Posted on 09/17/2004 3:01:54 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
TALLAHASSEE - As they did in the presidential election four years ago, Florida courts are likely to have a role in the outcome of this fall's contest. Unlike 2000, when the legal action erupted after ballots were counted, this time courtrooms are filling long before voters head for the polls.
Today, legal heavyweights with lengthy partisan pedigrees converge on the state Supreme Court in a fight over Ralph Nader's ballot status.
The issue is ``preserving ballot integrity,'' says The Ballot Project, which wants Nader erased. That step could ``muzzle the voice of independent voters,'' counters the Reform Party of Florida.
In reality, the case is pitting Republicans against Democrats in a skirmish that echoes the bitter partisanship of Bush v. Gore four years ago.
Many of the names are the same. And although the blocks surrounding the Supreme Court in Tallahassee don't resemble the tent city of news crews from 2000, C-SPAN smells a story. The public-affairs cable network plans to air Friday's proceedings.
In August, the Reform Party announced it had nominated Nader and Peter Camejo as its candidates for president and vice president.
On Sept. 2, four members of The Ballot Project sued Secretary of State Glenda Hood, the Reform Party of Florida, Nader and Camejo, claiming the party's nomination process was a sham designed to rush Nader onto the Nov. 2 Florida ballot as a spoiler. The Democratic Party filed its own lawsuit the same day, and the cases have been consolidated.
The GOP and Democrats believe Nader could draw votes from President Bush's Democratic rival, John Kerry. The legal lineups in today's case offer clues to the partisan nature of the battle.
Arguing to strip Nader from the ballot will be Laurence Tribe, a Harvard University constitutional law professor who represented Democrat Al Gore before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000.
Asked about the involvement of Tribe, Republican Gov. Jeb Bush said: ``Who's he, the Harvard guy? Limousine liberal? I welcome him to town. I hope he spends a lot of money while he's in town.''
Representing Nader in Florida is Kenneth Sukhia, a George W. Bush lawyer during 2000 who was later nominated by the president for a federal judgeship.
Hood, a Republican appointed by the governor, is being represented by George Meros, who has represented the GOP on legislative issues.
Hood, who oversees the state elections division, certified Nader for the ballot and appealed a lower court ruling removing him, which allowed her to order him back on.
That doesn't mean she's taking sides, the governor maintained. ``Obviously there are partisan motives here, but that's not my concern nor Secretary Hood's concern,'' he said.
Florida Democratic Party Chairman Scott Maddox called that assessment ``heifer dust.''
``The governor and Glenda Hood sent lawyers to argue the Reform Party's side, cross- examined witnesses on behalf of the Reform Party ... then directed supervisors of elections to do the exact opposite of a judge's order,'' Maddox said.
Gov. Bush ``has been directly involved,'' he said, ``using government resources in a partisan manner.''
Reporter Garrett Therolf contributed to this report. Reporter Jerome R. Stockfisch can be reached at (850) 222-8382.
"spends a lot of money while he's in town"
The governor has asked for a miracle. When is the last time anyone has seen a lawyer with his hands in his own pockets?
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