Posted on 07/11/2004 3:10:58 PM PDT by wagglebee
American counter-terrorism officials, citing what they call "alarming" intelligence about a possible Qaeda strike inside the United States this fall, are reviewing a proposal that could allow for the postponement of the November presidential election in the event of such an attack, Newsweek has learned.
The magazine reports in editions out this week that the prospect that Al Qaeda might seek to disrupt the U.S. election was a major factor behind last week's terror warning by Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. Ridge and other counterterrorism officials concede they have no intel about any specific plots.
But the success of March's Madrid railway bombings in influencing the Spanish elections -- as well as intercepted "chatter" among Qaeda operatives -- has led analysts to conclude "they want to interfere with the elections," says one official.
As a result, sources tell Newsweek, Ridge's department last week asked the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel to analyze what legal steps would be needed to permit the postponement of the election were an attack to take place.
Justice was specifically asked to review a recent letter to Ridge from DeForest B. Soaries Jr., chairman of the newly created U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
Soaries noted that, while a primary election in New York on September 11, 2001, was quickly suspended by that state's Board of Elections after the attacks that morning, "the federal government has no agency that has the statutory authority to cancel and reschedule a federal election."
Soaries, a Bush appointee who two years ago was an unsuccessful GOP candidate for Congress, wants Ridge to seek emergency legislation from Congress empowering his agency to make such a call.
Homeland officials say that as drastic as such proposals sound, they are taking them seriously -- along with other possible contingency plans in the event of an election-eve or Election Day attack. "We are reviewing the issue to determine what steps need to be taken to secure the election," says Brian Roehrkasse, a Homeland spokesman.
Won't happen.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1169252/posts
I disagree. If the worst happens, postpone the election until people can vote with their minds instead of with their kneejerk reactions.
If D.C. goes thremonuclear in October ... all the old rules will go with it.
May God help us ... I dread such an event ... but it's Al Queda's wet dream.
I agree, a bad idea. Nothing's coming between me and my polling place, especially not al Qaeda.
Take newsmax with a grain of salt. It's not going to happen, this is liberal spin, see the above linked article.
I agree, this is more liberal spin, in the same vane as the Dump Cheney crowd.
What the hell has them so scared..
Just on the unlikely chance, what would we do if some how Al-Qaeda managed to kill both candidates and their running mates just days before the election? It is highly improbable but nothing is impossible. Who would the people vote for if the candidates were dead as well as their VP picks?
Always better to prepare for the worst and nothing happen than expect nothing to happen and the worst comes to pass. We did the same thing for decades with the Color War Plans that started in the early 20th century and lasted until just after WWII. For those who know about them, War Plan White dealt with something that was considered very possible in the 1920's and 1930's. Thankfully, it was never needed.
Who knows what al-CIAda has in store?
Fedgov has said that we WILL be attacked, so hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
I can't think of anyone with the authourity to postpone the federal election, maybe an Executive Order would do but I think that the idea is on shaky legal ground. Anyone know better than me?
Exactly, if a terrorist attack happens on the day of or a day or two earlier than scheduled, we'll postpone the elections a week or so, the elections will proceed though, they always have, Civil war, WWI, WWII, etc. President Bush will still be sworn in in January. This is more liberal scare tactics. (primaries were on 9-11 in NY, they still elected a mayor on schedule)
It's more than NewsMax. It's all over Fox News Channel too.
Maybe we should just tell AQ attack and 43 becomes president for life. That should keep us all safe in our beds :) I'm sure they'd opt to take their chances with getting Jean elected.
If this happens I will treat it the way I would treat Clinton doing the same thing. I will move inexorably against this Administration, post haste!
Oops. Never mind.
The libs can not fight values and morals, they have none, but pretend. The country is awakening. Why do they want to take down Rush and Fox news? They are on the last gasp, this election is proving the democrats are going the way of the Whigs, as Ann Coulter said.
I don't think they said "cancel." I am pretty sure they said "postpone." Big difference. I also don't think anyone anywhere said anything whatever about any president becoming president for life.
We will still vote, this is still a country by the people. Unless we are seeing our dying days. I doubt that. A civil war would happen first, and I'd be on the front lines. We are in a media war, a cold war, and in the next coupld months, it will be decided which way this war turns.
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