June 06, 2005
Nothing to do but work harder

Judge Bridges has ruled against the plaintiffs and let stand the results of the 2004 governor's election. He did not accept the use of proportional deduction and did not find fraud either by the election workers or the parties. So, given that the Supreme Court will most likely not change findings of fact and therefore not overrule, Christine Gregoire will be governor through 2008.

But Judge Bridges did find that many irregularities took place, and he put the burden explicitly on the voters to hold elected officials and elections officials accountable for these problems. Where the law will not provide relief because it is not specific enough or sets the wrong standards, we must work through the political process to change the law. Where officials have low standards, we must work to replace them with officials with higher standards.

As voters, we have all the power we need to make these changes, regardless of the decisions of any court, executive or legislature. Our remedy is to be more organized and to work for candidates who believe as we do. This is one election. There will be hundreds more in our lifetimes and we must contest them all. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

Posted by Andy MacDonald at June 06, 2005 09:52 AM | Email This
Comments
1. While I am disappointed in the ruling, I will look on the bright side. Rossi can win Cantwell's Senate seat if he chooses to run, and the Democrats will only continue to show their stupidity in Olympia, which will come back to bite them in 2006 and beyond.

Posted by: Tim Eriksen on June 6, 2005 10:00 AM
2. let me get this straight...
he wants us to use voting to correct massive problems in the elections offices? Is that the only hope we have?
This sounds really bad.

Posted by: Joel on June 6, 2005 10:01 AM
3. Justice? Not today.

Posted by: Splatter on June 6, 2005 10:01 AM
4. It's a shame that Judge Bridges couldn't even throw us a bone by severely rebuking King County officials for their shameful conduct.

Posted by: theprez98 on June 6, 2005 10:01 AM
5. Gosh, a robed master sides with the political status quo, and against the populace. Just knock me over with a feather.

Cordially...

Posted by: Rick on June 6, 2005 10:02 AM
6. This is one election. There will be hundreds more in our lifetimes and we must contest them all.

I recomend starting in Ohio... if you can find a R' Supreme not recused because of coin scandal, or SOS the same, or governor the same, or Att General the same...

Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

agree w/that. Thank God for honest Judges in Wa. state.

Posted by: jdm on June 6, 2005 10:02 AM
7. As acting in an unoffical mannor on the Washington State Democratic party I would like to offer the following statement.

HAHAHAHAHA!

Posted by: Rosi Lost on June 6, 2005 10:03 AM
8. Wow!! A judge that judges and doesn't create law.

He puts the burden back on us voters. What a novel solution. I like it.

Posted by: swatter on June 6, 2005 10:04 AM
9. He just made it plain that crime does pay after all.......

Posted by: christmasghost on June 6, 2005 10:04 AM
10. FINALLY! Now all you wackos can leave our state! Get it through your head... you are not welcome here! This is a democrat state, we own the gov't, we own the law, and we own you.

Now get....

Buh bye.

Posted by: Janet on June 6, 2005 10:05 AM
11. It sucks. They seem trapped into a logical trap that ignores the spirit of the law. The law says you cannot change it unless you can prove the specific votes, but the law also protects the anonymity of the votes. It makes a presumption they are legit unless specifically proven otherwise, and since you cannot prove which vote is whose because of the anonymity, its a standard that cannot be met by any obtainable compelling evidence.

They face a contest under a statute that had a burden so high as to be impossible to meet.

Hopefully the voters do not forget soon what happened, and how misconduct and incompentence trashed an election and gave us an uncertain mandate.

Posted by: karl on June 6, 2005 10:05 AM
12. Somebody tell me why I should bother to show up and vote. I live in Seattle. The message Bridges just sent to Ron Sims is that "anything goes". There's no accountability and zero motivation for them to clean up their acts.

His call for the voters rings hollow. What difference does it make who votes if those who count them are dishonest?

Our democracy just took a huge hit.

Posted by: steve_dog on June 6, 2005 10:05 AM
13. In his comments (apologies for not capturing the actual words) he specifically referred to the legislature as having removed options from the court in making a decision. I think this will come out as his statement that, as written, the contest statutes place an impossibly high burden of proof on the petitioners.

In effect he said that petitioners must either show clear fraud or that the ballots directly affected the outcome in a particular way. With secret voting that is impossible.

