U.S. to sue Florida over 2000 voting

MSNBC ^ | 5/21/02

[Mean Spirited]

The government will file three lawsuits against Florida counties alleging voting rights violations resulting from the bitterly disputed 2000 presidential election, a Justice Department official said Tuesday.

TWO OTHER LAWSUITS also will be filed, in Missouri and Tennessee, by the department’s civil rights division, Assistant Attorney General Ralph Boyd told the Senate Judiciary Committee. The lawsuits will allege disparate treatment of minority voters, improper purging of voter rolls, “motor voter” registration violations and failure to provide access to disabled voters, Boyd said. Other charges, he said, include failing to allow voters with limited proficiency in English to have assistance at the polls and failing to provide bilingual assistance.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Evans and Novak on Boyd:

Justice Department: The nomination of Ralph Boyd, Jr., to be assistant attorney general for civil rights is expected to sail through the Senate. Boyd is a nonideological figure who comes with no track record on civil rights issues.

Democrats have already criticized Boyd’s scanty civil rights record. That was the chief objection that sank the nomination of William Lucas, the black nominee of former President George Bush. But Bush aides and congressional Republicans consider the absence of a paper trail on Boyd a significant asset.

Sources say that Boyd will be a "soldier, not a general" in enforcing civil rights law. He has not taken aggressive stances on high-profile issues such as racial quotas and preferences. Many expect controversial civil rights policy will be directed from the White House.

Boyd, a partner with the Boston law firm of Goodwin Proctor, served as assistant U.S. attorney in Massachusetts from 1991 to 1997. He is known as a tough litigator who aggressively prosecuted gun crimes. He administered Operation Triggerlock, the Justice Department’s national firearms-prosecution initiative.

Maybe this is a go-through-the-motions kind of deal. Boyd also doesn't like US Commission on Civil Rights chief Berry.

Earlier this year, Boyd agreed to Adam's Mark Hotels' request to consider an early out to anti-discrimination monitoring that was the result of a settlement between the company and the government. The president of the company withdrew the request after it was noted that he donated to Ashcroft's past campaigns and attended Ashcroft's daughter's wedding.

Boyd has also spoken to 135 new Massachusetts Eagle Scouts at their recognition banquet this year.

His father founded the Schenectady, N.Y. NAACP, but Boyd himself has not joined the debate on issues of race at all.

He gained a reputation as a hard-nosed prosecutor, who often sent young black and Hispanic men to prison on gun and gang charges, and is credited with helping to reduce significantly Boston's crime rate during the past decade.

Boyd was outspoken in his view that former President Bill Clinton should have been prosecuted for obstruction of justice.

It's also useful to recall Clintoon choices for this post and compare them to Boyd-- Lani Guinier and Bill Lann Lee.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Actually Boyd is on the record as being confrontational toward Berry.

[eureka!]

Thanks for #81. I like him. He will do the right thing...

[cake_crumb]

Mary Berry, Clinton appointed head of the US Civil Liberties Commission is going after President Bush, Governor Bush and SoS Katherine Harris over the Florida election fiaso!! Alert! The US Civil Liberties Commission is going to SUE the state of Florida for violating the civil rights of African Americans, motor votors and non-English speakers (?)!

[Hacksaw]

Headline should read "Bush Administration Sues Itself as Part of New Tone"

[Miss Marple]

Thanks for the information. People need to calm down and look at the ramifications of this...personally, I think this is a good thing.

[Howlin]

. Because the only way it can damage the GOP or K Harris or Jeb is if Dubya's own Justice Department finds wrongdoing on their part.

If Mary Frances Berry can't find it, it's not there. She couldn't find ONE THING.

And who knows what "else" might just happen to "fall out"........like military ballots.

[MJY1288]

I agree, let them make fools of themselves in a federal court, maybe we can get camera's in the courtroom and witness this display of race baiting on national TV

[cake_crumb]

"Ms. Berry can't force the Justice Department to do anything."

I'm not so sure I trust MSNBC to get the facts straight. It'll be very hard to convince me that Berry's smarmy prints aren't all over this.

From their site:

PRESS RELEASES - VOTE 2000

03/09/01: US Commission On Civil Rights Concludes That “No Count” Is Real Issue In Florida Vote

02/06/01: US Civil Rights Commission Emphasizes Public Testimony in Continuing Examination of Florida Voting Problem

 

---

Us Commission On Civil Rights Concludes That“No Count” Is Real Issue
In Florida Vote

Voter Disenfranchisement is at the Heart of the Issue

WASHINGTON, DC, MARCH 9 - Supported by approximately 30 hours of sworn testimony from some 100 witnesses, the US Commission on Civil Rights determined that the Florida presidential elections appear to have been marred by voter disenfranchisement.

"It is not a question of a recount or even an accurate count, but more pointedly those whose exclusion from the right to vote amounted to a 'No Count,'" concluded a statement issued today by the Commission. The preliminary assessment was released in a rare departure from the Commission's more deliberative procedures. Commission Chair Mary Frances Berry said she hopes the Commission's findings will hasten reforms.

"In the final analysis," the statement said, "new recounts of old ballots are an academic exercise. Voting is the language of our democracy and, regrettably - when it mattered most - real people lost real opportunities to speak truth to power in the ballot box. This must never occur again.

"Voting technology reforms and the conclusion of recounting procedures alone are insufficient to address the significant and distressing issues and barriers that prevented qualified electors to cast ballots and have their ballots counted. It is our hope that Florida, as well as other jurisdictions, would promptly address these major problems instead of hoping that with the passage of time, the public will forget," the statement continued.

The Commission released the statement at its regular March meeting. It maintained that the evidence points to an array of problems. These ranged from Florida election officials' failure to provide adequate resources to handle increased voter turnout to at least one unauthorized law enforcement checkpoint. The Commission also flagged the removal of non-felons from the voter registration rolls on the basis of unreliable information collected during a sweeping, state-sponsored felony purge.

The Commission cited other problems in Florida which prevented voters from exercising their franchise, including the assignment of many African Americans to polling sites that lacked sufficient resources to confirm voter eligibility; failure to process voter registration applications under the "motor voter" law in a timely manner; use of defective and complicated ballots that caused many "overvotes" and "undervotes"; early closing of polling places; relocation of polling places without notice; use of old and defective election equipment in poor precincts; failure to provide requested language assistance to Haitian American and Latino American voters; and failure to ensure access for voters with disabilities.

The Commission also found that the state failed to provide adequate training to its poll workers and committed inadequate funds to voter education.

The Commission plans to release a draft report on the Florida voting probe by early April and the final report in early June.

By a unanimous vote, the Commission decided to return to Florida late this summer after the state legislative session, in order to assess what changes have taken place at the sate and local level. This vote follows a March 8 letter from Chairperson Berry to Governor Jeb Bush that expressed her disappointment with his statement of priorities to the Florida legislature in which he emphasized voting technology reforms and not the additional barriers that prevented qualified voters from participating in the election.

The Commission also discussed a survey today reviewing election procedures nationwide, including all 50 states and the District of Columbia. That review was aided by State Advisory Committees and the Commission's regional representatives.

03/09/2001

---

US Civil Rights Commission Emphasizes Public Testimony
in Continuing Examination of Florida Voting Problems

February 16 Hearing at Wyndham Miami Focuses on South Florida Counties

Washington, DC - Continuing its investigation into voting problems in Florida during the presidential election, the US Commission on Civil Rights will devote the morning of February 16 to airing the experiences of registered South Florida voters who had difficulties reaching the polls or casting their ballots. In addition, at the conclusion of the formal agenda, members of the public will have the opportunity to share their stories at an open public forum.

The Commission has scheduled a one-day hearing at the Wyndham Miami, 1601 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL. As is its customary practice, the Commission has subpoenaed witnesses and documents for the Miami hearing, which will focus on Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties. The Commission will take sworn testimony from registered voters, poll workers, elected and appointed county officials, an administrator of the Department of Motor Vehicles and representatives of Choicepoint, the firm contracted by the state to help it ensure that felons did not participate in the November 7, 2000, election.

The Commission's investigation into Florida voting problems began last month with a two-day hearing in Tallahassee featuring testimony by Gov. Jeb Bush, Secretary of State Katherine Harris and registered voters from that area who had encountered problems at the polls.

