, he could wind up in jail for the next 10 years, courtesy of Attorney General Drew Edmondson, for participating in that same initiative process in Oklahoma two years ago.Jacob was re-indicted last month, this time directly by AG Edmondson, on charges that he and others broke state residency laws by collecting signatures for a ballot initiative as out-of-staters, he told LNL today. He was originally indicted last November by a multi-county grand jury but that indictment was dismissed a few weeks later on a legal technicality.

Edmondson’s charges means that Jacob, also a top adviser at citizens-rights group the Sam Adams Alliance, now faces 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine if convicted. That Edmondson re-filed the indictment himself shows “this is being handled at the very top [of the AG's office], Jacob said. “It seems to be very political and as well as personal.”

Following his arraignment Monday in Oklahoma City, Jacob said he will start planning a year-long nationwide tour to rally support for citizens’ initiatives. That’s because his legal advisers have told him his trial could take a year or more to commence–although they don’t necessarily think it’s a good idea to go around talking about it all.

Every time I read another summary of this story, I am struck anew by how ludicrous and vicious is this assault on three good citizens. In any case, we here at Free Paul Jacob do think it’s a good idea for Paul to go around talking about it all. There is no reason to give Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson and his allies a free ride publicity-wise, simply because it would be so much more convenient for them to be able to railroad the Oklahoma Three without anybody noticing. Edmondson is already acting as viciously as he can toward these three innocent persons; it’s not as if he’ll relent if they agree to meekly accept whatever fate might be dished out to them. At the least, every citizen in Oklahoma should be made aware of what’s going on here in the name of “protecting” their initiative rights.

Rob Luke quotes Paul: “I don’t want to be acquitted after a year of people being scared to use the citizens initiative process because of what was happening to me.”

He says he’s been “inspired” that since his case became public Oklahomans’ support for citizens’ initiatives has increased and that legislation is now pending to ease the requirements for getting them on the ballot.

If you’re near Oklahoma City and have a chance to come out in support of the Oklahoma Three on the occasion of their re-arraignment January 28, your presence would be most welcome and appreciated. Click here for info.