Unless there is a change in the law then I think his ruling has effectively made election contests impossible in this state.

Posted by: TonyG on June 6, 2005 10:05 AM
14. That'll about do it for me.

Anyone need a Unix/Perl guy in Alaska?

It is time to return home; where the corruption is manageble.

Posted by: Gary on June 6, 2005 10:06 AM
15. no one gave this effort a chance....

We knew the Democrat party machine was stealing elections but it took this past election to finally motivate someone to do something...

now, the cat's out of the bag...

we know who the enemy is....

there will be other elections, and if this past election and this expose of fraud doesn't motivate the fringe voter to vote down the Democrat party, I don't know what will...

thanks to Shark, this thing really moved...

We live to fight another day, and that day will come sooner then we think, and next time, we will be prepared....

I think the Democrat Party rule is going to end very soon in Washington....I think they have blown their "wad" so to speak in stealing this election as well as the Cantwell election...

Congrats again to Shark.....you are a true patriot ......

Posted by: lee on June 6, 2005 10:07 AM
16. Rossi will become Governor in 2008 at least.

We just need to work together to get GOP majorities in both the state House and Senate in 2006. With all this anger at Gregoire, it should be easy to do if we do it.

Posted by: Kyle on June 6, 2005 10:07 AM
17. So....now the standards are set. As long as no one can prove who cast illegal ballots and who they were cast for in King county future election contests are useless.
King county now has a road map to use in each and every election to pad the ballot box with illegal votes and voters.
Until the legislature changes the laws to take account of this glaring discrepency in our election laws this will be the outcome of all future elections. It is obvious that with the Democratic controlled legislature and governors office this will never happen until a change in the powers in the house and legislature is accomplished.
The battle is on, we need to remove from power any elected official that does not support changing our laws to account for this obvious means of voter fraud.
I am very disappointed in the laws of our state not taking this into account.

Posted by: Cliff on June 6, 2005 10:07 AM
18. This is the OJ of elections.

Posted by: Hanna on June 6, 2005 10:07 AM
19. @ Rick:
sides (...)against the populace.

Bridges disagrees w/that assumption, as does the evidence.

Posted by: jdm on June 6, 2005 10:07 AM
20. no one gave this effort a chance....

We knew the Democrat party machine was stealing elections but it took this past election to finally motivate someone to do something...

now, the cat's out of the bag...

we know who the enemy is....

there will be other elections, and if this past election and this expose of fraud doesn't motivate the fringe voter to vote down the Democrat party, I don't know what will...

thanks to Shark, this thing really moved...

We live to fight another day, and that day will come sooner then we think, and next time, we will be prepared....

I think the Democrat Party rule is going to end very soon in Washington....I think they have blown their "wad" so to speak in stealing this election as well as the Cantwell election...

Congrats again to Shark.....you are a true patriot ......

Posted by: lee on June 6, 2005 10:07 AM
21. Yup, I agree with the sentiments expressed by the other commenters here already. This ruling is a travesty, and makes a mockery of law abiding citizens, and our election process.

Even those who were found guilty of voting twice were given a slap on the wrist and basically we were told that it's ok to vote twice if your loved one or spouse died.

This is not a ruling for Justice, but a ruling for Kings

Posted by: FireWolf on June 6, 2005 10:08 AM
22. Rossi lost the battle, but he will win the war.

Posted by: megs on June 6, 2005 10:08 AM
23. In his comments (apologies for not capturing the actual words) he specifically referred to the legislature as having removed options from the court in making a decision. I think this will come out as his statement that, as written, the contest statutes place an impossibly high burden of proof on the petitioners.

In effect he said that petitioners must either show clear fraud or that the ballots directly affected the outcome in a particular way. With secret voting that is impossible.

Unless there is a change in the law then I think his ruling has effectively made election contests impossible in this state.

Posted by: TonyG on June 6, 2005 10:08 AM
24. Anyone for a recall?

Posted by: William on June 6, 2005 10:09 AM
25. @ Rick:
sides (...)against the populace.

Bridges disagrees w/that assumption, as does the evidence.

