Move delays official certification of election

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Citing "widespread irregularities" on Election Day, a handful of House Democrats and one senator objected Thursday to the counting of Ohio's 20 electoral votes, delaying the official certification of the 2004 presidential election results.

The Democrats said they were not trying to overturn President Bush's re-election but want to draw attention to the need for aggressive election reform in the wake of what they said were widespread voter problems.

In a letter to congressional leaders Wednesday, members of the group said they would take the action because a new report by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee found "numerous, serious election irregularities," particularly in Ohio, that led to "a significant disenfranchisement of voters."

The House of Representatives and Senate met Thursday afternoon in a constitutionally mandated session to count the electoral votes. Vice President Dick Cheney, in his role as president of the Senate, presided over the session.

Four years ago, after the disputed election results in Florida, members of the Congressional Black Caucus attempted to block Florida's electoral votes from being counted. In a scene recalled in the movie "Fahrenheit 9/11," lawmaker after lawmaker was gaveled down by Vice President Al Gore because no senator would support the objections, as the law requires.

House Democrats involved in this year's protest worked for weeks to enlist the support of a senator, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, agreed in a letter Wednesday to join the effort.

"I have concluded that objecting to the electoral votes from Ohio is the only immediate way to bring these issues to light by allowing you to have a two-hour debate to let the American people know the facts surrounding Ohio's election," Boxer wrote to Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio.

"I will therefore join you in your objection to the certification of Ohio's electoral votes."

If one member of each body of Congress objects, congressional rules require that lawmakers return to their chambers to vote on the merits. A simple majority vote in each chamber would overturn the challenge -- something that should be easily achieved in the GOP-controlled Congress.

Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic nominee for president, released a letter Wednesday saying he would not take part in the protest.

"Our legal teams on the ground have found no evidence that would change the outcome of the election," Kerry said.

Bush carried Ohio by more than 118,000 votes, with the Buckeye State win providing the margin of victory in the Electoral College race. The president received 286 to Kerry's 252 electoral votes.

But the senator from Massachusetts said voting problems need to be addressed "to make sure they never happen again."

Kerry was not on hand Thursday. He's in Iraq, thanking U.S. troops for their service there.

CNN's Ted Barrett contributed to this report.

**

Senators should object to Ohio vote
January 4, 2005
BY REV. JESSE JACKSON

This Thursday in Washington Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the senior minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, will formally object to the counting of the Ohio electoral vote in the 2004 presidential election. If any senator joins him, the counting of the vote is suspended and the House and the Senate must convene separately to hear the objections filed, and to vote on whether to accept them.

The grounds for the objections are clear: The irregularities in the Ohio vote and vote count are widespread and blatant. If the Ohio election were held in the Ukraine, it would not have been certified by the international community.

In Ohio, the gulf between exit polls and counted votes is vast and glaring. Blatant discrimination in the distribution of voting machines ensured long lines in inner-city and working-class precincts that favored John Kerry, while the exurban districts that favored President Bush had no similar problems.

Systematic efforts were made to suppress and challenge the new voters in Kerry precincts, whether students or African Americans. Some precincts were certified with more votes than the number registered; others were certified with preposterously low turnouts. Voting machines, produced by a company headed by a vowed Bush supporter, provide no paper record. Ohio's secretary of state, the inappropriately partisan head of the state's Bush campaign, has resisted any systematic recount of the ballots.

The systematic bias and potential for fraud is unmistakable. An in-depth investigation is vital -- and the partisan secretary of state has opposed it every step of the way. In this context, Conyers and his colleagues in the House are serving the nation's best interests in demanding an investigation of the irregularities in Ohio, and objecting to business as usual in counting the vote.

If Harry Reid, the new leader of the Democratic minority in the Senate, has any sense, he will lead members of the caucus to support their colleagues from the House and demand a debate that will expose the irregularities in Ohio. If Kerry wants to establish his continued leadership, he will stand first to join with Conyers and demand a debate.

