GOP asks Washington judge for speedy hearing

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Thu, Jan. 20, 2005


GOP asks Washington judge for speedy hearing

By REBECCA COOK
Associated Press


WENATCHEE, Wash. - Republicans hoping for a new vote in the bitterly disputed Washington governor's election asked a county judge Thursday to hurry along the case.

The request to Judge John E. Bridges came eight days after Democrat Gov. Christine Gregoire was sworn into an office that she had at first apparently lost to Republican Dino Rossi but then was found to have won by 129 votes.

The Republicans want Bridges to order a revote, arguing that mistakes during the ballot-counting have forever obscured the true results of the November vote. Democrats want to delay discovery until the court considers the underlying constitutional issues, such as whether the state constitution even allows a revote.

No matter Bridges' ruling, the case will likely be appealed, but his actions will set the tone and define the boundaries.
(snip/...)

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/politics/10689155.htm

[Dickie Flatt]

1. Give it up

You lost. Get over it.

[Ganja Ninja]

2. I grantee they will get another election.

Because they won't give up for the sake of democracy and bipartisanship and getting along. They aren't like the Democrats.

[daleo]

3. I fear you may be right.

They do seem to get their way. California and Gropey seemed doubtful at first too.

[Liberal Veteran]

4. Yeah, but California was a recall case....

This time they have to prove fraud in court.

[daleo]

9. The details are different

And I am not saying those aren't important details. It is just that they seem to be getting their way most of the time. The envelope has been pushed a bit harder each time, in my opinion. It is a worrisome trend.

[keopeli]

15. Wait a minute. This is Washington State. If they get a re-vote...

well, let me just say that there will be millions of unhappy Washingtonians, including myself. Remember the WTO riots? (Even though that was actually spawned by some violent people from Portland, OR).

[ynksnewyork2]

17. no way!

I don't think they have even an iota of a chance.

[sam sarrha]

5. these guys play hard ball, she better wear armour.... i do not doubt they

would stoop to assination to set the mood to put us in our place.. Remember Kent state.. that ended ALL demonstrations for decades..

The Republican Talaban is on a mission from god, she is, after all, only a woman and a only a Governer... not to mention only a Liberal. I dont see that anything is going to slow them down..

[AmandaRuth]

6. Get this ---

The democrats had to raise money for the recounts - the pubs want the public to pay for a re-vote. And no third parties will be included. No libertarians. Talk about cheating. But then again, they ARE pubs.

[UL_Approved]

7. And now we know why Kerry conceded:

He needed to take the moral high ground and get this set straight. Whether it works, we will see.

This is sure a testament to the GOP right now. They didn't ask for a re-COUNT, they asked for a re-VOTE. They want the taxpayers to foot their bill, instead of doing it themselves. This act is very telling of the nature of the GOP. I wonder what the FR has to say on this subject...

[jasop]

8. There is a real problem in America when..

republicans can gripe about the voting process but democrats are blasted for it

[geniph]

10. The ironies of this:

1) the system wasn't broken when Rossi was 261 votes ahead (on the initial count) or 42 votes ahead (on the mandatory machine recount), but became somehow irretrievably broken when Gregoire became 129 votes ahead (on the paid-for-by-the-Democrats hand recount, as provided for in state law).

2) if the system is irretrievably broken, rife with error, fraud, and general bad karma, then WHAT FUCKING GOOD DOES IT DO TO DO THE SAME THING OVER AGAIN? Repeating the same thing over and expecting a different result is the very definition of stupidity.

Nothing in state law permits a revote. We don't have a "do-over" provision. An election can only be invalidated if there is hard evidence of either fraud or widescale error that would reverse the results of the election, which they do not have. What they have is picayune bullshit. The recounts were all carried out in accordance with state law. Recalls are VERY difficult in this state - much more so than California. They won't get a revote. What they will do is poison public discourse and public opinion of the electoral process, quite unfairly. There is zero evidence of deliberate fraud. Zero.

Unfortunately, this is going to achieve their desired result of getting people to a) not trust the process and thereby not vote, and b) give that right-wing religious zealot Rossi political credibility and name recognition. If the state party doesn't start fighting back in the court of public opinion, this is going to cost someone - most probably Maria Cantwell - dearly in 2006. My only hope is that we can out Rossi for what he is - he'll have no chance in a Senatorial race if people know his true beliefs and positions. His antichoice beliefs and suchlike aren't as important in a Governor, but they sure as hell are in a Senator.

[gratuitous]

11. I disagree

I think a venomous, low-life, ethics-free scumbag such as Rossi could damage the country wherever he is, governor's mansion or senate office building.

But yes, what manner of nonsense is this that the Republicans aren't willing to pay for a "re-vote" out of their own pocket (as the Democrats did with the hand recount), and insist that a lower court judge simply rewrite the election law to suit them?

There is no provision for a "do over" vote in Washington law, and the Republicans have not made public any compelling evidence beyond "because we wantssss it" for a new election.

[Kimber Scott]

12. I'm wondering why they are so desperate for this? It seems so over

the top.

[keopeli]

14. It's all about $$$

[Johnyawl]

19. They're desperate...

...because this is as close as they've been to the Governor's masion in 20 years. They're extremely confident of winning a revote, as the State Democratic party is broke, but the republicans have some deep pockets bankrolling this effort. If a new election is ordered the Dems will have to scramble desperately to raise money, while the republicans will begin their advertising blitz the moment it's announced, and they will have LOTS of money to spend.

[pa28]

13. Update: Motion denied. (link)

http://www.komotv.com/stories/34893.htm

[geniph]

16. Ha, that article finally said what I've been saying!

Should the election be invalidated by the courts, the lite guv - Brad Owen - automatically takes over. That's what the lieutenant governorship is FOR.

Brad Owen's a Democrat. And his election was such a blowout it was damn near uncontested. There's no question he's got a mandate! hahahaha!

I'm all for it. Fine. Let the whiny babies get the election invalidated and let Owen take over the Governor's mansion. They get their revote - in November 2008, just as provided for in state law.

[Rainscents]

18. I know why wants this sooooooooooooo badly..

"IF" only if, for some reason, State of Washington has another election... ROSSI will make sure, touch screen voting machines will be used again. However, this time, he will make sure, he will Riggs it to other counties, not just the Snohomish county like last time. Once, he gets in the office, he is NOT going to mandate the voting system... why should he??? As long as there's no paper trail on the touch screen machines, he will win and also, he will make sure, one by one, each member of the Democrat House and Democrat Senate will loose their seats. This is the reason why Republicans are desperately want Rossi to win.

[geniph]

20. Actually, the Governor has very little to do with that

the type of voting systems used is determined by state elections officials - county auditors and the Secretary of State.