Posted by: jdm on June 6, 2005 10:09 AM
26. I guess more to the point, the judge is permitting "crime to pay." But that's almost always the case with vote fraud, which is among the reasons why it's so practiced in near-100% Democratic precincts.

Cordially...

Posted by: Rick on June 6, 2005 10:09 AM
27. Already we get to hear just how Leftists are such lousy winners, and why they are so well loved by only themselves.

Posted by: Raoul Ortega on June 6, 2005 10:09 AM
28. Absent from the discussion are 50,000 ballots illegally enhanced.
Poll workers in King County can print blank ballots and there is no way to record how many. Just have certain poll workers match the formally blank ballots with names on the voter rolls who did not vote this election. How many hundreds, thousands?
I will never have confidence in this system.
The democrat machine has stolen the state. Any “reforms” will be passed by dems and nothing that does not make voter fraud easier will be passed.

A watershed event for me. Working harder in this system is simply playing their game.
The 2nd amendment was created for these times.

Posted by: notloyalopposition on June 6, 2005 10:09 AM
29. Somebody tell me why I should bother to show up and vote. I live in Seattle. The message Bridges just sent to Ron Sims is that "anything goes". There's no accountability and zero motivation for them to clean up their acts.

His call for the voters rings hollow. What difference does it make who votes if those who count them are dishonest?

Our democracy just took a huge hit.

Posted by: steve_dog on June 6, 2005 10:09 AM
30. How are the citizens going to be heard when the institutions that they are relying on to voice their wish for change in elected offices incompentent and corrupt?

Posted by: Spaceboy on June 6, 2005 10:10 AM
31. "Where the law will not provide relief because it is not specific enough or sets the wrong standards, we must work through the political process to change the law. Where officials have low standards, we must work to replace them with officials with higher standards."

How can you use "the process" to change "the process" when "the process" itself is corrupt? How can you throw out of office the same cheating, lying, corrupt officials who control the elections? Just like he imposed an impossible standard on the plaintiffs (prove who the specific illegal votes were cast for), Bridges has placed an impossible task upon the honest voters: throw out the corrupt officials who control the very election process by which you seek to throw them out.

Posted by: Interested Observer on June 6, 2005 10:10 AM
32. Oh now comes out the true childish liberal.
Why dont you go protest the war and start a
fight.

Posted by: Scot on June 6, 2005 10:11 AM
33. I can't wait for hundreds of elections to be contested in the future. Dignity in defeat, as always.

Posted by: David Miller on June 6, 2005 10:11 AM
34. @ Rick:
sides (...)against the populace.

Bridges disagrees w/that assumption, as does the evidence.

Posted by: jdm on June 6, 2005 10:11 AM
35. Let's be honest about this. The chances of having this election overturned was always slim at best.

The real purpose (I believe) of this court case is to shine a light on the Ron Sims Administration and the need to change it. If this cannot be accomplished, we are going to lose control of honest elections in this state and will continue down the path of Chicago, Los Angeles and other corrupt election systems.

Posted by: jaybo on June 6, 2005 10:11 AM
36. Look out washington, here come 5000 p*ssed off bloggers.

Posted by: Mark Beyer on June 6, 2005 10:11 AM
37. To: Rosi Lost

Your "HAHAHAHAHA!" will com back to bite you (You know where) during the next election. This NOT a good thing for Dems. It may not be what "we the people" wanted, but we WILL get what we want in the future.

Posted by: Kell on June 6, 2005 10:11 AM
38. What a mess --- Where is the signup for becoming a poll worker --- I want in now! I believe we need to find a way for the biggest county to have their count done first and the rest of us to filter in rather quickly after that --- that way they cannot steal elections quite so easily --- Chris Gregoire and all her cohorts are setting themselves up for a comeupance --- what goes around does come around ---bask while you can because you will never know what hit you as we repubs hit the polls! We will vote with out FEET>>>

Posted by: cj on June 6, 2005 10:12 AM
39. Judge Bridges pointed out the law; he didn't comment on it but I kept feeling that it is a very stupid law. We cannot determine who voted for what. That is in our constitution. I'm surprised he allowed testimony to that effect even to be entered. But we have to overturn elections fraught with fraud, scandals, and illegal votes by determining who voted for what. The law needs to be changed drastically. We need to hold these officials to the highest standards.