Will the debate overturn the outcome of the election? That is doubtful, although the irregularities in Ohio suggest that Kerry may well have won if a true count could be had. But the debate is vital anyway. This country's elections, each run with different standards by different states, with partisan tricks, racial bias, and too often widespread incompetence, are an open scandal.

We need national standards to ensure that we get an honest count across the country. National standards, accompanied by a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to vote for all Americans, will be passed only if leaders in the Congress refuse to close their eyes to the scandal, and instead stop business as usual.

Conyers, Reid and Kerry will face harsh criticism for violating what might be called the Nixon precedent. When Kennedy beat Nixon by a few thousand votes in an election marked by irregularities in Illinois and Texas, Nixon chose not to challenge the result. Gore essentially followed that rule after the gang of five in the Supreme Court disgraced themselves by stopping the vote count in Florida. But the effect of the Nixon precedent is to provide those who would cheat with essentially a free pass. Particularly when the state officials are partisans, they can put in the fix with little fear of exposure so long as they win.

So Conyers will step up, accompanied by other courageous members of the House. They will object to the count and demand a debate. To force that debate, they need only one member of the Senate to join them. Reid should lead the entire caucus to join them. Kerry should stand alone if necessary to demand clean elections in America.

If America is to be a champion of democracy abroad, it must clean up its elections at home. If it is to complain of fraudulent and dishonest election practices abroad, it cannot condone them at home. But more important, if our own elections are to be legitimate, then they must be honest, open, with high national standards.

