Posted on 11/28/2004 7:33:53 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Although John Kerry has conceded the election and the Democratic Party is largely on the sidelines, critics of Ohio's vote count on Nov. 2 have found plenty to gripe about -- uncounted punch-card votes, disqualified provisional ballots and too many votes for President Bush.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Sunday that the Ohio Supreme Court should consider setting aside Bush's win in Ohio and that Congress should investigate how Ohioans voted.
Bush defeated Kerry in Ohio by 136,000 votes, according to unofficial results.
"This is about the integrity of the vote. This is not about the Kerry campaign," said Jackson, who supported the Democrat for president.
On the morning of Nov. 3, less than 12 hours after Ohio's final votes were cast, Kerry called Bush to congratulate him on his victory.
His campaign figured he would not get enough of the 155,000 provisional ballots, or those cast by voters whose registrations could not be confirmed at polling places, to overtake Bush's total.
The counting of provisional ballots and wide gaps in vote totals for Kerry and other Democrats on the ballots in certain counties have raised too many questions to let the vote stand without further examination, Jackson said.
"We can live with winning and losing. We cannot live with fraud and stealing," Jackson said.
Attorney Cliff Arnebeck, who has represented political activist groups, said he would ask the Ohio Supreme Court, probably on Wednesday, to take a look at the election results. If the court decides to hear the case, it can declare a new winner or throw the results out.
Since the election, several complaints have surfaced:
-- The Green and Libertarian parties asked a U.S. District Court judge to order an immediate recount. The judge agreed with the state that a recount cannot begin until Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell certifies the statewide vote, sometime between Dec. 3 and 6. The two parties are raising the $113,600, or $10 per precinct statewide, needed to force a recount.
-- People for the American Way, a national watchdog group, is trying to stop the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections in Cleveland from rejecting 8,099 of the 24,472 provisional ballots cast there. The ballots were thrown out because voters did not properly complete them or cast them at polling places that were not their own. -- An error was detected in an electronic voting system, giving President Bush 3,893 extra votes in suburban Columbus. Elections officials caught the glitch and the votes will not be added to the official tally. Some groups also have complained about thousands of punch-card ballots that were not tallied because officials in the 68 counties that use them could not determine a vote for president. Votes for other offices on the cards were counted.
Elections officials concede some mistakes were made but no more than most elections.
"There are no signs of widespread irregularities," Blackwell spokesman Carlo LoParo said.
The Ohio Democratic Party believes every effort should be made to get an accurate count, but it is not planning legal action of its own, spokesman Dan Trevas said.
Dec. 4, 1-4:00 at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.
CASE is organizing a rally: "Investigate All 88" "Revote Ohio or Death of Democracy - Choose one."
We hope to have out-of town as well as local activists.
Wear all black to mourn the Death of Democracy.
Follow www.caseohio.org for further details.
I just got this in an email. I talked to Juliet Stewart from Ohio Recount and she told me Palast will be speaking and Jesse Jackson will be there although he will not be speaking. A thousand people are going to be bussed in from all over Pennsylvania. We need people to look into whether other states are doing this also. Our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine have shown us the way- please don't waste our momentum by sitting in your house on Saturday. We cannot sit by and watch our democracy die!!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x86499
I agree, and I hope it happens before Dan Rather steps down so we could watch his head explode while he tries to read that story. The government lacks the moral courage to take a group like the Rainbow coalition head-on. It's the same reason you'll never see them challenge the tax status of an African-American church for allowing Bill Clinton and John Kerry to politic from the pulpit.
"..."We can live with winning and losing. We cannot live with fraud and stealing," Jackson said...."
We've been forced to live with this fraudulant, race-baiting thief for far too long. Open an IRS audit into his rainbow/push organizations. Let's see how and where the money trail leads.
So, Jesse "strong-armstrongroom", "wife-cheatingweftingofficiatingwaftingvitiatingovershooting", lying Jackson, thinks he should be the arbiter of a national election?
Isn't that what he is saying when he says the Ohio vote is not yet decided?
Isn't he making a statement that only the Secretary of State can legally make?
Just who is this chump who should be investigated by the FBI and the IRS?
He is no more a reverend than Colonel Tom Parker was a Colonel! (Remember Elvis?)
"So, Jesse "strong-armstrongroom", "wife-cheatingweftingofficiatingwaftingvitiatingovershooting", lying Jackson,"
Don't know what happened! Used spell check and this nonsense was posted! Sorry!
Rev. Jesse Jackson should spend quality time with his love child. I bet the little child rarely get a visit from daddy.
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