Deadlock on 2000 Election Lawsuit

AP | 6/26/02 | CATHERINE WILSON

[kattracks]

MIAMI, Jun 26, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Having failed to reach a decision through mediation, state and county officials will likely go to trial in order to settle a lawsuit brought by civil rights groups over the bitterly disputed 2000 presidential election, a judge ruled.

"As far as I'm concerned, this case is going to trial," U.S. District Judge Alan Gold told the attorneys on both sides after they told him they had deadlocked. "It's disappointing, but it is what it is."

The two sides conferred with a mediator as late as Monday night, but reached an impasse, Hillsborough County attorney Ray Allen told the judge.

The NAACP and four other civil rights groups are suing over problems that they claim disenfranchised voters during the election that was later settled in the courts. President Bush won Florida by just 537 votes; its electoral votes gave him the presidency.

The U.S. Civil Rights Commission had harshly criticized the 2000 election in Florida. When the commission met last week in Miami to review the state's election changes, chairwoman Mary Frances Berry said she had a feeling the Sept. 10 primary will be "a mini-disaster."

The civil rights groups want the judge to examine the way the state and counties drop voters, process voter registration applications and address changes, and assign precinct equipment and staffing.

"We don't think that what the state intends to do from this point forward will sufficiently protect voters," said Anita Hodgkiss, an attorney for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Lori Borgen, another attorney with the group, said the groups suing would like to keep talking with hopes of making progress.

The trial, set for Aug. 26, is not expected to affect the primary, in which a Democratic challenger to Gov. Jeb Bush will be selected.

The remaining defendants include the state and five counties, which cover the cities of Miami, Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando and Daytona Beach.

The lawsuit and a separate court challenge to redistricting are the last major court fights likely to influence coming elections in Florida.

The Justice Department is still reviewing the state's new legislative boundary lines for compliance with the Voting Rights Act, which mandates that redistricting plans protect the voting power of minorities. The department has already approved the state's new congressional redistricting.

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On the Net:

NAACP: http://www.naacp.org

Lawyers' Committee: http://www.lawyerscomm.org

By CATHERINE WILSON Associated Press Writer

Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved

[SkyPilot]

lawsuit brought by civil rights groups

I am soooooo tired of this misnomer.

Let's get one thing straight, shall we people? These are not "civil rights" groups. That moniker implies they are in business to further the good of all humanity.

They are not. They are in business for themselves. They are selfish, self-serving, and self-centered narcissists.

[SkyPilot]

chairwoman Mary Frances Berry said she had a feeling the Sept. 10 primary will be "a mini-disaster."

WOW! I missed that the first time reading it. So, right before their primary, the nation will be on the eve of remembering the attack on our nation Sep 11th, and the bloody anniversary of the slaughter of 3,000 Americans and the maiming thousands more.

Democrats in Florida, on the other hand, will be trying to get people to focus attention on

"Social Security Lockbox Cash Payments thru Affirmative Action for Sexual Orientation of Class Minorites and Differently-Abled Lesbians of Color."

[gunnedah]

I totally agree with you.This is the reason America has such a problem today with illegals.The Civil Rights Commission is a hand picked prodigy of the Democrat Party and the NAACP.Throughout America in the last election and the upcoming election no less than 10-20% of the people that vote will do so illegally in one way or the other.This has gone on for years and now America with the help of outfits like this has lost control of its borders,electoral system and really its central and local governments.It has been stolen and taken over by the likes of the Mary Frances Berrys of this country for self serving interest.Not to panic but if America doesnt regroup soon she is doomed.Laugh if you wish but it will happen.

[Gaston]

Throughout America in the last election and the upcoming election no less than 10-20% of the people that vote will do so illegally in one way or the other.

Sadly, I believe you are correct. The biggest downside of this is that the majority of this type of activity is through the Democratic Party. There are many Democrats and activists that believe the ends justify the means. There have been too many times I have heard my democrat friends dismiss some illegal activity as long as "it was for the good of the people".

[alancarp]

Mary Frances Berry ...

I didn't really need to see anything else: if she's involved, it WILL be a disaster of epic proportions. No wonder a compromise via mediation couldn't be reached.

Berry needs to worry more about the fact that her favorite candidate for governor (Reno) is gonna get STOMPED than about an election already lost several times over. Instead, she's probably thinking that it's a violation of her civil rights that she can't vote for Reno (never mind that Berry doesn't live in Florida).

[ClearCase_guy]

Mary Frances Berry ... I didn't really need to see anything else: if she's involved, it WILL be a disaster of epic proportions. No wonder a compromise via mediation couldn't be reached.

Yes, I believe her technique is something like this: "I'm asking for the moon, and if you don't give me even more than that, then there can be no compromise here and I'll have to go whining to the media about how big a racist you are."

[Steve_Seattle]

In the 2000 Florida election, black voter turnout was higher than ever before. The problems largely stemmed from the fact that many of these people were first-time voters, were not properly registered, did not know what they were doing, and could not read, write, or speak English. There were no intentional violations of civil rights, just a lot of confusion on the part of unprepared voters and overwhelmed election staff.