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.
F*** off, Jesse!!!!
Note to Jesse: Why don't you get a real job? Kerry lost! I know it is very difficult for you and Dems to accept and understand reality, but you are just going to have to try. There were not voting irregularities in Ohio. So just buck up and get a real job - if someone will hire you. Oh - and have a great day!
"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."
Last I check, NONE of the Supreme Courts of the several States have any power to 'throw the results out' or declare a 'new winner'. Only the State Legislature may perform these actions, only if they follow the procedures outlined by the laws passed by said Legislature at least six days before the Federal general election in November.
dvwjr
This IS Jesse's real job--race-warfare, demagaugery, troublemaking.
! I know it is very difficult for you and Dems to accept and understand reality, but you are just going to have to try.
I have the sense that this is some sort of perverse therapeutic mechanism for Jesse and his ilk.
There were not voting irregularities in Ohio.
In Jesse's mind, for what it's worth (and it's worth nothing he he he), there WERE "irregularities" in OH, as well as FL--and only on the republican side (snort). Of course, there were no voting irregularities in the 48 other states (sarcasm).
Very cool, did you do that?
I really wish something could be done to slap down these people when they file these frivolous lawsuits designed only to gain media attention. You should not be allowed to use the Supreme Court of a state as a backdrop to a political news conference. Also, the IRS needs to yank the tax exempt status for organizations like Rainbow/Push which are nothing but fronts for the Democratic party.
Because of the Democrat effort to make an issue out of the close vote of this state... Which, by the way was not as close as Minnesota and Wisconsin, the good voters of Ohio will do in the next election what the Florida voters did in this one. MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THEY VOTED REPUBLICAN! The Dems need to stop this sh*t, it does nothing but hurt them.
Yo Jessie, STFU you has-been charlatan!
I had a customer come in telling me about this Ohio situation and that Bush stole the election and had a prominent black accountant murdered. Too much WBAI!
I'm streaming Drudge and he's playing Michael Jackson as bumper music.
A quick retort would have been, "But look at what happened to Ron Brown under Clinton!" Not that would shut them up but least it might give them pause. Even America's first Black President isn't claiming OH was stolen from under the Democrats' nose.
LOL!!! I dunno... I used to listen to the health nut Gary Null. Too bad Steve Malzberg has anchored himself to New York's answer to Maxine Waters.
When I said that John Kerry wasn't fighting it, he brought up John Edwards. I gave up though. There's no such thing as reason with a WBAI listener.
"This is about the integrity of the vote. This is not about the Kerry campaign," said Jackson, who supported the Democrat for president."
Dear Jesse,
You sir HAVE NO integrity to speak of. Why are you pretending that you do? Please knock this act of yours off, it is sooo old, so over with, so last century.
I wonder if he has time to look after his love child.
"if Kerry conceded why does it matter? "
The concession is a tradition in electoral politics, but it has no legal weight. If by some miracle the 'rats were able to overturn some state and give Kerry 270 electoral votes, he would win regardless of having conceded.
Not to worry though. Ain't gonna happen.
this is sort of off topic but I saw Al Sharpton on Meet the Depressed today. Why does the media continue to entertain these FOOLS?
JJ IS A JOKE, but i've heard it before and am not laughing,the Dems. were paying for voter reg. with crack. The naacp was involved, is JJ intrested in stopping voter fraud, if so, I agree.....
Forgive me Ohio. But isnt this the place where the RATS were paying people off in crack, and registering people like Mary Poppins and Donald Duck.? Come on Jesse! If you want to find fraud, abuse and corruption look at your own party or better yet at your own tax returns and the mirror!
"Although John Kerry has conceded the election...".
...the Old Media Has not....
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