Notice how he cited all the serious problems, even Nicole Way's problems. He cited these to point out that the law doesn't address this. That tells me our law is unjust.

Posted by: Jonathan Gardner on June 6, 2005 10:12 AM
40. "But Judge Bridges did find that many irregularities took place, and he put the burden explicitly on the voters to hold elected officials and elections officials accountable for these problems."

We just tried.

Posted by: Barcroft on June 6, 2005 10:12 AM
41. Look out washington, here come 5000 p*ssed off bloggers.

Posted by: Mark Beyer on June 6, 2005 10:12 AM
42. I agree with Steve. In an election decided by 2 votes with 10,000 illegal votes, the judge says you can't overthrow it unless each illegal voter goes to court and honestly (!?) says which way he voted...

Or if 1000 extra votes show up in the accuvote there is no way to invalidate because you can't show which ones were illegal and who they voted for..

This just encourages more cheating. Ridiculous and stunning decision...

Posted by: Mark on June 6, 2005 10:13 AM
43. So, we must rely on Sam Reed, Nixon Handy, Dean Logan, Ron Sims and the culture of King County to prevent election fraud?

Posted by: Splatter on June 6, 2005 10:14 AM
44. See, NOW is when the wackos come out of the woodwork to gloat, with spelling errors in tow.

Supposedly, the earring worn by Bridges had already leaked word of the decision to the Seattle times over the weekend.

Posted by: John Billings on June 6, 2005 10:14 AM
45. Maybe it's not so bad? We did just get permission to cast votes for our dead grandparents & to start stuffing ballot boxes! And I fully intend to. The judge did say that cheating is ok, right?
We should all start by volunteering to work at our local polling places. lol. Don't worry friends, we'll win the next one. *wink wink*

Posted by: rolling eyes on June 6, 2005 10:14 AM
46. The "evidence" of fraud was not compelling.

Who took a huge hit was Rossi. May he crawl back into the cave from which he came.

Good riddance.

Posted by: jim on June 6, 2005 10:14 AM
47. I'll be registering in King County as a permanent absentee for the 2006 elections.

Posted by: JRR on June 6, 2005 10:14 AM
48. Hey snark...?

Looks like you owe your buddy Goldy an appoligy! But then again, thats not something neocons do best, now is it?

Posted by: DamnageD on June 6, 2005 10:14 AM
49. Yes, we need to re-double our efforts and try to encourage reform of state laws governing elections. That said, with the Libs controlling the executive and legislative branches in Washington, and King County controlled by permanent Liberal single party rule, what is to stop the Libs from manufacturing "errors" that always and magically favor their future candidates? KC has known for years that it has had "problems" in the elections department but has chosen not to correct them. Without meaningful reform the status quo will continue. I don't see the Libs as being particularly interested, in light of Judge Bridge's ruling, in doing anything that curtails their ability to influence election outcomes through unaccountable "incompetence" and "error". It's a sad day for Washington State. We are now the new Chicago.

Posted by: John W. Nelson on June 6, 2005 10:15 AM
50. The "evidence" of fraud was not compelling.

Who took a huge hit was Rossi. May he crawl back into the cave from which he came.

Good riddance.

Posted by: jim on June 6, 2005 10:15 AM
51. Let us work harder for a better democracy and agree to the following:

No more claims of fraud without proof.

No more claims of military ballots being messed with without proof.

No more use of selective statistics to bolster a partisan point of view.

No more use of over the top rhetoric without basis.

No more listenting to only propogandistic sources of information that agree with only one side of an issue.

No more name calling of those who point out failures of logic on my side.

If we start with these principles, we will truly have a democracy to be proud of.

Posted by: JDB on June 6, 2005 10:15 AM
52. Those who cast the votes decide nothing.
Those who count the votes decide everything.

Josef Stalin

Posted by: Aaron on June 6, 2005 10:16 AM
53. Washington will now be a blue state for many years to come. Now that democrat voting "goofs" can withstand the law there is nothing that will hold them back from doing it every election.
The only way to beat them is to out-cheat the cheaters but since the GOP will not stoop to that level it will never happen. We could all say 'now we all legally have more than one vote so lets use them'. But we won't. So we just wait for the demos to hang themselves with stupidity as they usually do.

