DNC Lawyers Say At Most Half

by cardboard 1, Wed May 28, 2008 at 09:37:41 AM EST

The DNC Legal team has issued an opinion on the Fl/Mi delegates saying that no more than half should be seated.  In a 38 Page memo the legal experts said half is the absolute most that can be seated.

The memo was issues Tuesday to the 30 members of the Rules and Bylaws Committee, saying half is "as far as it legally can."  The legal team did not suggests how the committee should vote, and was only suggesting the parameters they can consider under the rule and election laws.

The opinion said the Rules and Bylaws Committee cannot restore all the votes.  The only means by which that can occur is by taking it to the floor of the convention.

Since to memo is officially from the DNC is could create a legal drama if the members were to go directly against counsel.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/articl e/0,8599,1809854,00.html




Tags: DNC, Michigan, Flordia (all tags)

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Err... (none / 0)

DNC Lawyers Say At Least Half Add to Hotlist

by cardboard 1, Wed May 28, 2008 at 09:37:41 AM EST

The DNC Legal team has issued an opinion on the Fl/Mi delegates saying that no more than half should be seated.  In a 38 Page memo the legal experts said half is the absolute most that can be seated.


by kraant on Wed May 28, 2008 at 09:47:14 AM EST

Re: Err... (none / 0)

Perhaps I should switch to most - it really depends on which side of the glass your looking


Matthew25Network.com
by cardboard 1 on Wed May 28, 2008 at 09:48:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Heh... (none / 0)

I thought I was looking through the looking glass for a moment there...


by kraant on Wed May 28, 2008 at 09:53:22 AM EST
[ Parent ]

It is still over (none / 0)

This race has been over for a long time but that legal memo should be the last nail in Hillary's campaign coffin.  If she doesn't concede next Wednesday then she needs to be forced out of this race.  


Consider that everything which happens, happens justly, and if thou observest carefully, thou wilt find it to be so. -Marcus Aurelius
by Blue Neponset on Wed May 28, 2008 at 09:50:05 AM EST

This raises the truly unpleasant spectre . . . (none / 0)

of a legal challenge regardless of how the committee rules. Ugh. I really hope neither side chooses to go there.

The Time article you reference includes this quote from a representative to the rules committee from California:

"This is a really, really significant issue to women. Obviously it's a significant item to people of color too. So I'm just preparing myself as best I can," said Huffman, president of the California NAACP.

I am really clueless as to why this is a significant "issue for women" or for people of color for that matter. Is there some gender or race issue in the seating of these delegations that I'm missing? Some people seem to be losing perspective big time.


by drmark on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:04:00 AM EST

Re: This raises the truly unpleasant spectre . . . (none / 0)

Because all women support Clinton and all blacks support Obama.

Or at least that's what Wolf Blitzer says. So it must be true. Right? Right??


Stop the racism. Fight the smears.
by CrazyDrumGuy on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:21:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This raises the truly unpleasant spectre . . . (none / 0)

Of course! God I am soooo dense! I'm going down there right away to protest for Michigan!! I mean against Florida!! I mean for Florida and against Michigan!! I am so confused.


by drmark on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:29:18 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This raises the truly unpleasant spectre . . . (none / 0)

Is it just me, or is Wolf Blitzer full of hot air and just likes to hear the sound of his voice?


"I am standing with Barack Obama to say, `Yes, we can!'" Hillary Clinton 6/7/08
by feliks on Wed May 28, 2008 at 11:15:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This raises the truly unpleasant spectre . . . (none / 0)

I enjoy watching CNN's election coverage, but the only intelligent thing I've ever heard him say is, "Let's go over to John King."


Stop the racism. Fight the smears.
by CrazyDrumGuy on Wed May 28, 2008 at 11:40:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This raises the truly unpleasant spectre . . . (none / 0)

I couldn't figure out why this is a women's issue either.  That was a strange thing to say.


Consider that everything which happens, happens justly, and if thou observest carefully, thou wilt find it to be so. -Marcus Aurelius
by Blue Neponset on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:27:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Hmmm.... (none / 0)

We now get to see how this plays out in a number of ways:

  1. How dedicated is Hillary to seating all of the delegates?
  2. Will Hillary take this all of the way to the Convention to get the remainder seated.
  3. Will members of the Rules committee attempt to seat the MI/FL delegates fully anyway?
  4. Did Hillary's campaign / strategist know about this part of the rules?
  5. Could the Rules committee seat all delegates with 1/2 vote each instead of 1/2 with a full vote, bypassing the Credentials committee?
  6. With Harold in the hospital, his memory lost, what will become or Marsha?
    Oops - wrong story line
  7. And what will Obama do?
Stay tuned for more from "Presidential Race of our Lives".
by Vancouverite on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:09:35 AM EST

Re: Hmmm.... (none / 0)

Could the Rules committee seat all delegates with 1/2 vote each instead of 1/2 with a full vote, bypassing the Credentials committee?"

I believe so, but it didn't click until you posted that that there really is no appeal left if they do that.


Beat McCain!
by thezzyzx on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:12:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DNC Lawyers Say At Most Half (none / 0)

My mother is a Florida Democratic voter (life long Dem).  She is not half a person.  Her vote is legitimate and has been certified.

One person; one vote. Period.

ATTN DNC:  Don't mess with my Mom.  Punish the Florida Legislature if you want, but don't mess with my mom.


by moevaughn on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:49:29 AM EST

Re: DNC Lawyers Say At Most Half (2.00 / 1)

My Mom lives in Florida too and she thinks that moving the primary up and preventing candidates from campaigning gave Hillary an unfair advantage.  DON'T MESS WITH MY MOM


by catalysis on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:55:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

huh? (none / 0)

DNC has no power over the legislature.

The RBC is bound by the rules of the DNC. Their hands are tied. You'll have to ask the party at the convention for a reprieve, if you feel that strongly.

Your mom should have voted for a better legislature.


John McCain wants to make abortion illegal
by Lost Thought on Wed May 28, 2008 at 10:56:54 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DNC Lawyers Say At Most Half (none / 0)

Are you telling me that, if the DNC decided way before the primaries that Florida was only worth 1 delegate, and they fully seated that vote at the convention, you'd be perfectly happy, but if they cut the current number of delegates in half, you'd scream disenfranchisement?

You see what I'm driving at?  The number of delegates awarded to a state is not proportional.  The ratio of votes to delegates varies among states, and sometimes even among districts within a single state.  No voter is entitled to 1/5000 of a delegate, or 1/10,000 of a delegate, etc.  Your little fight slogan makes no sense.


by rfahey22 on Wed May 28, 2008 at 11:03:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: DNC Lawyers Say At Most Half (2.00 / 1)

What are you talking about? There is no such principle. This is a primary process. Florida was stripped of its delegates because they failed to follow party rules.

One is "one person, one vote?" Just a silly platitude. I could just as easily say "Remember to Maine!" for the relevance it has to this process.


by drmark on Wed May 28, 2008 at 11:16:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]


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