GOP files suit over recount in governor's race (WA state)

Florida 2000, anyone?

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002096883_rossi21m.html
The special hearing is supposed to happen this afternoon in district court.

<snip>
The state Republican Party filed a lawsuit in federal court late yesterday afternoon, alleging that King County election workers are improperly recounting ballots in the tightly contested gubernatorial race between Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire. Election officials denied the allegations and said they're following long-standing state procedures to ensure that every valid vote is counted.

Rossi, who is seeking to become the first Republican elected governor in Washington since 1980, leads Democratic state Attorney General Gregoire by 261 votes among more than 2.8 million ballots counted, but a machine recount was ordered Wednesday when the official statewide counting ended. Among the counties that began their recounts yesterday were King, Pierce, Skagit and Spokane.

The lawsuit could decide the fate of at least 306 ballots in King County, a stronghold for Democrats where Gregoire won with 57 percent of the votes. It could also delay the recount beyond its scheduled conclusion Wednesday, if a judge suspends counting while the lawsuit is sorted out.
...
Lawyers for the (Republican)party are seeking a hearing today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ask a federal judge to stop what they describe as a violation of the equal-protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.
</snip> (There's much more.)

Of course, the Republicans are only trying to prohibit all the votes from being counted in liberal King County, not in the "red" counties.

So incredibly cynical.

s_m

:cry:

the general election:

"Bush + Cheney 2004

Dear ######,

Just a few short days stand between us and the election. If the activities taking place in battleground states are any indication, our opponents plan a long, bitter, and vicious fight. Let me share just a sample of what is going on across the country today, 6 days before you vote. And let me tell you what else you may expect to see.

We have already seen 35 lawsuits filed in 17 states - some before the first ballot was even cast. So far, the Democrats have failed in their attempts to win this election in the courts, rather than the ballot box.

The shadowy groups aligned against us will stop at nothing, and I mean nothing, to win. That is why we must prepare for every possible outcome next Tuesday. That is why we must have the resources necessary to fight any legal battle. Will you ensure we're prepared?

www.GeorgeWBush.com/Recount

Our offices have been broken into, vandalized, and robbed. Gun shots have pierced the doors and windows of several offices. Fortunately, no one was hurt in those attacks, but unfortunately, when union members stormed an office in Florida, a volunteer's arm was broken.

Our GELAC account (our legal fund, really) can be used to pay for some of the damage done to offices we occupy. More importantly, though, it allows us to pay the costs of a recount. It allows us to guard against the kind of lawsuits we have seen, and which we expect to see in the days after the election.

Those allied against us will not go quietly when the voters speak. They have already made clear they consider the election to be only the opening battle in a much larger war - a war we must also be prepared to fight. Will you make sure we're ready?

www.GeorgeWBush.com/Recount

We do not want to go through another election where the outcome is held hostage by the courts and those who were defeated at the polls try to reverse the outcome through legal wrangling and endless litigation.

We want the people's will, not the will of high-powered trial lawyers, to determine the President. To make that happen, we need you. We need you to make one last contribution to our GELAC fund and help us secure the outcome of this election against those who would use violence, theft and assault as tactics - and those who would use the courts to claim a victory they did not earn.

Please give all you can.

Sincerely,

Marc Racicot
Chairman

P.S. Those who oppose us have already used theft, vandalism and assault as weapons to win this election. Their next stop will be the courts. Will you make a contribution to our legal fund and ensure we have the resources to uphold the vote when the people speak next Tuesday? Please give all you can. www.GeorgeWBush.com/Recount"

Trying to make us sound like terrorists?

plan to do or have already done.

This would be laughable if it wasn't so sad and dangerous.