Newspaper Page Text
2A
NOVEMBER 30, 2000
Election stalls in courts
From page one
the Legislature hascleardelegated
authority from the U.S. Constitu
tion to seek the electors.”
-Dangerous precedent
Buta Yalelaw professor warned
Wednesday that the Legislature
would be acting illegally and set
ting a dangerous precedent if it
intervenesinthe presidential elec
tion process.
Bruce Ackerman sharply con
tradicted earlier testimony from
three other law professors who
said the Legislature has an obliga
tion toappoint electorsrather than
risk having the state unrepre
sented in the Electoral College.
“If the Florida Legislature pro
ceedstointerveneat thislate stage,
in violation of federal law, you will
be setting a precedent for future
state legislatures to intervene in
everycloseelection,” Ackerman told
the committee by speaker phone.
“This is a recipe for continuing in
stability in the process of presiden
tial selection.”
Gore has filed a lawsuit contest
ing the election results, citing ir
regularities in Palm Beach, Miami-
Dade and Nassau counties. A hear
ing in the case has been scheduled
for Saturday morning in Circuit
Court in Tallahassee.
One million ballots were being
hauled 400 miles to Tallahassee
Jjust in case his request to recount
them is granted.
Circuit Judge N. Sanders Sauls
approved the massive transfer and
set the stage for multi-vehicle con
voys wending their way up from
southern Florida with lawyers for
each side riding behind.
And Wednesday, Goreauthorized
his legal team to ask the Florida
SugFeme Court te order the imme
diaté recounting of the disputed
balts from Palm Beach and Mi
*
-
Cpngressman
plans to picket
¥
stores during
&
hbliday season
‘ WASHINGTON
§AP) For Rep. Tony Hall, the
hziday shopping season is an op
p@rtunity toadvance hislatest cru
sagle, showing Americans the ugli
ndss behind some diamonds.
sHall wants shoppers to know
wiether their glittering gift comes
frfm one of the rebel-controlled
diamond mines that fund some of
ica’s most vicious civil wars, in
ich part of the gem’s price might
bs the limb of an innocent child.
‘Americans are compassionate.
There would be a huge outcry if
people knew,” he said. “If I could
t&ke people to Sierra Leone and
Oengo, if they could see what I've
sgen my eyes, what happens to
ppople, T don’t think they would
baly ‘blood diamonds.””’
:[n concert with Amnesty Inter
tional, Hall is preparing to dis
teibute leaflets outside large jew
storesacross the country, urg
iffig U.S. consumers to demand an
ésurance that they’re not buying
‘?glood diamonds.”
wHe is certain consumers will
sgxow the same kind of conscience
with gems that they did when ani
ihal rights activists pushed for
Lg)ycotts and damaged fur sales.
¥ “Those were animals. These are
feople,” said Hall. “Americans see
ifnages of starving people, death
gd calamity and they turn the
tlevision off. They don’t know
¥hat to do about it. There is some
ipg they can do about this. They
ol}t have to buy a diamond with
;th knowing the country of ori
m »
i" fio, at a time when people are
kely to be focused on cookie reci
es, decorations and holiday dis
ofints at the mall, Hall will be
?cribing the sweet face of a girl
!l o was 21/2 when the rebels
dcked off her healthy hand.
+ He'll talk about the teen rape
victim, left pregnant and armless
in a savage campaign to punish
Sierra Leone villagers for voting
in that African nation’s first free
election. :
National / International
ami-Dade counties, which weren’t
included in the state’s official tally
certified on Sunday. '
Also, the U.S. Supreme Court
will hear arguments tomorrowona
request by Bush to overturn a
Florida Supreme Court ruling that
allowed recountsbeyond adeadline
in state law.
When to meet?
While Republican state legisla
tors appear to agree on the need for
a special session, there are wide
differences about how to proceed.
Some want toact quickly. Others
prefer to wait as long as possible in
the hope the disputed election will
be resolved in the courts.
Democrats don’t want a special
session at all.
Questions remain about whether
the session must be held before
Dec. 12orifit could bedelayed until
after that date.
The committee completed two
days of hearings Wednesday after
taking testimony from lawyers and
61 residents, most of whom were
disgruntled Palm Beach County
voters flown in by the Democratic
National Committee.
ADemocraticspokesman said the
Palm Beach contingent was picked
from 13,000 people who had signed
affidavits certifying they had prob
lems voting.
“Iwant myvotetocount,” Harriet
Gribens of Boynton Beach told the
committee. “I don’t want the Sen
ate to vote for me.”
