Recounts for Me, Not for Thee
On Reid’s Perplexing Recount History
After being dealt a serious blow today by the Minnesota state
Canvassing board, who, much to the ire of Team Franken, refused
to re-examine rejected absentee ballots, Al Franken’s band of
merry men were forced to regroup, but vowed to continue their fight
in a press conference.
According to Marc Elias, Franken’s lead recount attorney, the
protracted legal battle for Norm Coleman’s senate seat will
indefinitely continue. Elias, whose comments were first reported by
Talking Points Memo’s Eric Kleefeld, signaled their readiness
to take their fight to, of all places, the United States
Senate:
There are a number of ways this can happen, whether it
is at the county level, before the state canvassing board, before
the courts of Minnesota, or before the United States Senate, we do
not know,” said Elias — but they will see to it that every vote is
counted.
Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid echoed Elias’ sentiments – a stark reversal of
opinion from his own 1988 recount – in a statement today from his
US Senate office, saying “Today’s decision by the Minnesota
Canvassing Board not to count certain absentee ballots is cause for
great concern.”
Reid’s politically motivated endorsement of Franken’s intentions
point to the possibility that senior Democrats, if called upon,
would support the Franken campaign’s move to hijack the recount
process and move for Senate intervention.
Of course, Reid knows a thing or two about recounts and possible
senate intervention, though he opposed both in 1988 after being
declared the winner in Nevada’s 2nd closest election to
date. Reid characterized recounts as both a waste of time and
money. “If they [now-Senator John Ensign] want a recount, more
power to them. It won’t change the vote,” he said in an interview
with the AP. Adding, “It’s a big waste of money.” Isn’t it amazing
what 20 years can do?
Despite Reid’s flawed (and ever-changing) interpretation,
recounts are not partisan tools to bolster majorities. If
the Democratic leadership holds dear the sanctity of the electoral
process, they would do well to not inject partisanship in a
non-partisan process.
“The recount process in Minnesota is being handled by
Minnesotans, not D.C. politicians,” said Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell. “Neutrality and distance from the Minnesota
recount is particularly important for Senators on the Senate Rules
Committee who would need to remain neutral if the election results
are considered by the committee.”
Minnesotans are appropriately handling the situation, and
Beltway intervention, as Franken and Reid propose, stand to run
roughshod the recount underway in the North Star State.
Cross-posted
at Skepticians.com
““““
Go to Source
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Leave a Reply