The time has come to stand up for clean elections, and to let it be known that massive irregularities will not go unchallenged.

~~~

-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 11:36 AM
To: Karen
Subject: (no subject)

Hiya-

Gosh, you're really busy, aren't you? That's ok, you don't need to email me back or anything. I'm just saying hi. I forwarded Cathy's emails* to you so you know what's going on there. That's nice that she wants to take us away for her free 2 night stay somewhere. The problem is that I won't want to spend much money. Arnett and I are pretty played out for the next year! I have to come up with some for her birthday!

I have a call in to Denali. They never answer the phone, especially in the winter time! I was checking to see if their rates were going to go up for 2005. Their website is still listing 2004 rates. If they are going up, I'll try to book it now with the old rates. If they're not going up, I will wait a couple of weeks. You can plan on having to pay me in February, like we discussed.

So, I assume John got home safely? What a mess! It's suppose to rain more tomorrow and Friday. Is he coming down again this weekend? Have you seen the mountains? Beautiful!

I know you're really busy and probably stressed but............take a breath and think about our great vacations coming up! They're getting closer and I am sooooooo excited. Arnett's blood pressure is really bad though and has been since Christmas. I don't know how he's gonna deal with Santa Fe. I don't know why it has to be such a problem for him to be around his kids or alot of people, but it is. He just gets soooooo hyper. I hope we didn't take on too much, planning this kind of wedding. I'm trying to get him to tai-chi and meditate so he can learn how to calm himself better. It's not working, thus far anyway. Ergh! Smoking hasn't even helped him this time! We go see his nephrologist tomorrow to see how his kidney's are doing. I'll let you know. Keep your fingers crossed.

What do you hear from D'yaisha?

Love ya,
b

-----Original Message-----
From: Karen
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 11:07 AM
To: Barbara
Subject: (no subject)

Hi.

I have been sick. I got that demon-cold everyone has. So I haven't been working full days and yes, I have been busy when I am here. I am finally feeling a bit better today (the last two days have been hell), but I still don't know if I'll stay the whole day.

Great timing on my part, wouldn't you say?

Luckily, our new lady is very quick and has a lot of experience, so she's picked up on things very quickly. And Joe pitched in to help train her.

I haven't been able to see the mountains from my area, yet. It has to be really clear and even then I can only see them when I'm up on Signal Hill for my walks.

John got home, yes, but he had to go up the 101 so it took him almost eight hours. He said it was a really cool drive, though. He could see lighting striking out over the ocean. His cold is much better. I don't think he's coming down this weekend. We're both rather poor. Plus, in this weather it's just as well for him to stay home. And it's not like we have a dire need to see each other right now or anything.

Thank goodness I bought him that cover for his bike. It's been raining cats and dogs up there too, of course.

By the time he left Monday, he was being all mushy (well, as close to mushy as John ever gets) and talking about what a nice time we had while he was here. I chose not to remind him that he had just been mad at me like two nights earlier, or about our arguing on tamale day...

I haven't been talking that much to D. I cancelled out on walking Tuesday because of this cold and am going to cancel tonight, too. Before that, I kept having to cancel due to just being busy in general and the last time I did walk it was just me and Jenn. I don't think she believes the reasons I come up with, half the time...We were going to go kayaking Sunday morning with the Outdoors Club, but she left me a message yesterday canceling. She wants to go to church instead, of all things. :)

I think I'll probably go kayaking anyway, by myself. I haven't been kayaking for a long time (well, it seems that way anyway). I rarely meet even remotely interesting on those ODC events, but still - one never knows. At any rate, I'd like to go kayaking.

I am very excited about our vacations. I reminded John to ask his bosses about Santa Fe, so hopefully he will actually do so. I told him I have to make plans and reservations based on whether or not he's able to go, so I needed him to talk to his bosses already.

Anyway...let me know how it goes with Arnie at the doctor.

Talk to ya later.

Regards,
Karen

-----Original Message-----
From: Barbara
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 11:32 AM
To: Karen
Subject: (no subject)

I was gonna ask you if John had decided about Santa Fe but I didn't want to keep bugging you. I know you can't make the decision for him. Let me know when you know. I guess I'll plan on you and a guest and that way I won't undercount. I hope he goes. I know you want him to and I know he loves it there. It's just so expensive for everyone.

I am so mad at my boss right now I could spit! Long story but it's all about him being SUCH A STUPID PUSSY!!

I have had the sniffles all week. Not bad, just a runny nose. It kinda comes and goes so I was hoping it was allergies.

Hope you feel better.

b

*

-----Original Message-----
From: Cathy
Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2005 6:48 PM
To: Barbara
CC: Karen
Subject: (no subject)

Hey Missy!

I check my emails every day. I don't have to be home to do so. I can access it via the Internet.

Please, please make my reservations for the trips in Alaska. The only way that I would not go is if there is a death in the family....which would be true for any of us. It has never crossed my mind that I would not make it for any other reason than that one. I do not plan on changing my ticket. I will either fly or drive out here. Ele and Fred said they would put me up for a few days when I do so.

The plans for Glen Ivy sound goooooood tooooo meeee! Dinner in Chino Hills is fine.

I'm sorry that your are sad. I wish I could say something to make you feel better. The only thing that is going to change between us is the distance. We have so many more adventures together!

I forgot to mention to you yesterday that I would like to use my hotel certificate that I won from Pampered Chef before I leave California by taking you and Karen someplace. We could go down to San Diego, or up to Santa Barbara. I'd love to go up to Monterey, but that may be a bit far for a Friday, Saturday night stay. We can talk about it later.

I told Frank yesterday. He took it pretty well. He understood and thought it would be the best for me. He said he had a feeling that that may be what I was going to do.

Well, the last roommate moved out today!!! Yeah, we finally have the house back!

Take it easy and please don't worry.

Love you much,
Cathy

~~~

And finally�just to make you feel better�

Robertson: God "will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly"

On the January 3 edition of Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club, Reverend Pat Robertson, host and Christian Coalition of America founder, made predictions for the New Year based on what he said God told him during a recent prayer retreat. Robertson said that God told him: "I will remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly, and their successors will refuse to sanction the attacks on religious faith." Robertson also said that he "heard it from the Lord" that President Bush will have Social Security and tax reform passed and that Muslims will turn to Jesus Christ.

Read More.

~~~

Word of the Day for Thursday January 6, 2005

lubricious loo-BRISH-us, adjective:
1. Lustful; lewd.
2. Stimulating or appealing to sexual desire or imagination.
3. Having a slippery or smooth quality.

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