Many of those testifying told of
difficulty with the butterfly ballot
that they said caused them to vote
for Pat Buchanan when they in
tended to vote for Gore. Several
said they asked for another ballot
after realizing their mistake and
were told they could not have one.
Calvin M. Craig of Jacksonville
said he was a poll watcher and saw
people denied a chance to vote be
cause they did not have a driver’s
license, although they should have
FORD Joncs Ford B )
o‘. g o -he c
v‘ - Dealer Makes The Difference”
The Area’s LARGEST Volume Ford Dealer! -
Explorer Extravaganza!
Stk #P7822 ST . — [ #F7BBB ,
i i“\ »__.n“
= [y
1999 Explorer XLT 1999 Explorer Sport 1999 Explorer XLT
*18,891(/°17,988 (18,459
3 y 9
Stk #8069A Stk #P7891 Stk #182348
oSI BT R e U R iSR e i
L S i||OSy W|| Lo
1998 Eddie Bauer 2000 Explorer XLT 1998 Explorer XLT
19,887 | °20,992|/°*16,874
5 5 5
Stk #8037A
W ~?) i Financing as low as
% APR
_ 5.9%
2001 Explorer Sport Trac on all ‘97-°OO Explorers
23,988
, ‘97-'OO = 5.9% 48 months.
‘96 & Older = 7.9% 60 months. : 5
oo Qe
‘ R e
aean s e SSEEE GG S
i% "
G Kmo
T YW e
R S Lly || Edisia oty et
s X k RS B WSS MRSy | i 3
S T AR w 1 §Bo] s o $9
= O T TEIL R | R e R
ik eVI AW N || e Wom o
f"'ngf'?ffi:?:,s3ss-55?-5?5_5:-_55-::':,:l‘.x':"':,w 5 :::’?"‘-'f_f_".ff;;‘;,__‘g:;--‘.-':13:':52::::2% ek
AUGUSTAFOCUS
been allowed to sign an affidavit
instead.
Democrats on the committee,
outnumbered 8-6 by Republicans,
rounded up Ackerman and David
Strauss, a University of Chicago
law professor, to rebut the earlier
testimony from professors called
by the Republicans.
Strauss said the Legislature had
set out the election process in the
Election Code and should let it pre
vail.
“The idea that the Legislature
should now intervene and short
circuit the process is certainly un
wise,” Strauss said.
They responded to testimony
from John Yoo, a law professor at
the University of California at Ber
keley; Einer Elhauge, a Harvard
law professor; and Roger Magnuson,
dean of the Oakbrook College of
Law in Fresno, Calif., who said the
Legislature is given the power in
the U.S. Constitution to appoint
the electors.
Ackerman said the Legislature
was only authorized to act if the
Nov. 7 election failed to generate a
result.
Since the state has already certi
fied Bush asthe winner, Ackerman
said, there has been no failure. If
the courts should overturn that
result prior to Dec. 12, the new slate
would become official, Ackerman
said.
Ackerman said a court decision
in favor of Gore after Dec. 12 could
leave the state with two sets of
electors, and it would be up to Con
gress to decide which to recognize.
After the conflicting legal advice
and two hours of testimony from
voters, the committee decided to
regroup, postponing its discussion
and vote until today.
Rep. Johnnie Byrd, R-Plant City,
co-chairman of the committee, said
afterward he thought the L‘flfila'
ture could move quickly, perhaps
meeting next week, and pass a con
tingent slate of electors as a backup
Bossy Jones Forp.Com
Wrightsboro Road At Bobby Jones Expressway
738-8000
1-888-733-3351
www.bobbyjonesford.com
in case the status of the state’s
electors is in doubt.
“It’s more of a defensive move
than an end game,” Byrd said.
But other Republicans like Sen
ate Majority Leader Jim King of
Jacksonvilleand Sen. Jim Horne of
Orange Park were reluctant to act
except as a last resort.
“If there’s any way at all to avoid
aspecial session, I'dliketoseeusdo
it,” King said.
Horne said he would support a
special session, but would like to
see it delayed as long as possible.
Sen. Dan Webster, R-Orlando,
said it might be possible todelay the
session until Dec. 12 to see if the
courtsresolvethe matter. He noted
that Magnuson had indicated the
Legislature had until Dec. 18, the
datethat the Electoral Collegevotes,
to take action.
New dispute
Democrats also maneuvered
Wednesday in two other Florida
counties where election officials
have acknowledged they allowed
absentee ballot applications to be
amended.
