Free Republic

Olympia—Jonathan Bechtle, Director of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation’s Voter Integrity Project, released the following statement in support of today’s press conference by King County Council members Reagan Dunn and Bob Ferguson on the need for an elected auditor: “King County council members Reagan Dunn and Bob Ferguson deserve praise for their bi-partisan effort to restore effective leadership in the county elections division. Former elections chief Dean Logan’s tenure was marked by a record of mismanagement, a lack of transparency, a disregard for election laws, and an unhappy staff. “The elections department needs a strong leader who has the authority to...

WENATCHEE -- Reeling from a courtroom rout, Republican Dino Rossi decided today not to press ahead to the state Supreme Court with his legal challenge to the 2004 election of Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire. With today's decision, and because of the political makeup of the Washington State Supreme Court, which makes it almost impossible to overturn this ruling, I am ending the election contest," Rossi said at his campaign headquarters in Bellevue. Rossi and the GOP sued in January in Chelan County Superior Court to set aside the closest governor's race in the nation's history, which Gregoire won by 129...

A small, weekend item in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer was missed by many, yet it's another example of a dubious trend: liberal Democrats switching between journalism and partisan political positions..... (AND) Election Decision Live Blogging GOP Loses First Round In Gubernatorial Challenge...

A Washington state judge found that more than 1600 votes were illegally cast in the gubernatorial election last year. They were nearly all cast in overwhelmingly Demonrat-controlled regions, and constitute several times the margin of "victory" by the Demonrat candidate, Christinie Gregoire. The judge acknowledged the injury due to the fraud. But, he found that as defined by the Washington State election statute the fraud provided no basis for overturning election. The statute states that the challenging party would have to not only demonstrate that fraud occured, but that the perpetrators of the fraud intended to commit fraud. Merely being...

A judge on Monday upheld Washington's 2004 gubernatorial election, rejecting Republicans' bid to nullify the 129-vote victory of Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire. Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges denied Republican claims that election errors, illegal voters and fraud stole the election from GOP candidate Dino Rossi. He announced his decision in court, saying the state's election process was flawed but that he was not the proper person to remedy those flaws. "This court is not in the position to fix the deficiencies in the election process," Bridges said. "However, the voters are in a position to demand of their...

A state judge has upheld the election of Washington Governor Christine Gregoire. In turning back the Republican challenge to the Democrat, Judge John Bridges says there was no evidence of fraud in last fall's election. The judge did find there were more than 1,600 illegal votes, but he says it's up to voters to fix errors in the state's election system. Republicans have said they will appeal to the state Supreme Court.

OK, this thread may be partially vanity...but it looks like breaking news based upon what I'm reading on the soundpolitics web site. Go there and read it for yourselves...but it looks like the county jdge isn't gonna allow a new election. This looks bad for democracy. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Live thread, discuss.

Washington State Judge To Rule Monday On Governor's Win June 5, 2005 7:31 a.m. EST Douglas Maher - All Headline News Staff Reporter WENATCHEE, WA (AHN)- The long contested election of 2004 in the state of Washington will take a new turn come Monday when Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges will announce his decision on whether the results were valid amid accusations of massive fraud. Gov. Christine Gregoire has not attended a single day of the trial that has gripped the state for the last month and is making no plans to attend the reading of the decision....

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The political fate of Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire hangs in the balance this weekend while a small-town judge decides whether her paper-thin victory was valid. During two weeks of trial, Republicans argued election errors, illegal votes and fraud stole the election from GOP candidate Dino Rossi. Democrats countered that the errors were innocent mistakes and said Republicans lacked enough evidence to justify tossing a governor out of office. Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges will announce his decision Monday. The stakes could not be higher for Gregoire, who has pursued her agenda in the Capitol as...

Has anyone heard about the CAO law that passed in King county? It says that 65% of your land must be undeveloped in rural King county. You still pay taxes on it, but you cannot build on it. I just don't understand how these libs push this stuff through without a public vote. I have been looking at houses, and it takes a quarter million to buy an average house, (not big, just average), so if I want to build a shop in the future, I will have to buy an acre of land just so there is enough grass....

Has anyone heard about the CAO law that passed in King county? It says that 65% of your land must be undeveloped in rural King county. You still pay taxes on it, but you cannot build on it. I just don't understand how these libs push this stuff through without a public vote. I have been looking at houses, and it takes a quarter million to buy an average house, (not big, just average), so if I want to build a shop in the future, I will have to buy an acre of land just so there is enough grass....

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - A judge said he would rule Monday on whether the 2004 gubernatorial election should be nullified. Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges' announcement came Thursday, as Democrats were nearing the end of their defense of the disputed election, which Democrat Christine Gregoire won by just 129 votes. Republicans challenging Gregoire's victory have focused on errors in the Democratic stronghold of King County, the state's most populous and home to about a third of the total votes statewide. They contend the errors indicate fraud and want the election overturned to allow a new contest between Gregoire...

SEATTLE - As the results of 2004's general election are being contested in court halfway across the state, two people pleaded guilty Thursday to voting twice in the election. Doris McFarland and Robert Holmgren each admitted in King County District Court that they cast ballots for their recently deceased spouses. Each will have to pay $490 in fines and court fees but they won't spend any time in jail. Multiple voting is a gross misdemeanor that can carry up to a year in jail and a $5,000 fine. "My wife died just before this election," Holmgren, 59, told Judge Eileen...

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) -- The state elections director yesterday testified that he thinks the problems in Washington's incredibly close 2004 gubernatorial election were innocent mistakes. "I saw inadvertent mistakes and errors of human beings who were working their hearts out," said Nick Handy, who was appointed to the post. He said he disagrees with his boss, Secretary of State Sam Reed, a Republican who has called the problems in heavily Democratic King County "appalling." Mr. Handy testified as a trial to determine whether the results of the election should be thrown out entered its second week. Democrats are trying to...

WENATCHEE, Wash. - The state elections director testified Tuesday that he believes the problems in Washington's incredibly close 2004 gubernatorial election were innocent mistakes. "I saw inadvertent mistakes and errors of human beings who were working their hearts out," said Nick Handy, who was appointed to the post. He said he disagrees with his boss, Secretary of State Sam Reed, a Republican, who has called the problems in heavily Democratic King County "appalling." Handy testified as a trial to determine whether the results of the election should be thrown out entered its second week. Democrats are trying to defend the...

King County is operating as a criminal enterprise, two outspoken critics claim in a racketeering complaint they will file with the FBI in Seattle today. The complaint chronicles oft-heard charges against the county's code enforcement officers and about the surface water management fee that officials have already addressed. The complaint also will cite the county's controversial, but successful efforts to develop the East Lake Sammamish Trail on the Eastside. But it's the rural backlash against the package of critical areas ordinances that finally drove Chuck Pillon of May Valley and Ron Ewart of Fall City to prepare the complaint. A...

We can't seem to get a good LIVE thread going here on FR, but they have them each day - each part of each day - over on Sound Politics. Here is a summary of Day Five, the Republicans rest their case. As with FR, the comments have good analysis and input, but you have to wade through a lot of chaff to find the wheat. Here they are in chronological order: Day Five MorningDemocrats Move to DismissDay Five AfternoonDay Five Closes with Democrats Helping Prove Rossi Case

Judge Allows New GOP Allegations of Fraud in Washington Governor's RaceBy Rebecca Cook Associated Press Writer Published: May 24, 2005 WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - A top King County elections official on Tuesday denied knowing about an absentee ballot report allegedly falsified by county workers while counting ballots in the 2004 governor's election. Elections Superintendent Bill Huennekens, testifying in a challenge to Washington state's 2004 gubernatorial election, said the Democratic-leaning county that includes Seattle had absentee ballots but added: "I don't know that we have an exact number." He also acknowledged the report did not include 96 unopened, uncounted ballots that...

WENATCHEE, Wash. - Prosecutors, attorneys and state officials agree that the judge who will decide whether to nullify the 2004 Washington governor's election is hardworking and fair. But even in the small town where he grew up, Chelan County Superior Court Judge John E. Bridges remains a bit of mystery: He's not a joiner. He doesn't belong to the Rotary. He doesn't cut a high profile in Wenatchee's social circles. No one knows his political leanings. And no one knows - or no one's telling - the story behind the small diamond earring in the gray-haired judge's left ear, twinkling...