Phil Liberatore Sues Secretary of State

42nd Congressional Candidate Phil Liberatore sued the Secretary of State on Monday, after the Secretary rejected Liberatore's ballot designation of "IRS Problem Solver." Liberatore also operates a business by a similar name, IRS Problem Solvers.

From the Liberatore Campaign.

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When GOP congressional candidate Phil Liberatore filed to run in a GOP primary in Southern California, he thought he was facing one opponent in a race to replace incumbent Republican Congressman Gary Miller, a race Liberatore had decided to make when Miller voted in favor of the TARP bailout. However, when California's Democratic Secretary of State Deborah Bowen denied his requested ballot identification, IRS Problem Solver, Liberatore quickly realized he would have to face two opponents. On Monday, Liberatore punched back, filing a lawsuit against Bowen in state court in Sacramento demanding that he be allowed to use the name by which people in his district have come to know him.

"Like my opponent, Ms. Bowen is a career politician who doesn't want the voters to know that I battle the IRS on behalf of thousands of citizens. I am determined to beat my opponents in this race and go to Washington to fight against the IRS on behalf of taxpayers--while I'm there I will do everything to roll back the Obama health care plan and defund the 16,500 IRS agents he plans to hire to enforce it."

Liberatore filed his original request in March, asking to be designated IRS Problem Solver on the ballot for the June 8th primary election in the 42nd Congressional District which stretches across three counties from Whittier to Mission Viejo. Bowen's office rejected his request, stating that California code prohibited the use of "IRS" in ballot designations.

"For years, I have identified myself to the public and to my clients as the IRS Problem Solver because, simply stated, my occupation and vocation is solving my client's problems with the IRS," Liberatore, who is also the author of the forthcoming book "An Inside Look At the IRS," declared in his petition. "Indeed, I devote more than sixty hours per week solving my clients' IRS problems. With members of the public, prospective clients, and clients, I always identify my occupation as IRS Problem Solver."

A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for April 1st at 10:30 AM.
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Liberatore is challenging Rep. Gary Miller, and two other candidates, for the Republican nomination in the 42nd Congressional district.