Posted by: Me on June 6, 2005 10:16 AM
54. Obviously, in the realm of vote fraud, crime truly pays. Maryland's Ellen Sauerbray found out that much when she was defrauded of the governorship in '94. At least Rossi got to push the case further that she was able.

But the elites protect themselves, public be damned. So fraud it tolerated, which is why often there so much of it in near-100% Democratic precincts. A specialty.

Sigh. Re-defeat Gingoire in 2008. How's that for clever?

Cordially...

Posted by: Rick on June 6, 2005 10:16 AM
55. I think the real problem in this state are not the corrupt King County officials(Ron Sims, etc..) but the liberals in this state who keep on voting the bastards in year after year after year. Who can we blame for voting in Baghdad Jim 7x? Why, the good residents of Seattle, that's who.

Posted by: manco on June 6, 2005 10:17 AM
56. Wow, Janet - once again you are proving just how tolerant liberals really are. Not only are you poor losers - Florida 2000 - you are also poor winners. Just goes to show that you can't get your microscopic little brain into first gear.

Posted by: Matt R on June 6, 2005 10:17 AM
57. Bridges isn't the bad guy here. He ruled against the Republicans because they didn't do their job. What, you think it should be easy to throw out an election, absent a showing of fraud? And fraud is the key: if you prove fraud by one side widespread enough to effect the outcome, you don't have to prove how individual voters voted.

And it's obvious there was fraud. Gregoire's vote count didn't randomly get closer and closer to victory until the final hand count --when, voila!, it magically went over the top. This was systematic theft. And that's not even getting to the fraud before the polls closed on election day. The Republicans should have taken it on as Job #1 to find that fraud, and Job #2 to prove it in court. They didn't. It seemed like they never even wanted to go there.

Posted by: jaybird on June 6, 2005 10:17 AM
58. Show your outrage by signing the Initiative 912 (NO NEW GAS TAX initiative). It will be out later today!

Bill H

Posted by: Bill H on June 6, 2005 10:17 AM
59. The "evidence" of fraud was not compelling.

Who took a huge hit was Rossi. May he crawl back into the cave from which he came.

Good riddance.

Posted by: jim on June 6, 2005 10:18 AM
60. I'm not surprised, although I am saddened and disgusted.

Hugh Hewitt is right: if it's not close, they can't cheat.

Don't let it be so close next time.

***
And I've been saying all along that there seems to be grounds for a federal case, even if the US attorney has been mum on that.

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 10:18 AM
61. Paraphrasing the judge:

Voting in Washington is based on the honor system, therefore if illegal votes are cast, an election contest is contingent on those who cast an illegal vote doing the honorable thing and identifying the fact they violated the law and disclosing whom they voted for when they violated the law. Then and only then can a ballot be contested under the law.

Since this isn't going to happen, lets just end the charade of the state actually having an election challenge statute.

Posted by: Jason on June 6, 2005 10:18 AM
62. Stefan and everyone, time to get an initiative going that changes the election contest law. Where if there are more proven errors, illegal votes, etc. then the margin of victory. A revote shall be ordered.

Mark

Posted by: Mark D on June 6, 2005 10:18 AM
63. I'll be registering in King County as a permanent absentee for the 2006 elections.

Posted by: JRR on June 6, 2005 10:18 AM
64. JANET: WRONG! This is not a Democrat State.....This is a Communist State. ENJOY!

Posted by: Why am I not surprised on June 6, 2005 10:18 AM
65. The "evidence" of fraud was not compelling.

Who took a huge hit was Rossi. May he crawl back into the cave from which he came.

Good riddance.

Posted by: jim on June 6, 2005 10:19 AM
66. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!

LOSERS!

How's that feel, you would-be election stealers?

Get a life, rather than filling up the courts with more frivolous lawsuits, willya? Somehow I doubt it - and you'll mask your lack of evidence with more worthless statistical analysis which everybody knows is as crooked as the GOP is.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!

Posted by: name on June 6, 2005 10:19 AM
67. It would be nice if by "work harder" you meant "work harder to fix Washington State by cooperating with the Democrats." But somehow I just have a funny feeling the Republicans don't quite mean that. What I expect we'll get now is gigabytes of sour grapes posts.

