Lawsuit Eyed by Sharpton Over Florida

[WarholPop]

Source: New York Sun

Laying the groundwork for a court battle that could divide the Democratic Party, the Reverend Al Sharpton is threatening to sue the Democratic National Committee if it counts Florida's primary results in the official presidential delegates tally. Rev. Sharpton is traveling to Florida today to compile lists of residents who skipped the January contest because they thought their votes would not count. He plans to have those residents sign affidavits saying they would be disenfranchised by the seating of the Florida delegation, in the event the Democratic Party allowed that to happen.



Read more: http://www.nysun.com/article/72572

[thoughtcrime1984]

1. Wow, I agree with Sharpton!

Never thought I'd say that....

[grantcart]

3. He's smarter than he looks

[LisaL]

11. Yep, it sounds real smart for him to get involved and demand

that primary did not count. I guess it's really gonna endear Obama to all those FL voters.

[snooper2]

40. me as well...

amazing...I thought he was a Hillarite?

[Bitwit1234]

2. Gee the ACLU is considering a lawsuit

in the works..........to slap an injunction against any attempt to revote in Michigan and Florida AND to count the votes as is. I SHOULD KNOW....

[orleans]

19. why should you know? n/t

[spotbird]

32. The worst of all alternatives

It wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[Emillereid]

35. Is this for real?

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. I admire Sharpton, but I don't think his is the face we want to put on

an already divisive situation. I agree that FL & MI have to figure out a way to resolve this, but let it be someone else. Just as I think Rendell & Corzine should stay out of it, I think Sharpton should sit this one out.

[Zueda]

7. The only resolution is for the MI and FL voters...

to replace the state democratic leaders who made this happen.

[harmonicon]

9. here here!!

Every time I get an email from the Michigan Democrats, I just write back and tell Mark Brewer to resign and chastise him for removing my voice from the presidential selection process.

[lark]

43. Demoratic leaders in FL

are useless! I'm mad as hell at them for putting us in this impossible situation. Actually the national Democratic party leaders are useless too. They let Wisconsin break the rules each and every time, but oh yeah, let's punish FL and MI because they had the termerity to vote in a way we don't like@!
GRRRRRRR.

lark

[harmonicon]

10. why not?

I think Al Sharpton is great. I know that some people don't like him because he's either 1. black, 2. not serious (that is, he doesn't talk in bullshit platitudes - he is in fact very serious and that's why he's feared), or 3. just not very popular (no reality or talk TV), BUT he's a man who's convictions I trust and don't expect him to pull something to play politics when it comes to the importance of civil rights and voting.

I don't think this situation should be divisive. I see this as a fight for democracy. I hope he's successful AND that they have a new primary. If both of those things happen, the only winner is democracy, and the only loser is injustice.

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. you and i know that, but the media frenzy surrounding anything

sharpton does always proves to result in racially charged headlines, which will only serve to further divide an already divided party. I really don't know what's hard to understand about that. This was not a slam against Sharpton, but the media will twist his involvement, and turn it on Obama. They're already doing it.

I think the Repubs may finally get their wish. They have questioned for years, our lopsided loyalty to the Democratic party, and enough black voters will have peeled off to give them the advantage once again. And the white people who don't like Sharpton will be peeled off as well, thus leaving the party in shambles.

I'm an Obama supporter, but I want Sharpton to stay out of this.

[harmonicon]

14. I understand what you're saying here

but I would think it was a good thing if ANYONE did it, but I think Sharpton is well known and well respected enough for this to not get brushed aside. I know that the media will smack any racially charged label on something that Sharpton does, but I don't think that's a reason for him to stop doing what he thinks is right. I don't always agree with him, but I do think he's a model American, in that he stands up for what he thinks is right and will fight it out, no matter what the popular thing to do is. I say let the chips fall where they may. We shouldn't let fears of people manipulating facts stop people from putting the facts out there.

[Tarheel_Dem]

16. i hear what you're saying, but in American politics, Sharpton is as

polarizing a figure as is Hillary Clinton. Just a fact. This won't end well. I know some people are rooting for the final destruction of the Democratic party, and they may just get their wish.

[harmonicon]

29. I guess I'm just a dreamer

I'd rather not look at all of the filth in politics in hopes that it will just go away.

[Dr.Phool]

22. Is Roger Simon financing him again? Or Karl Rove?

While I've always admired Sharpton's oratory skills, he's a charlatan from the word go.

If he can find an opportunity to make a buck or promote himself ANYWHERE, he'll jump at the chance.

