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More News On the Florida Lawsuit
(CNN) — A Florida court threw out a lawsuit Wednesday challenging the Democratic Party's decision not to seat delegates from Florida — as litigants prepared to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Political consultant Victor DiMaio and his lawyer Michael Steinberg had compared the party's decision to earlier prohibitions against allowing African-Americans to vote and invoked the trauma of the Florida recount in the 2000 contest between Al Gore and George W. Bush, both arguments also used by Hillary Clinton to support the seating of the state’s delegates.
"This is nuts. This is not right. How can they remove Florida after all the things that Florida has suffered through– hanging chads, through Bush v Gore, and they're sticking it to us again," DiMaio said before the hearing.
Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean says the situations are not comparable.
"You cannot violate the rules of the process and then expect to get forgiven for it," he said.
Judge Richard Lazarra sided with the party, saying political parties have the right to make their own rules.
DiMaio's is the second Florida lawsuit protesting the Democratic Party's decision to be thrown out of court. An earlier one filed by Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Alcee Hastings, both Florida Democrats, was also dismissed.
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Comments (15)
mischief:" Obama is not stealing this election. He successfully campaigned and has won the majority of pledged delegates based on the rules that EVERYONE agreed to at the beginning of the process."
This will eventually sink-in if I post it enough...
BTW: thanks for the update hrebendorf...luv the avatar
May 28, 2008 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
One would think that Mr. Dean would be more sensitive to the sentiments in Florida. As in 2004, Mr. Dean is again tone Deaf.
May 28, 2008 1:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
One would think that repeated warnings would be enough to convince Florida not to change the primary date.
One would think that the same-old tired argument would fall flat.
One would think that after SIGNING-ON to the rules that were established by folks like HRC and others in her campaign, one would abide by those rules-- wouldn't one?
YOU are tone deaf.
HELLO--HELLO! IS THERE ANYBODY IN THERE??
One would think it disingenuous to continue this stupid charade.
(again:)
mischief:" Obama is not stealing this election. He successfully campaigned and has won the majority of pledged delegates based on the rules that EVERYONE agreed to at the beginning of the process."
simple enough for ya??
May 28, 2008 2:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's hope Howard Dean remains tone deaf. For the good of the party.
May 28, 2008 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you know how Terry McAuliffe cured his tone deafness after 2004, when he was DNC chair and opposed to the exact same sort of solution he and Hillary are now demanding?
Unfortunately I suspect the answer is "buckets and buckets of cash from the Hillary campaign buying his hypocrisy," and if so then it's not a cure that Hillary could suggest to Dean. Sorry.
May 28, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh you mean like Terry McAuliffe was understanding to Carl Levin when Terry was head of the DNC?
From Terry McAuliffe's Book "What a party"
http://www.politicalbase.com/profile/Mark%20Nickolas/blog/&blogId=1950
May 29, 2008 2:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Florida and Michigan gambit has been part of a long term strategy on the part of the Clintons. The aim: to confuse the American people about the "metrics" for deciding the Democratic candidate. The popular vote is a myth. The fact that you can't arrive at a popular vote total should have been discussed months ago in the MSM. Instead, people have been left to believe that it may be a legitimagte metric, thereby potentially underming the legitimacy of Obama's victory.
"Snapshot Polls and the Popular Vote: Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics"
http://msa4.wordpress.com/
May 28, 2008 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just curious as to why SC pushed up their date with no reperussion?
May 28, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sure someone with more "sharps" will chime-in soon, but I think it had to be after the Iowa and NH contests or third week in Feb or sumpin'... I remember there was a date specific that was not to be preceded.
(help??)
May 28, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because the DNC has the authority to allow it and they did.
May 28, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did SC actually jump anyone? I don't think they did. So pushing up the SC primary date didn't have any real meaning.
May 28, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you read the exact rules, it is quite clear that only MI and FL broke them.
May 28, 2008 9:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because they were given permission.
May 29, 2008 11:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a native Michigander, I am truly chagrined that my state is being mentioned in the same sentence as Florida with regard to a fouled election.
The only consolation for me is that this very same year my beloved RedWings are playing for the Stanley Cup, and the Pistons are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Too bad both teams lost today :( on the road though..
May 29, 2008 2:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
SPQR:
What portion of the DCC PRIMARY RULES DID YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES FAIL TO COMPREHEND?
:)
May 29, 2008 11:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
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