Why is it you people in 2000 were joyous and ecstatic you were able to cheat to win, but in 2004, with no evidence of cheating, you none the less tried to change the rules in the middle of the game, tried every trick in the book to justify a recount or a new election ... Gore (and Slade Gorton in 2000!) were gracious in defeat.

The Rossi Republicans in 2004 were anything but.

See you in the next election, can't wait for Chris "whiny pants" Vance's latest spin to show up in the news over this decision.

Posted by: Dave D on June 6, 2005 10:19 AM
68. 1 - Anger at Gregoire? Other than the standard "I hate anyone on the other side" attitude that extremists of all ilks have, what anger is that, exactly? I'm guessing that it's only the extremists that have any anger for anyone else, and it's mainly knee-jerk.

2 - is the owner of this blog going to stand by his assertion that the judge "side"s "with Stalin"? Yet another example of extremism that is, of course, completely irresponsible.

Long and short of it is - get out and vote (at every level), but realize that in the grand scheme of things (of which there is none), this and everything else are mere blinks in the realm of existence.

C'mon, folks, it passes the day, makes for some interesting reading/listening - but is it truly worth the extremism?

Posted by: TJ on June 6, 2005 10:19 AM
69. As someone who comes from THE most corrupt state in the union, Louisiana, where our governor was indicted while in office and now is sitting in the federal pen, but was voted in 4 times, I now feel like Washington has got them beat. Hands down.

Posted by: Rich on June 6, 2005 10:20 AM
70. I found judge Bridge's editorial comments at the beginning of his ruling interesting - concerning the bureaucratic and suggesting that increasing ease of voting does not necessarily increase accountability. I posted earlier on this blog my opinion that Bridges would reject the proportional analysis based on Frye.

While he agreed there where far more illegal votes than the spread, he concluded that the Rossi team failed to show "causation" (i.e. that enough illegal votes went to Gregoire to change the election). I don't agree with his causation requirement because it is vitually impossible to prove who all the illegals voted for given the constitutional right to secrecy. While a few felons testified they voted for Rossi or Bennett, it does not go to the vast majority of illegal votes. I noticed Bridges did not cite, discuss or distinquish the Foulkes case. In my opinion, the errors, mistakes and omissions speak for themselves and should be enough. The law has a term: res ipsa loquitur [i.e. "the thing speaks for itself"]. Res ipsa loquitur is a rule of evidence whereby negligence of alleged wrongdoing may be inferred from the mere fact that the accident happened (e.g. plane crash). Here, the election process/system crashed to such a degree that the number of illegal votes far exceeded the spread. To require Rossi's team to prove how each illegal voter voted was and is impossible.

Posted by: Newman on June 6, 2005 10:20 AM
71. Wow, Janet - once again you are proving just how tolerant liberals really are. Not only are you poor losers - Florida 2000 - you are also poor winners. Just goes to show that you can't get your microscopic little brain into first gear.

Posted by: Matt R on June 6, 2005 10:20 AM
72. Wow, Janet - once again you are proving just how tolerant liberals really are. Not only are you poor losers - Florida 2000 - you are also poor winners. Just goes to show that you can't get your microscopic little brain into first gear.

Posted by: Matt R on June 6, 2005 10:20 AM
73. What a travesty of justice ? So many irregularities brought to light and not one seemed to matter.
I cannot see how this can be allowed to stand.
But on a different note, Thank you Shark for all your hard work. You are a true patriot indeed !

Posted by: Nepaman on June 6, 2005 10:21 AM
74. I'll be registering in King County as a permanent absentee voter for 2006 and beyond. If I vote twice, no one can prove otherwise.

Posted by: JRR on June 6, 2005 10:21 AM
75. @Rick
the judge is permitting "crime to pay."

he was very clear: there were no crimes.

But that's almost always the case with vote fraud, which is among the reasons why it's so practiced in near-100% Democratic precincts.

if you listened to Bridges detailing of county by county problems (reconciliation in particular), he made clear this assumption of yours is false as well.

(and apoligies for my multiple posts: maybe SP getting overwhelmed, as my browser just "hung" for each subsequent one. again, apologies).

Posted by: jdm on June 6, 2005 10:21 AM
76. Yup. Anything goes. Rossi can count on at least 15 provisionals from me, fed directly into the accuvotes in King County next time.

