Posted on 12/29/2004 6:10:13 PM PST by fidelio
BC-APNewsAlert,0040
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Republican Dino Rossi says he's asked Democrat Christine Gregoire to join him in asking the Legislature to pass a bill allowing a statewide revote in the governor's race.
AP-NY-12-29-04 2101EST
If she refuses, he can claim that the ongoing Republican investigation, which is turning over a lot of rocks, is absolutely necessary!
On the other hand: if she says nothing, and it gets no legs in the press (which in King County it won't!), it looks like a foolishly futile attempt to grasp a straw - any straw no matter how implausible.
Im very informed thanks..
As for the revote why would ANYONE agree to that - thats in the lead? The winner can just wait it out and get swarn in on the 12th.
I disagree in the way it was done, but the courts decided. Its simple as that.
It has legs tonight... Lead Story on KING5.com... It will be the lead story tonight at 11 all over Washington
Call your state legislators to urge that they call for a revote. The legislative hotline is 800-562-6000.
The following is the text of a letter sent today to Christine Gregoire from Dino Rossi:
December 29, 2004
Attorney General Christine Gregoire
1125 Washington Street
Olympia, WA 98504
Dear Attorney General Gregoire:
The Secretary of State will certify you as governor-elect tomorrow. Although you will be certified, with all the problems that have plagued this process there won’t be many people in our state who believe with certainty that you actually won the election. The uncertainty surrounding this election process isn’t just bad for you and me – it is bad for the entire state. People need to know for sure that the next governor actually won the election.
We’ve now had three counts – I was certified the victor after Counts 1 and 2, and you will be certified tomorrow as the victor of Count 3. Throughout the entire process, King County Elections staff changed the rules about which ballots would count and, at the end, the Supreme Court also changed the rules. As it now stands, some people in King County had the rules changed so their votes could count, while other wrongfully disenfranchised people across the state – including many members of our military – have been denied the opportunity to have their votes counted.
Additionally, I don’t believe you’ll find many people in this state who think the hand recount was more accurate than the first two counts. Even some Democratic elections officials have said hand counts are less accurate. So we’re now in a situation where nobody really knows who won this election.
Our next governor should enter office without any doubt about the legitimacy of his or her office. The people of Washington deserve to know that their governor was elected fair and square. Unfortunately, the events of the past few weeks now make it impossible for you or me to take office on January 12 without being shrouded in suspicion.
The law allows me to contest the election. An election contest would bring every questioned aspect of this election before the Legislature or a court for review. It would take many weeks, perhaps months, to complete. At the end, even if the results were to change back in my favor, the state would have suffered from the long, drawn-out process.
For several weeks, former Secretary of State Ralph Munro has argued that this election will never be seen as legitimate and that the best option is to put it back into the hands of the voters for a revote. If our roles were reversed, if you had won twice and I had only won in the less-accurate hand recount, I would support a revote. I would not want to enter office with so many people viewing my governorship as illegitimate.
The only good answer is for the people to decide, once and for all, who is the next governor. A revote would be the best solution for the people of our state, and would give us a legitimate governorship. If you and I were to join together and ask the Legislature to pass a bill calling for a special election, the bill would pass quickly, as soon as the 2005 session begins. The revote could be held as soon as possible.
I hope you will agree that a revote makes the most sense to build back people’s trust in our election process, and I look forward to your response.
Best regards,
Dino Rossi
I'd say that's putting it mildly.
She will claim the people have spoken and ask him to step aside to the will of the voters. Guaranteed. Like almost every Democrat, she's a megalomaniac.
This won't work...but we'd all have to be arrogant or nuts not to realize that Rossi knows this better than all of us. Perhaps he is hoping for an over-reaction on her part, and given her craven arrogance, it could happen.
The Repubs have until JAN 20th to CONTEST in court.....have you been following this long? HE (Dino and the Repubs) JUST CALLED their BLUFF!!!
It's time for some FReeper activism. The idea is to put pressure on the legislature and take the bat out of Gregoire's hands.
At stake is not just the governor's mansion. The stake is the ability to govern with a mandate.
A revote will give the winner a clear mandate.
-PJ
short news ping
I rather like it. No, she doesn't have to accept the offer. She can become governor. But she will have shown that she doesn't believe she could win a do-over. There's still more cards to play in the next weeks, too.
It's a good move that doesn't cost Dino anything yet.
BTTT I am ready to call. Dino Rossi BUMP!
The only County that appoints its' election officials is King County,the rest are elected.
If he has been following it, he hasn't paid much attention. Ignore him. Anyway, Dino is awesome and I am ready to make my calls tomorrow!
No more.
Worse than Chicago. Worse than Philadelphia. And the Democrats don't care.
And I say Dino shouldn't pussyfoot around. He has nothing to lose. He would not have a great shot at the Senate in 2006. If the grand high idiot Patty bin Murray can't be turned out, neither can Maria Cantwell. This isn't South Dakota.
I agree with you Amishdude-- I don't quite understand why some people are confident that Rossi could take on cantwell with an electorate that voted to re-elect osama mama murray this year. A-- It's easier to go after an open seat and B-- there's the "don't pick on the girl" syndrome when you're opposing a female candidate. It truly turns my stomach. What utter incompetence!
shall we hold our breath, waiting for her answer?
How is this a slick move?
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