NOW it gets interesting: TN heavyweights file FEDERAL lawsuit to overturn Amendment 1 "results"

[Fly by night]

Good suddenly cold afternoon, all y'all. I have been reporting lately about the highly hinky outcome of our TN Amendment 1 vote to allow our legislature to further restrict or ban abortions in our state. No one who has been watching this issue closely believes the reported outcome, which gave Amendment 1 supporters a six point victory when only 23% of TN voters approved of the amendment in a Vanderbilt University poll.

Two days after the "results" were announced, a federal lawsuit was filed with eight co-plaintiffs (including the President of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and a Vanderbilt University Law School constitutional scholar), seeking a recount (impossible with DREs) or a do-over. Our media has finally awakened and the Nashville Tennessean (lately a pretty right-wing rag) has published multiple op-eds in the last few days that are quite encouraging AND illuminating. Here is the latest:

http://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/columnists/frank-daniels/2014/11/11/heavyweights-send-amendment-fight-overtime/18882331/

Here's a very telling snip from this op-ed:

"In a 2003 news story, Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life and director of the 2014 Yes on 1 campaign, said, 'As a former legislator, Mark Goins (Tennessee's current State Election Coordinator) has already demonstrated his ability and willingness to protect human life. The pro-life endorsement signifies our view that Mark will continue to do more than simply 'vote' pro-life. We are convinced that he will use his position to lead on matters important to the pro-life cause.'"

Truer words have seldom been spoken.

This morning, I wrote two of the lawsuit attorneys (one of whom has just been elected President of the Tennessee Bar Association) to volunteer my services. They got back to me in ten minutes. Hopefully this lawsuit will finally help Tennesseans reclaim the American promise -- that our governments should derive their power and authority from the consent of the governed.

I've been hoping for something to warm me as this polar vortex whips around my Tennessee deep hollow home.
Slow-roasting homegrown election fraudsters might be just the ticket.

Stay tuned.

[Dawson Leery]

1. The assault on civil liberties (choice/voting rights)

must face pushback.

[aspirant]

6. Just a thought

Go get'em. wE'VE GOT TO START SOMEWHERE. Related topic;we haven't been getting much help from Holder and now find out the new AG will wait for repub control to be confirmed. What's the probability the position will be vacant for 2 years? Wouldn't it be nice to go after them with both barrels,state progressives and feds?

[niyad]

21. welcome to du.

[Faux pas]

2. Kickin'

[DeadLetterOffice]

3. Go get 'em, Fly By!

[Fawke Em]

4. Wouldn't be ironic if this is the case that gets rid

of unsafe, easy-tampered-with voting machines?

[Fly by night]

5. Yes it would, since the recent (s)elections of ....

... racists, misogynists, homophobes, gun-toting drunks, Corporatists, drug worriers, the certifiably mentally ill and Hooters girls to our legislature has not.

In the wake of this latest election fraud, many of us here in Tennessee are celebrating the selection of Kacey Musgrave's song, "Follow Your Arrow", a weed-loving, lesbian-honoring song, as Country Music's "SONG OF THE YEAR".

Of course, it is important to note that this contest was conducted using paper ballots.

What country music star does your voting machine listen to? Certainly not Kacey Musgrave. (You go, grrl!!)

http://bluenationreview.com/gay-loving-weed-smoking-anthem-just-won-country-musics-song-year/

[questionseverything]

7. did you know about this?

http://politics.slashdot.org/story/12/06/21/168207/bev-harris-of-black-box-voting-releases-accentures-voting-software

[Fly by night]

11. Yes. I've been involved in election reform ...

Last edited Wed Nov 12, 2014, 08:52 PM - Edit history (1)

... for ten years and counting.

But hey, that's only a minute.

ETERNAL vigilance is the price of liberty.

[Half-Century Man]

13. Did I miss something?

The issue with the waitresses at Hooters? Or is a select ex waitress?

[kcr]

26. Ex waitress. She carved her initials into the assembly desk on the floor of the State House

http://gawker.com/5821454/hooters-waitress-turned-lawmaker-admits-to-carving-initials-into-assembly-desk

[Half-Century Man]

27. Okay.

Normally, I'm all for treating the sacred as mundane.......I gotta think this one over.

[Fawke Em]

19. I'm in Tennessee, too.

But, I'm not a Country music fan, so I have no clue who Kacey Musgrave is.

[Fly by night]

20. Then listen to "Follow Your Arrow". Great song.

So glad she won Song of the Year.

[blkmusclmachine]

8. ,

,

[Fiber Lady]

9. Signed petition to Haslam on amendment 1

I can not verify how my local voting machine registered my vote, but I know that I voted "no" .
I have studied what these amendments were saying prior to November 4th because I realized how complicated and ambiguous as they were written . The government has no "right" being in my doctor's office with me and my doctor.

[drm604]

10. How likely is it that the TN courts will be friendly towards this argument?

Anyone know?

[Fly by night]

12. It is a federal lawsuit, not a state one.

[drm604]

16. Yes. Thank you. I see that in the OP now.

I wonder how far it will go in the federal courts?

[barbtries]

14. i will.

hope you win!

[Ampersand Unicode]

15. This law is just as bad as an overturn of the First Amendment.

Unless, of course, they line-item vetoed that whole religious freedom clause that allowed this stupid moron amendment to go through in the first place.

[Fly by night]

18. When our votes are not counted as cast, ...

... the Constitution (Tennessee's and America's) aren't worth the hemp paper they are printed on.

[tiptonic]

22. Knew something smelled

I knew something smelled, when i tried to read and understand the 'amendment'. It was written to confuse, to begin with. The wife and I both went, 'something ain't right" with this. The repugs. will stop at nothing to get their way. Why let a election, get in the way of their right, to tell everyone else how to live their lives.

[mountain grammy]

23. I will definitely stay tuned, keep us updated, Fly by night, and good luck!

[DallasNE]

24. What, There Is No Log File Of Votes Cast?

That is IT 101 for any online system. It would have a date/time stamp, issue/candidate being voted on and the vote result. That log tape could then be used to restore the files in preparation for a recount if not just doing the recount straight from the log file. Any other design should not be certified.

[Fly by night]

25. Our (s)election officials are less concerned ...

... about certified equipment since they have forced us to keep using equipment that gives them the "outcomes" they desire. However, I would very much like to know more. If you can message me with a source for what you describe or flesh it out a bit, I will have our Voting rights activists who are IT savvy review it. Right now our (s)election officials say that they cannot provide what is needed.

But what do they know.

I wish I was more IT savvy myself. As an IT expert, I am a good epidemiologist and blueberry farmer.

Thanks for your comment. It is very helpful.