Posted by: Scott on June 6, 2005 10:21 AM
77. Well, sigh, there is no way to properly express my total discouragement and disgust with this "ruling".

Having awakened some years back to what the dimocraps routinely do, this was STILL a shock.

Essentially, I get the impression that stuffing the balot box was just declared legal :-(.

"Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide
everything." -Joseph Stalin

So next election:

Not bother to vote?

Register 25 or 30 times and stuff the balot box on my chosen side?

Neiter is acceptable.

I do think that the dimocraps have, hopefully, commited political suicide. We can only hope.

Restored confidence in the election process - not for me.

/SO Disgusted.

Posted by: Fox3 on June 6, 2005 10:21 AM
78. I love it, now if only the 2000 Presidential election had been fairly decided the world would be a better place.

But I'll settle for our state, for now.

Posted by: Will on June 6, 2005 10:21 AM
79. For real analysis for the past three months, go to HA...for Windmills that tumble down on you, stay with the Snark. Stefan, Goldy may not be a lawyer, but he sure nailed everything on the head in every post how a court would rule maybe he plays one on TV...you had everything absolutly wrong...you win the Tariq Aziz award for Journalism.

Posted by: danw on June 6, 2005 10:22 AM
80. We learned golating and spelling from the best..just look in the mirror!

Posted by: DamnageD on June 6, 2005 10:22 AM
81. Gregoire is not governor. The sooner she steps down, the sooner we as a state can move forward. This state is an embarrasment; democracy & the rule law is dead; Gregoire & the uniocrat cronies are an even larger embarrasment. I promise to protest that unlected witch at every public appearance she makes in my area.

I hope the next few months are so hard on her, resignation would sound like sweet salvation.

Posted by: kingdome360 on June 6, 2005 10:22 AM
82. Well, that kind of showed that there is no reason for the elections officials to ever bother with looking at how citizens voted.
Open season for fraud, just don't call it that and you can win.
The incompetence of Dean Logan et. al is now a perfectly plausible method of throwing elections to anyone they want.
The burden of proof was enormous and the reluctance of the Republicans to count on the truthfulness of felons that voted was probably wise.
Incompetence has now been codified in Washington State as a legitimate method of throwing an election. I am disappointed.

Posted by: Skeptic on June 6, 2005 10:22 AM
83. Judge ruled that there were 1,678 illegal votes then subtracted them from the total number of state wide votes. So now if you add Bennett Rossi and Gregoire total official votes they add up to more then the total cast.

More ballots then votes... A fitting end to the 2004 election.

Posted by: Joe on June 6, 2005 10:23 AM
84. If we can't beat the sleezy democrats, we must join them.

Next election, Vote Twice!!!

Posted by: Brent from Clark County on June 6, 2005 10:23 AM
85. Lets move forward from here and let the the drunkened Democrats and their figurehead in Olympia set the stage for 2006 and 2008. Remember 1994? This state has the potential and the way the legislature is behaving, they are doing the serious earthmoving.

As far as election reform and contest laws, it should be changed by initiative. That will take the power out of Olympia. I would start by proposing that the state outsource elections to a big 8 accounting firm. It would be run with an unbiased efficiency, competency, and would save the taxpayers big $$.

Posted by: Bill on June 6, 2005 10:23 AM
86. Judicial Trickery!

Bridges knew all along the GOP could not prove who the illegals voted for. The Washington statute is meaningless or Bridges was the ultimate activist. According to Bridges logic, no matter what degree of illegal voting, it could have been 50,000 votes, it would not have changed the outcome! Judicial Trickery!

Get rid of Bridges!

Posted by: blasater on June 6, 2005 10:23 AM
87. I love it, now if only the 2000 Presidential election had been fairly decided the world would be a better place.

But I'll settle for our state, for now.

Posted by: Will on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
88. Shark
Don't think for a minute that it wasn't all worth it. This was all about reaching reasonable people, and you've accomplished that. Giod bless ya, son.

Posted by: De Espresso Latte on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
89. Four felons admit they voted illegally for Rossi and the judge removed those votes...wow! I hope the felons were not lying. The other felons wouldn't come forward and admit who they voted for so they must have been democrat votes. The dead voters votes should have been removed also, but they were not allowed to leave their cemetery confinment to testify. One thing I've learned is that although I live in Baltimore I can vote in King County this coming November and I can do it forever and forever. Is this a great county or what!!!

