Before he was sworn into office as county judge, Ben Cross expressed his opinions on the casino:
Cross said the county plans to spend no money funding any litigation to avoid the casinos since he says state law bars county judges and quorum courts from taking any action that would supersede state law, or in this case a constitutional amendment.
Obviously sympathetic to the cause, Cross believes the Citizens for a Better Pope County initiative likely doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on. The group was about to pass an ordinance on the same ballot as Issue 4, requiring another local vote on a Pope County casino.
“I don’t think it will stand the legal test because it’s in direct violation of state law as it stands,” said Cross.