Two new developments have occurred in the Black Diamond recall case against Councilwoman Pat Pepper.

First, the state Supreme Court denied a motion made by Neighbor to Neighbor Black Diamond — the community group that filed the recall effort against Pepper in April — to reconsider whether the group has to recollect signatures for a recall ballot.

When the Supreme Court ruled Oct. 26 that three charges can go forward with the recall, as opposed to the four approved by the King County Superior Court, King County Elections cancelled the Dec. 5 special recall election, telling Robbin Taylor, head of Neighbor to Neighbor, to recollect signatures before another election date is set.

Neighbor to Neighbor had originally collected 639 signatures when the King County Superior Court approved four of the charges against Pepper in May. The county required 366 signatures.

The Supreme Court denied Taylor’s motion Nov. 13, meaning the group now has roughly five months to recollect the necessary 366 signatures before King County sets another election date.

This is, of course, if the second piece of news doesn’t further derail the group.

Pepper and her attorney, Dennis Reynolds, filed their own motion for reconsideration on Nov. 15 to ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its October ruling.

The motion states the court failed to address all elements of the recall charges. A copy of the motion is available online at courierherald.com

Pepper Motion for Reconsideration by Ray Still on Scribd

Pepper hosts community meeting

While the state Supreme Court considers the motion, Pepper is hosting a community meeting about the recall charges brought against her.

In a letter to residents, Pepper said the charges against her are false, and part of the reason the courts approved them was because she represented herself on the Superior Court level.

“With limited time and my lack of legal representation, important supporting evidence that could have ended the recall was not introduced into the record,” Pepper wrote. “This evidence was inadmissible after the deadline, but you can find it on my website (www.patpepper.com).”

The community meeting will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30 at the Black Diamond library.

“This time, voters will have an opportunity to hear from both sides before they decide to sign,” Pepper wrote.