Look into his bank book, or under his mattress to find out which Republican is paying the tab on this one.

[harmonicon]

30. well, that's just an empty accusation

Does Sharpton like publicity? Yeah, he seems to, but he's also dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights and democracy. If he just wanted power and wanted to be a rich man, he could have gone about it in a much easier way. I think he's doing the right thing here.

[spotbird]

34. An easier way?

How's that? He runs for President as a Democrat funded by the Republicans.

Your suggestion is preposterous.

[harmonicon]

36. my suggestion is preposterous?

So, you think he does what he does to make money? You don't think he could have used his speaking skills and incredible intelligence to make it in business? You don't think he could have become an incredibly wealthy trial attorney? I don't really care where the money comes from. I care what he does with it. He's not running for president now, and he hasn't backed a candidate. He's doing this because he supports democracy, and I applaud that.

[spotbird]

37. Yes, for the money.

He hasn't announced his support for Clinton, but he and Bill are as thick as thieves.

That he takes Republican money to subvert Democrats who might block a Clinton nomination just makes him unethical, it says nothing about his intelligence.

[harmonicon]

39. huh?

But he's fighting against those who would give these delegates to Clinton. Yes, I know that he's on good terms, to say the least, with Bill Clinton, but that's also why I think this is very real on his part. He may want HC to be president, but he surely doesn't want it to happen in any way that could be construed as being unjust.

[bean fidhleir]

41. Agreed. Sharpton is one smart man, and *very* progressive

He's also got one of the *fastest* minds around. He can think on his feet better than any other politician I can call to mind.

[lark]

44. $$ is why not

It's estimated in FL to cost 25 million $$ to have a regular primary. Now, I've been hearing talk of mail in votes. I like that a lot better than the open primary due to the great reduction in cost. Of course, I truly don't think there's ever any reason outside of proven fraud to not count a vote and thought that was a Democratic value. Guess not. According to the Obama folks, only their votes get counted and screw the rest. Makes me sick!! You know damn well that if the shoe was on the other foot, they'd have already sued to make the national party recognize their winning votes. It's total hypocricy.

lark

[harmonicon]

46. no way

who's "they"? black people? I think Sharpton is probably more of a Clinton guy. The whole point is that this is about democracy, not any one candidate. There is no hypocrisy to what he's doing. He's standing up for democracy, and bless him for it. If only more people had Al Sharpton's level of integrity, the world would be a better place.

[electron_blue]

28. Why? What's wrong with his face?

In particular, who else should it be - an ordinary citizen?

[MADem]

5. Subheadline: Seen as Maneuvering To Aid Obama's Campaign

Rev. Sharpton has not endorsed a presidential candidate, but his efforts in Florida are widely viewed as benefiting Mr. Obama, who has won more delegates overall than Mrs. Clinton.

How are things in EAST PARAGUAY, Reverend Sharpton?

http://video.aol.com/partner/hulu/saturday-night-live-t...

[DJ13]

6. Seen as Maneuvering To Aid Obama's Campaign

You guys are too much.

The REPUBLICAN governor of Florida was complaining about disenfranchising his Democratic residents (like thats ever concerned Republicans...), so Sharpton says wait a minute, there were lots of people disenfranchised the first time around too, and now Sharpton is supporting Obama?

So governor Crist was supporting Hillary?

[MADem]

8. "YOU GUYS???" You're the one who's "too much"--try clicking on the fucking LINK.

That's the fucking "actual" SUBHEADLINE....in the NEWSPAPER article that the OP CITED.

Go on--have a PEEK. Then tell me you're sorry for going off on me like a flopsweating dipshit (like that will happen).

Jesus--WTF is the matter with "you?" Your ANXIETY and overeagerness to ATTACK-ATTACK-ATTACK are a bit off-putting--it's like watching a dog running in circles, trying to bite its tail. ... for hours and hours.

[spotbird]

33. If anyone believes this is to help

Obama, I've got some real estate for sale that might interest them as well.

Those selling that lie must think the rest of us are stupid.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. Good for Al.

[leftofcool]

15. Al Sharpton=Republican Shill

[Dr.Phool]

23. Al Sharpton = African-American version of Ralph Nader.

Ego that could swallow a blue whale or a brontosaurus.

[JCMach1]

17. This will only hurt Obama

[AZ Criminal JD]

18. I hope Al "Trawna Brawley' does this. It will get Clinton a million more votes.

[Laughing Mirror]

20. Here's Sharpton's Feb 15 letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean

February 15, 2008

Dear Governor Dean,

I write this letter as a former Democratic candidate for President of the United States and a civil rights leader who has fought his entire life for fairness and justice for all people regardless of the color of their skin. I firmly believe that changing the rules now, and seating delegates from Florida and Michigan at this point would not only violate the Democratic party's rules of fairness, but also would be a grave injustice.

