Plaintiffs in Nevada lawsuit approved State Party's caucus plan

[Adelante]

Tough-Guy Politics on the Vegas Strip

Two days after a key Nevada union of casino employees endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, allies of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, filed a lawsuit to block the special "at-large" casino precincts set up months ago for those very casino employees.

-snip

But the lawsuit, filed by six Nevada Democrats and the Nevada State Education Association teachers' union -- whose deputy executive director, Debbie Cahill, is a member of Clinton’s Nevada Women’s Leadership Council -- seeks to prevent those At-Large Districts from meeting in next Saturday's caucuses.

-snip

The state party approved the at-large precincts at its Nevada State Democratic Party's State Central Committee meeting on March 31, 2007.

According to those minutes and attendance records of the obtained by ABC News (Click HERE), four plaintiffs now suing the state party to stop these "at-large" precincts from convening were in attendance: Clark Party Second Vice Chair Vicki Birkland and John Birkland, Party Third Vice Chair Dwayne Chesnut and Clark County Public Administrator John Cahill.

The "Delegation Selection Plan Review and Approval" including these "at-large" precincts was, according to minutes of the meeting reviewed by ABC News, "Passed unanimously." The plan was submitted to the Democratic National Committee for approval in August.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/01/tough-guy-pol-1.html

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. :( :( Why is this happening? I just want Edwards to win, that's all. nt

[City Lights]

2. Well, isn't that special!

:nuke:

[Renew Deal]

3. This is in the top 2-3 most disgusting things Hillary's campaign has done.

Last time they tried to disenfranchise voters, they got burned badly. Hopefully this time will be no different.

[Adelante]

7. I'm seriously sick to my stomach over this nt

[dkf]

4. They approved it until their chosen one lost the endorsement. Then they sued to remove it.

That is soooo low. Talk about gaming the system.

[eleny]

8. bingo!

[Joe the Revelator]

5. The real pattern of the Clinton Campaign: Voter Supression

Pathetic.

[IndianaGreen]

6. Looks like the Clintons share something more than wine with the Bushes

How undemocratic of them!

[jefferson_dem]

Chimpy's Brooks Brothers "rent-a-mob" has nothing on the Clinton Disenfranchisement Brigade.

Ack!

[BeyondGeography]

9. Fools...sheds new light on what Obama said last night at the CWU rally

"What happens in Vegas isn't going to stay in Vegas this time." I'm sure he'll make an issue of this.

[DURHAM D]

10. So the plan was to open up the caucus process

by having at-large precincts. That is an interesting idea.

However, the rub came because the at-large precinct results were then weighted more heavily than other precincts.

If nothing else, the archaic caucus process is getting a good airing out this year. All states should have direct voting primaries so everyone will have an opportunity to vote over a 12 hour period, to vote a secret ballot, to have verifiable counts and to provide absentee voting.

The caucus thingie is a hold over from the backroom deal making cigar smoking boys only club days.

[Joe the Revelator]

14. Its sad that caucus, a mainstay of our democracy, is getting a bad name because...

Hillary Clinton doesn't feel she can win them.

[MadBadger]

15. Your bias is noted.

[DURHAM D]

16. Ewh.. I am so afraid. n/t

[ursi]

11. I never want this woman as my president!

When this state decided to go with a Democratic caucus instead of a primary election, party elites tight with the Clintons (did I hear someone say REID?) knew that if they held a caucus that shift workers in mines and casinos statewide would be unable to attend. But teachers are guaranteed to be part of the caucus if it is held on a Saturday. Education unions support Hillary, not necessarily teachers (I know, I live with one). These education associations are the perfect whores to fight for Hillary while they've done NOTHING FOR TEACHERS TO FIGHT NCLB!

Do the math!

[ursi]

12. this is happening because Hillary and her corporate elites want to suppress votes!

votes of low income casino industry workers! Thousands of them! The people who have to work that day! Not the teachers who have the day off. This is not about the teachers!

[Adelante]

17. These are supposed to be Democrats

Culinary union secretary-treasurer D. Taylor told the Associated Press that the plaintiffs were using "Floridian Republican tactics to suppress cooks, housekeepers, people of color and women."

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

19. Vote suppression is not acceptable, this is the kind of thing that leads to violence like in Kenya

and it's supposedly the reason that we have elections-- to guard against such fraud and have a set of rules that people agree to follow. Attempting to disenfranchise people like this is not acceptable.

[ursi]

13. Clinton and Reid, her partner in crime, try to defend the lawsuit

or their innocence...

http://www.rgj.com/blogs/inside-nevada-politics/2008/01/rory-reid-on-caucus-lawsuit.html

[Adelante]

18. Strange logic

Asked about the lawsuit Clinton said:

"I know about the lawsuit. I hope it can be resolved by the courts and by the state party. Obviously, we want as many people as possible to participate."

In a later interview, I asked Clinton again about the lawsuit. She repeated her criticism of the caucus process, that it leaves too many people out and said she wants as many people as possible to participate. Does she support the lawsuit?

"I have no opinion on the lawsuit."

Does she have an opinion on the at-large precincts as a way to make the process more fair?

"I don't. I just don't know."

It leaves too many people out, so let's leave more people out? :shrug: