Election 2004: Congressional Democrats to Force Debate on Ohio Results

1/6/05 - 1:25pm EST

Led by Michigan Representative John Conyers, Jr., a small band of congressional Democrats is challenging the 2004 Electoral College results, specifically Ohio's 20 Electoral votes that put George W. Bush over the 270 required for the Presidency.

Unlike Election 2000, where Democratic House members raised objections but were not joined by a senator, this time, Senator Barbara Boxer from California has joined the house Democrats in objecting. Yesterday, Re. Conyers, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee drafted a report claiming 'numerous, serious election irregularities in the Ohio presidential election. [stemming from] 'intentional misconduct and illegal behavior' by Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, the co-chair of the Bush-Cheney campaign in Ohio. Senator Boxer agreed, '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,'

This action by congressional Democrats comes in the midst of several court battles raging in Ohio courts regarding the conduct of the election. Many of the issues raised by Democrats in the congress come directly from the legal filings in the courts. This reporter concluded an interview late yesterday with a Professor Dan Tokaji, an oft quoted source on Ohio election law from Ohio State University Law School. The information from that interview and a subsequent interview with Kerry/Edwards counsel Dan Hoffheimer will appear here at Elites TV in the next 24 hours.