As former Presidential candidates we both know that, whether we liked them or not, we adhered to the rules set forth by the Democratic party to select its nominee for president. For example, I would have much preferred starting the nominating process with caucuses and primaries in South Carolina and Washington D.C. than Iowa and New Hampshire. Nonetheless, I knew the rules, abided by them, and ultimately accepted the consequences. Changing the rules in the middle of a presidential contest is patently unfair both to the candidates (including Senator Edwards) and to Democratic voters everywhere.

Some have said that not seating delegations from Florida and Michigan disenfranchises Democratic voters -- especially African American voters -- from those two states. That claim, if true, should have been made many months ago before the decision was made to strip these states of their delegates, and, once the decision was made, it should have been vigorously objected to and contested by those who felt it disenfranchised voters. To raise that claim now smacks of politics in its form most raw and undercuts the moral authority behind such an argument.

As a civil rights leader who is neutral in this presidential primary season and who highly respects both remaining Democratic candidates, I think we have a responsibility to protect both candidates from charges that the process was tainted so that our eventual nominee does not start the general election campaign under a cloud. Clearly, the justifiably proud and intense passions of each candidate's supporters will be on full display in the months leading up to the convention. However, the Democratic Party and independent voices within must temper over enthusiasm by either side and the party must be resolute in ensuring that there is one set of rules by which we select our nominee.

In Progress,

Reverend Al Sharpton

http://essence.typepad.com/news/2008/02/rev-al-sharpton...

[LisaL]

26. He wants to protect both candidates?

Last I checked, they were both adults and thus should be able to "protect" themselves, if they wanted to.

[spotbird]

38. Clinton needs a surrogate to

do this for her.

[LisaL]

48. What a brilliant observation.

And how does it help her to have FL (where she won easily) not counted?

[bluestateguy]

21. Once again, Sharpton is sticking his nose somewhere where it is not supposed to be

This guy has made a career out of butting into affairs that are not his business and then getting burned in it: Tawana Brawley and the Duke Lacrosse case are just two examples.

Serious adults are trying to broker a settlement to this problem, and I am confident that they will. Sharpton's agitating will not help.

[blogslut]

24. A counter threat!

To the Clinton campaign's ramblings about legal action in Texas, Michigan and Florida.

Well played, Reverend.

[Ordr]

25. Big Al is suing to get in the news again?

What a surprise.

[flashl]

27. While he's there maybe he find out why Florida is still disenfranchising voters ...

One error cost them their voice at the polls

Disenfranchised by a simple gaffe? It's all thanks to their driver's licenses

Andrew Yochum, a lifelong Republican, went to the polls Jan. 29 to vote for John McCain..

But when he arrived, poll workers told him could not vote in the GOP primary because, they insisted, he was a member of the Reform Party, which Yochum jokes "I did not even know existed until I Googled it to find out what I believe."

The same day in Orange County, Mallie T. Williams took off work to "vote for change," only to have his ballot for Barack Obama thrown out because poll workers said the Democrat was listed as a Republican.

They are among hundreds of Floridians from Miami-Dade to Tampa and Okaloosa who either could not vote or had their ballots rejected.

The reason: their political party had been mistakenly changed during the simple act of updating a driver's license.

Elections officials say Florida's system for updating voter records has caused political party mistakes for years, but more errors may have been noticed recently because high interest in the presidential race brought out thousands who usually do not vote in primaries.

Herald Tribune

[lark]

45. So, is it OK for the Democratic party to disenfranchise voters

from FL, but not the state of FL? If so, (don't want to assume anything) then you are strongly advocating Repuglican tactics. Either votes are counted or not, it's a values thing that is just surprisingly getting lost here.

lark

[spotbird]

31. The Republican Party

financed his Presidential campaign, looks like he is still on their bankroll.

[bean fidhleir]

42. This thread sure seems to have its quota of racism topped up.

Everyone SHOULD be in favor of not changing the rules in the middle of the game, and should be applauding Big Al for his work. But I guess badmouthing him is more appealing.

[Canuckistanian]

47. Smart man

At least HE understands true disenfrachisement and how it works.

A LOT of people stayed home because they thought their vote wouldn't count.

Imagine how pissed they'd be if they found out their vote COULD HAVE counted.