In Martin County, election su
pervisor Peggy Robbins said she
had given permission for a Republi
can Party official to remove from
her office “several hundred” in
complete applications sent by GOP
voters. The official returned them
filled out with corrected voter iden
tification numbers and other infor
mation, said Robbins, a Republi
can.
In a similar case in Seminole
County, a Democraticsupporter has
sued over the GOP handling absen
tee ballot applications.
Bush’s attorneys intervened in
the Seminole case, asking an ap
peals court to consolidate it with
Gore’s main election contest in the
interest of efficiency. Otherwise,
they said, there could be contradic
tory rulingson the same issie. The
First District Court of Appeals de
nied the motion.
Death during arrest
to be investigated
; CINCINNATI
|' (AP) A grand jury will hear evi
dence in the death of a black man
who died of asphyxiation while in
police custody, the Hamilton
County prosecutor said Monday.
The death of Roger Owensby Jr.
early this month, and that of an
other black man in custody the
followingday, prompted calls from
black leaders for a full investiga
tion of the Cincinnati police de
partment.
A group called the Cincinnati
Black United Front began a six
weekboycott of white-owned shops
and restaurants Friday.
Owensby, 29, of Cincinnati, died
Nov. 7 after a struggle with offic
ers who said they wanted to ques
tion Owensby because he fit the
description of a suspect in a previ
ous crime.
The following day, Jeffrey Irons,
30, of Chicago, was fatally shot
when he grabbed an officer’s gun
and wounded another officer, po
lice said. That scuffle occurred
outside a supermarket where po
lice had been called to investigate
allegationsthat Irons tried to steal
products.
The grandjury investigation will
Still Looking for a spot for your
Holiday Party? Wanna' rest your
head when it’s all over?
Well n¢ ou can do both!
@ Lol e
e SRS S s'h m
(T ‘ w e
Reserve your party from NOW “tiltH 1, 2001
and receive a complimentary Suite for the hight.
(That’s a SIBO value)
To take advantage of this great offer, contact:
Clawde S’ Titlman
o 0 - 226 gmme Seet >
Alugusta, Gor. 30901
(706) 828-6657
‘TISTHE SEASONTO GIVE
A ROLEX.
There’s nothing like the gift of an elegant Rolex
timepiece to tell that special someone how you
feel. And no matter which style of Rolex you
choose, you'll be giving a gift of lasting quality,
beauty and desirability. When you make your
Christmas list this year, check it twice. And see
who's nice enough to deserve a Rolex! w
.;~§i-ws-._;::='::,z,»:- e FZ': !
RN oy R AN V= ST R RN
e i ‘\‘,y.m-‘.,’l;. "'(}i:::;,‘\.:
LSR A -fl\ " <’»§ o .
SR T R e
i S ;‘l il & H;: St 8;)fi_ i
.TR B 0 TR A 9 L RKS ST A I -
e “3}' f+wh ?
i N *,‘,,Q‘» jj ;| | o
.z;;g:-;;‘;;:;w“_" Bty 'l‘ji',;r,.:" e e
ARI & TN S ,;;,.a\ S
T O S
% EPI Ep ap RRP IR T T
; RRR R N ROoA e
NINDSOR
R s oo
National Hills Ty Morllgay - Sgaturday
2635 Washington Rd. B an; Pn;
Augusta, Georgia 30904 N e
(706) 738-7777 -\ American Gem Society
A(§ Registered Jeweler
Roles, . @lyster Perpetual and Lady-Datejust are trademarks.
involve only Owensby’s death,
Prosecutor Mike Allen said.
“We have met with Cincinnati
homicide detectives on numerous
occasions, with the Hamilton
County coroner and with others
involved in the investigation,”
Allen said. “Based on what has
been developed to date, I feel it is
appropriate that the grand jury
hear the evidence and determine
if criminal charges are appropri
ate.”
The five officers who partici
pated in Owensby’s arrest have
declined to tell police investiga
tors their version of what hap
péned, officials said. Allen said he
would handle the grand jury in
vestigation rather than appoint a
special prosecutor.
“Somebody has to stand up and
be accountable,” Allen said. “To
cut and run when therhetoric gets
hot is the antithesis of leadership.
It is to surrender to the loudest
voices, or to the protest group that
is getting the most attention at
the moment.”
U.S. Attorney Sharon Zealey has
said theJustice Department’s Civil
Rights division will investigate
both deaths.