Joseph H. Weston
Encyclopedia
Joseph H. Weston was a controversial newspaper editor in Cave City
in Sharp County
in northern Arkansas
, whose work led to a change in his state's libel law.
In 1974, Weston was convicted of criminal libel for an article in his mimeographed newspaper about a sheriff
. The Arkansas Supreme Court
overturned a jail sentence and a fine on grounds that the state libel law failed to include truth as a defense or to require proof of malice
in the case of false statements about public officials. The Weston case is similar to a 1931 issue before the United States Supreme Court -- Near v. Minnesota
-- in which the tribunal forbade Minnesota
officials from closing the unpopular newspaper of the editor Jay M. Near.
Weston, who called himself "Editor Weston", was a maverick Republican
who in 1974 and 1976 sought nomination for governor of Arkansas. In 1974, he opposed the party's consensus choice of Ken Coon
, its losing candidate for lieutenant governor in 1972 on the ticket headed by Len Blaylock of Perry County. Republicans tried to keep Weston off the state ballot on grounds that he was not a "registered" Republican. Though voters in Arkansas do not register by party, officials of the party must register their affiliation and become an automatic member of the Republican executive committee. Weston said that the registration requirement could not possibly have applied to him, for he was merely a voter seeking to run for governor in the party of his choice. Weston said that he had voted in 1972 for Richard M. Nixon, the first Republican presidential candidate to win Arkansas' electoral votes but had since regretted having done so. Weston had to get a court order to force the GOP to accept his filing papers. The Republican leadership opposed Weston because of his strident criticism of many elected officials, accusing most of "moral rot" and demanding mass resignations. Weston said that he was running as a Republican because "we need someone to heal the wounds of the party instead of just wounding the heels."
Weston lost the nomination, in which fewer than 5,000 people voted statewide: Coon received 3,698 votes (81.9 percent) to Weston's 815 ballots (18.1 percent). Weston's running mate for lieutenant governor
, an African American
named Andrew Bearden, lost by a similar margin to Leona Troxell
, a former Winthrop Rockefeller
partisan from Rose Bud
in White County
.
In 1976, Weston opposed the Pine Bluff
(later North Little Rock
) plumber
Leon Griffith
for the gubernatorial nomination. Griffith prevailed in the primary, 15,500 (59.5 percent) to Weston's 10,540 (40.5 percent). Griffith (born 1936) was then crushed in the general election
by Democrat
incumbent
David H. Pryor, who had won his first term in 1974 by defeating Ken Coon. In that same election, Jimmy Carter
of Georgia
won Arkansas by nearly a 2-1 margin over the Republican nominee, U.S. President Gerald R. Ford, Jr.
He was a military veteran and died at the age of 72 in the Veterans Administration Hospital
in Poplar Bluff
, Missouri
.
Cave City, Arkansas
Cave City is a city in Independence and Sharp counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The population was 1,946 at the 2000 census. The city was named for a large cave underneath the Crystal River Tourist Camp, which is the oldest motor court in Arkansas...
in Sharp County
Sharp County, Arkansas
-External links:*...
in northern Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, whose work led to a change in his state's libel law.
In 1974, Weston was convicted of criminal libel for an article in his mimeographed newspaper about a sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
. The Arkansas Supreme Court
Arkansas Supreme Court
The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1925, it has consisted of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, and at times Special Justices are called upon in the absence of a regular justice...
overturned a jail sentence and a fine on grounds that the state libel law failed to include truth as a defense or to require proof of malice
Malice (legal term)
Malice is a legal term referring to a party's intention to do injury to another party. Malice is either expressed or implied. Malice is expressed when there is manifested a deliberate intention unlawfully to take away the life of a human being...
in the case of false statements about public officials. The Weston case is similar to a 1931 issue before the United States Supreme Court -- Near v. Minnesota
Near v. Minnesota
Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 , was a United States Supreme Court decision that recognized the freedom of the press by roundly rejecting prior restraints on publication, a principle that was applied to free speech generally in subsequent jurisprudence...
-- in which the tribunal forbade Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
officials from closing the unpopular newspaper of the editor Jay M. Near.
Weston, who called himself "Editor Weston", was a maverick Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
who in 1974 and 1976 sought nomination for governor of Arkansas. In 1974, he opposed the party's consensus choice of Ken Coon
Ken Coon
Kenneth Lloyd "Ken" Coon, Sr. , is a Little Rock educator, professional psychologist, and counselor who was also a pioneer in the development of the Republican Party in the U.S. state of Arkansas. He was the GOP state chairman from 1988—1990...
, its losing candidate for lieutenant governor in 1972 on the ticket headed by Len Blaylock of Perry County. Republicans tried to keep Weston off the state ballot on grounds that he was not a "registered" Republican. Though voters in Arkansas do not register by party, officials of the party must register their affiliation and become an automatic member of the Republican executive committee. Weston said that the registration requirement could not possibly have applied to him, for he was merely a voter seeking to run for governor in the party of his choice. Weston said that he had voted in 1972 for Richard M. Nixon, the first Republican presidential candidate to win Arkansas' electoral votes but had since regretted having done so. Weston had to get a court order to force the GOP to accept his filing papers. The Republican leadership opposed Weston because of his strident criticism of many elected officials, accusing most of "moral rot" and demanding mass resignations. Weston said that he was running as a Republican because "we need someone to heal the wounds of the party instead of just wounding the heels."
Weston lost the nomination, in which fewer than 5,000 people voted statewide: Coon received 3,698 votes (81.9 percent) to Weston's 815 ballots (18.1 percent). Weston's running mate for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
, an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
named Andrew Bearden, lost by a similar margin to Leona Troxell
Leona Troxell
Leona Anderson Troxell Dodd, known politically as Leona Troxell , was a native New Yorker who was a pioneer in the development of the Republican Party in her adopted state of Arkansas...
, a former Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller was a politician and philanthropist who served as the first Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was a third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.-Early life:...
partisan from Rose Bud
Rose Bud, Arkansas
Rose Bud is a town in White County, Arkansas, in the United States. Tammy Tipton Bomar is the current mayor. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 429...
in White County
White County, Arkansas
White County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 77,076. The county seat is Searcy. White County is Arkansas's 31st county, formed on October 23, 1835, from portions of Independence, Jackson, and Pulaski counties and named for Hugh Lawson White, a...
.
In 1976, Weston opposed the Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
(later North Little Rock
North Little Rock, Arkansas
the city was 62.55% White, 33.98% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.18% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races...
) plumber
Plumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
Leon Griffith
Leon Griffith
Louis Leon Griffith was a master plumber from North Little Rock, who was the Arkansas Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1976, losing the election to Democratic incumbent Governor David H. Pryor....
for the gubernatorial nomination. Griffith prevailed in the primary, 15,500 (59.5 percent) to Weston's 10,540 (40.5 percent). Griffith (born 1936) was then crushed in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
by Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
David H. Pryor, who had won his first term in 1974 by defeating Ken Coon. In that same election, Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
won Arkansas by nearly a 2-1 margin over the Republican nominee, U.S. President Gerald R. Ford, Jr.
He was a military veteran and died at the age of 72 in the Veterans Administration Hospital
Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the medical assistance program of the VA through the administration and operation of numerous VA outpatient clinics,...
in Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff is a city in Butler County located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.