Among the allegations to be examined in Miami: persons were improperly purged form voter roles due to erroneous reports of felony convictions; voter lists did not include names of persons who had registered; properly filed voter registrations were processed too late for names to appear on voter rolls; polling places were closed early; polling places were moved without notice; some ballots were defective and confusing; officials failed to provide language assistance as requested; and officials failed to provide access to the polls for persons with disabilities.

The Commission is an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding agency of the federal government with authority to hold hearings and subpoena both witnesses and documents. It has very broad investigative authority in the area of voting rights, even when alleged abuses do not involve discrimination, fraud or other malicious intent.

 

WHAT:	The US Commission on Civil Rights’ ongoing probe of Florida voting focuses on Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties
WHO:	Registered voters, poll workers, public officials, Choicepoint officials
WHEN:	Friday, February 16	9 am – 5:20 pm	Public forum: 6:30
WHERE:	Wyndham Miami, Bahama Room, 1601 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, FL

 

[Demidog]

I give two middle fingers to the socialist dumbasses behind this.

Who heads up the Justice Department? Isn't that Ashcroft? Wouldn't a lawsuit eminating from the Justice department first have to cross his desk to gain approval?

[MamaLucci]

Actually Boyd is on the record as being confrontational toward Berry.

This pre-empts Miz Berry and her kangaroo court.
Smart move, IMHO.

[cake_crumb]

"People need to calm down and look at the ramifications of this...personally, I think this is a good thing."

You're right, it CAN be a good thing...however, I can guess the left-wing feeding frenzy to come, in time for the Congressional elections. That's all this whole thing is about.

Preparation for the storm can be prudent.

[Demidog]

He is known as a tough litigator who aggressively prosecuted gun crimes.

Socialist, anti-constitutional pig alert! OINK!

[PogySailor]

Boyd refused to name the cities or counties that will be sued, but he said the lawsuits would be filed within the next two months. "It will be well in advance of the primaries for the November 2002 elections," he said.

They haven't announced which counties will be sued. I suspect that it MAY be Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade. But we'll have to wait and see. When I heard about this suit my initial reaction was "WTF!".

[america-rules]

"I was thinking the same thing. How much do you want to bet that the suits are being brought against Democrat counties?"

Do NOT underestimate Bush !

[GraniteStateConservative]

Actually, gun owners and lovers of the 2A love to prosecute those who use guns to commit crimes. Only responsible firearms use is acceptable in a civilized society. Are you an anarchist?

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Other charges, he said, include failing to allow voters with limited proficiency in English to have assistance at the polls and failing to provide bilingual assistance.

In addition, they could be charged for failing to give them breakfast in bed, failing to wipe their backsides, and not chewing their food for them.

[deport]

The Civil Right Division of the DOJ (Boyd) Reports to the Associate Attorney General, Jay B. Stephens who in turn reports to Deputy Attorney General, Larry D. Thompson and then on to Attorney General John Ashcroft. So it's got blessings up the ladder I'm sure.

Jay Stephens.....

Stephens, 54, is currently the Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Honeywell International Inc., where he has been employed since March 1997.

From 1993 to 1997, he was a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm of Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro.

In March 1988, President Ronald Reagan appointed Stephens United States Attorney for the District of Colombia, a position he held until April 1993. Previous to that, he served as Deputy Counsel to President Reagan for two years.

From 1981 to 1985, Stephens held several positions at the Department of Justice, including Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General. He was an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Colombia from 1977 to 1981.

Stephens was an Assistant Watergate Special Prosecutor from 1974 to 1975, and was an associate at the law firm of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering from 1973 to 1974.

Stephens graduated from Harvard Law School in 1973 and Harvard College in 1968. In 1968, he studied philosophy, politics and economics on a fellowship to Oxford University in England.

"Jay's strong reputation for integrity and leadership in the legal community makes him an ideal nominee for Associate Attorney General," said Ashcroft. "He has a wealth of management experience and brings great judgment to the Department of Justice."

I think no matter what the illegalities are it would be nice to have them corrected, don't you think?

Civil Rights Division, 3rd column over from the left side....

[MJY1288]

They might just call into question why the news media conseded Florida to Gore when the Polls were still open in the pan handle, Military Ballots tossed out, The DNC hired a marketing firm to contact Palm Beach votors the night of the election, and how about the DNC handing out cigarettes and beer while being driven to the polls to vote for Gore.

[linn37]

correct plus it gives cover to go after the vote fraud in Missouri !