It's a riot...
Electoral College vote faces challenge
Citing a study alleging irregularities in Ohio, a top Democrat calls for protesting today's House tally.
Associated Press | 6 Jan | Malia Rulon
WASHINGTON - The senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee yesterday protested President Bush's reelection with a new report alleging serious election irregularities and "significant disenfranchisement" of voters in Ohio.
The report by Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan says Congress should challenge the Electoral College vote when it is tallied today in the House and should investigate all claims of voter problems in Ohio.
"There are ample grounds for challenging the electors from the state of Ohio," the report said.
Ohio's 20 electoral votes were critical for Bush's defeat of Sen. John Kerry (D., Mass.). A recount showed Bush winning Ohio by 118,599 votes, the Ohio Secretary of State's Office announced yesterday.
The 102-page report lists such problems as unusually long lines, a shortage of voting machines in Democratic-leaning areas, and confusion over provisional-ballot rules.
The report contends there were widespread instances of intimidation and misinformation, improper purging of voter-registration lists, a lack of inspection for about 93,000 ballots on which no vote was cast for president, and vote totals not matching registration numbers or exit-poll data.
"In many cases these irregularities were caused by intentional misconduct and illegal behavior, much of it involving Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, the co-chair of the Bush-Cheney campaign in Ohio," the report said.
Carlo LoParo, a Blackwell spokesman, called the report "ludicrous" and a waste of time and taxpayer dollars. Every ballot was inspected during the recount, he said, and many of the complaints have been found to be inaccurate.
"There are absolutely no grounds for challenging Ohio's electors," LoParo said.
Several House Democrats were seeking a senator to cosponsor their challenge of Ohio's electoral votes. A single senator supporting the effort would by law require the two chambers to meet separately to consider the objection. But both Republican-controlled chambers would have to uphold the challenge for it to succeed.
Another link: http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=8821
Electoral College vote faces challenge
Citing a study alleging irregularities in Ohio, a top Democrat calls for protesting today's House tally.
Associated Press | 6 Jan | Malia Rulon
WASHINGTON - The senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee yesterday protested President Bush's reelection with a new report alleging serious election irregularities and "significant disenfranchisement" of voters in Ohio.
The report by Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan says Congress should challenge the Electoral College vote when it is tallied today in the House and should investigate all claims of voter problems in Ohio.
"There are ample grounds for challenging the electors from the state of Ohio," the report said.
Ohio's 20 electoral votes were critical for Bush's defeat of Sen. John Kerry (D., Mass.). A recount showed Bush winning Ohio by 118,599 votes, the Ohio Secretary of State's Office announced yesterday.
The 102-page report lists such problems as unusually long lines, a shortage of voting machines in Democratic-leaning areas, and confusion over provisional-ballot rules.
The report contends there were widespread instances of intimidation and misinformation, improper purging of voter-registration lists, a lack of inspection for about 93,000 ballots on which no vote was cast for president, and vote totals not matching registration numbers or exit-poll data.
"In many cases these irregularities were caused by intentional misconduct and illegal behavior, much of it involving Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, the co-chair of the Bush-Cheney campaign in Ohio," the report said.
Carlo LoParo, a Blackwell spokesman, called the report "ludicrous" and a waste of time and taxpayer dollars. Every ballot was inspected during the recount, he said, and many of the complaints have been found to be inaccurate.
"There are absolutely no grounds for challenging Ohio's electors," LoParo said.
Several House Democrats were seeking a senator to cosponsor their challenge of Ohio's electoral votes. A single senator supporting the effort would by law require the two chambers to meet separately to consider the objection. But both Republican-controlled chambers would have to uphold the challenge for it to succeed.
Another link: http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=8821
