Politics--The Post: "Florida Legislature Considers Its Options"
washingtonpost.com
>>>Florida Legislature Considers Its Options
By Dara Kam
Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, November 22, 2000
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature emerged Tuesday night as a potential avenue of appeal after the state's Supreme Court dealt George W. Bush a major setback.
Former Secretary of State James Baker III, representing Bush's cause in Florida, raised the prospect as he condemned the court's ruling. He said the Bush camp wasn't asking for a special session yet, but he hinted such action was being considered.
"I would not be surprised to see the Legislature perhaps take some action to get back to the original statutory provisions," Baker said.
An influential lawmaker concurred.
"Our power has been challenged, not just for this election," said Sen. Daniel Webster, the former speaker of the Florida House who now represents Orlando in the Senate. "If they can make this arbitrary ruling on this statute, they can make it for anything. They have clearly gone beyond their power and by doing that have jeopardized all laws."
In doing so, he said, "it's up to the Legislature to determine a new way to determine electors, not the court."
Some Democrats deplored such talk.
"It would be a travesty," said state Sen. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Davie. "It would be a smack in the face to Florida's citizens. If the Republican leadership has a problem with this decision, there is an appeals process and that process should be adhered to."
Bush's supporters were scrambling to plot their next move after the justices ruled unanimously that hand recounts could continue in three Democratic-leaning counties and be added to the official state tally through Sunday or early Monday.
Webster said the Legislature, under powers given it by federal election law, could intervene and choose another method of selecting the state's 25 electors, presumably blocking a Gore slate if he won with the recounted votes.
Florida's Legislature convened Tuesday morning for an organizational session, then adjourned. In hindsight, Webster said the chamber shouldn't have adjourned. Because it did, a special session will be necessary, he said.
In order to call a special session, both chambers would either have to approve it by two-thirds, or get a proclamation from the governor – Bush's brother, Jeb Bush.
A Democrat, state Sen. Ron Klein of Palm Beach County, said it was his understanding Democrats wouldn't be able to filibuster in a special session. He said he didn't know how his party would stop a move to throw out a Gore slate of electors.
State Republican Chairman Al Cardenas said, "I don't rule out anything at this point. We're not going to have this election stolen by arbitrary, capricious and highly partisan canvassing boards and Democratic operatives."
"They've overridden a prestigious and honorable circuit court judge and trampled all over the constitutional authority of the secretary of state all in one opinion," he said.
© 2000 Associated Press <<< |
