Judge BLASTS Blackwell (Ohio SOS) for failing to comply

[mtnester]

This from the front page of today's Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch, in HUGE headline type:

"Judge blasts Blackwell"

Secretary of state faulted in provisional-ballot case, accused of failing Ohio

A Federal judge ripped Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell yesterday for filing to comply with a court order regarding provisional ballots and for "failure to do his duty."

U.S. District Judge James G. Carr in Toledo also suggested that Blackwell risked denying large numbers of Ohioans the right to vote on Nov. 2 and "apparently seeks to accomplish the same result in Ohio in 2004 that occurred in Florida in 2000."

While an appeals court decides the legal dispute over provisional ballots in Ohio, Carr wants Blackwell to give county election officials alternative instructions for the possible outcomes in the case so no time is lost once there's a ruling. The judge even offered his own language for those guidelines, saying Blackwell can't be trusted to do so.

"I cannot be confident....that Blackwell will, indeed, fulfill his obligation to this court, Ohio's election officials, and Ohio's voters,: the judge wrote.

<snip>

"Ignoring this court's clear command is one thing; it is another thing, and under the circumstances even more blameworthy, to leave Ohio's election officials utterly without guidance about how to apply HAVA's provisions," Carr wrote.

The Columbus Dispatch requires a subscription for their on-line service, and I did not want to violate any DU or copyright laws by writing further word for word byplay, but it sounds like Blackwell is having his ASS handed to him so far. I have a copy of the paper on my desk, with a smile on my face

Of further note, we here in Ohio are working our ASSES off to turn this state blue!

[ClintonTyree]

1. Thanks........

and KEEP working like hell until it's over!

Looks like another attempt by the Reslugs to subvert Democracy. Why can't people wake up to the fact that Republicans DON'T WANT their voices to be heard? They don't WANT fair elections! They'll do ANYTHING to win!

I lose more faith in people with each passing day. Thank God SOMEONE'S paying attention!

[mtnester]

3. Buckeyes never give up, never lose faith in their team

You almost have to be from Buckeye country to understand, but it is like we apply this to everything we do.

Yeah, our state may not be the leader in tourism, or have a ton of neat and interesting things to see, but a lot of us live here, and we would like for our kids to WANT to stay here, and as it stands right now, that is not happening.

And it is the economy here...forget Iraq (not that it is not important, but it is in PERSPECTIVE here), Ohio will vote with its pocket book. Things like reduced federal dollars for higher education (our total for 4 years at a PUBLIC college, where the son only lived in a dorm for one year, was more than $44,000.00). When you plan for college, and the state used to have ceiling caps on the amount you could raise tuition annually, so you figure you will see a 5% increase each year, and after the first year caps are removed and you start to see 18% increases annually, well, you just about crap, especially if you are paying cash. And even if you do not lose YOUR job, if your job depends on the ability of others to purchase YOUR goods or services, you STILL SUFFER! It is all about JOBS JOBS JOBS HEALTHCARE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS JOBS JOB JOBS JOBS JOBS

Plus, we don't want to be that State that Cheated in 2004, that is NOT acceptable to us...not at all.

[ClintonTyree]

4. Wow...............

some soberng statistics. I've always had a good time in Ohio, and there are a ton of things to do and see.
My daughter (bless her little heart) was offered a FULL SCHOLARSHIP to Bowling Green University.............and turned it down. She picked Tulane instead (imagine, wanting to go to New Orleans over Bowling Green :shrug: ) and now it's costing me..........well, you don't want to know what it's costing me.
I'm surprized that it cost so much there for higher education, but I guess it's the same everywhere. The average in New York is somewhere around $13,000 a year, somewhat less than Ohio's, but still expemnsive.
Keep working, we need Ohio badly. I want it to be a blue state as well.

[michigandem2]

11. personally I love cedar point LOL

Haven't been there in a few years but we plan to get back there next summer...

I think ohio is great..I lived in Cincinatti in 1988-89..I was only 14 though and have realized now..its very heavily red..LOL!

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. Blackwell is an ARROGANT SOB!

I saw him interviewed on CNN one day and the man and his ego were unbelievable! He was RUDE, arrogant and completely without remorse for what he had attempted to do. I'm not surprised he didn't comply with the court order. He came across as your typical repuke who thought he could do whatever he wanted to do and to hell with the LAW! I hope his ass gets thrown in jail! What's the judge going to do to him? Is he going to make him comply?

[mtnester]

5. I guess the Appeals Court decision will decide that, until then

this Judge's ruling is the law of the land until that court rules. Yeah, this judge could send out his own directive to all county election officials should he chose to, therefore "making" him comply.

[crispini]

6. Yaaaaaaaaaay Judge Carr!

"apparently seeks to accomplish the same result in Ohio in 2004 that occurred in Florida in 2000."

Boy, this Blackwell is an electorate-suppressin' asshat, isn't he? Do the Rethuglicans have a factory somewhere?

[Catfight]

7. Fire blackwell, hold him accountable, he isn't doing his job. n/t

[Kolesar]

8. Blackwell is running for Ohio Governor in 2006

I hope they nominate him because we pissed off dems will raise millions of dollars and staple his ass to his face.

[asthmaticeog]

9. Spike, after this, do you think

the Repubs will still tap him to replace Taft on the ticket?

[mtnester]

10. I think the Bushites promised him something, however

Joe Petro and Betty Montgomery have other ideas, and it appears they are WINNING.

Hah, such infighting in the party. When Kerry wins Ohio, the Ohio Republican Party will IMPLODE.

[Kolesar]

14. He sure seems like a sacrifice

I think mtnester summed it up well.

[michigandem2]

12. can't he be removed...?

I dont' know much about how and what can be done but it is TOTALLY apparent he is trying to screw with voters and their rights...from the registration bullshit to this...can't he be stopped...before Ohio becomes another Florida???

[Kolesar]

13. Ohio Constitution has no "recall" provision

SOS is one office we have to go after. If we win 2/3 of SOS, Auditor, and Governor, we can control the redistricting process for 2012.

[HootieMcBoob]

15. Link

http://www.dispatch.com/election/election-local.php?story=dispatch/2004/10/21/20041021-A1-00.html

[mtnester]

16. Thanks for the link! nt

[Supersedeas]

17. YIPES a Federal Judge tied Ohio '04 to Florida '00 (Blackwell is pathetic)

So where is the network Media on this issue of Blackwell's failure to comply with a court order.

Hell, if the plastic chattering class won't touch it, then were is court TV...this is a 'LEGAL' issue.

[Eurobabe]

18. good, keep this MOFO from running for gov. in 06

actually i take it back, just collect the evidence as to WHY he can't be gov. :)