Posted by: Keith on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
90. I found judge Bridge's editorial comments at the beginning of his ruling interesting - concerning the bureaucratic and suggesting that increasing ease of voting does not necessarily increase accountability. I posted earlier on this blog my opinion that Bridges would reject the proportional analysis based on Frye.

While he agreed there where far more illegal votes than the spread, he concluded that the Rossi team failed to show "causation" (i.e. that enough illegal votes went to Gregoire to change the election). I don't agree with his causation requirement because it is vitually impossible to prove who all the illegals voted for given the constitutional right to secrecy. While a few felons testified they voted for Rossi or Bennett, it does not go to the vast majority of illegal votes. I noticed Bridges did not cite, discuss or distinquish the Foulkes case. In my opinion, the errors, mistakes and omissions speak for themselves and should be enough. The law has a term: res ipsa loquitur [i.e. "the thing speaks for itself"]. Res ipsa loquitur is a rule of evidence whereby negligence of alleged wrongdoing may be inferred from the mere fact that the accident happened (e.g. plane crash). Here, the election process/system crashed to such a degree that the number of illegal votes far exceeded the spread. To require Rossi's team to prove how each illegal voter voted was and is impossible.

Posted by: Newman on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
91. Kinda telling isn't it how the trolls are all happy about the situation. The Liberals aka Socialists aka Communists are stupified with pleasure to see the bind our Republic is in.

Others of their ilk control our State's government and have changed the laws to prevent their removal.

Are we left with only the Second Amendment to set things right? Is this what the Legislature wants?

Posted by: lee egg on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
92. Gregoire won her court case, but lost the PR battle. Most intelligent non-partisan people will understand that Bridges was able to come up with over 1,500 illegal votes in a 150 vote margin election (most of which came from King County) which means that at the very least the outcome of this hand count is extremely questionable. But, Gregoire won, she gets to govern now with a 35% approval rating. Enjoy.

Posted by: Marc on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
93. As someone who comes from THE most corrupt state in the union, Louisiana, where our governor was indicted while in office and now is sitting in the federal pen, but was voted in 4 times, I now feel like Washington has got them beat. Hands down.

Posted by: Rich on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
94. The green light has been given for vote fraud in Washington state. Democrats now know for sure that if they can just GET an illegal ballot into the hopper, it will count regardless of what else happens. they can stuff the ballot box and throw away republican votes until they get the result they want, knowing nothing will happen to them as long as they don't get caught.


Therefore, we will see MORE fraud, not less, because of this ruling---until the law is changed.

Until that day comes, a republican will NEVER, ever win a close statewide race in Washington because the 'fix' has just been de facto blessed with no real consequences.

This is a tragic day for the citizens of Washington

Posted by: Michele on June 6, 2005 10:24 AM
95. Work harder to replace low standard officials with those having higher standards?

As long as the election process is controlled by felons and ballot stuffers, there is no hope that voters will ever be able to fix problems.

I am sorry to say but democracy is lost here. Voters can't get it back through a delusion that it still exists.

Even if 100,000 angry voters show up next election to vote in candidates with higher standards, the elections office will allow those votes to be cancelled by illegal and invalid votes.

For real voters to prevail they need to have a democratic system. It does not exist now.

For those that are familiar with Washington State law, there is no hope of using the initiative process either. Because election laws can only be changed by amending the State constitution.

Again sorry to say this is an enormous loss for all those that believe in justice and democracy.

Posted by: Michael on June 6, 2005 10:25 AM
96. Well, it seems the sociallists already have full control of the court system here in Washington as well.
Bridges (I Paraphrase) The elections officials of King County messed this election up beyond all recognition, but because I have no backbone, you have to live with the results. The Democratic party sets the rules in this state and they won by their rules. It is up to the voters to win a Republican governor by the Democrats rules.

I take back what I said earlier about moving to Alaska when I finish college. I'm packing my family up and getting them out of here before Comrade Christine gets her re-education camps set up and closes the border to keep us from leaving. God knows she gets whatever else she wants.

Posted by: Jarhead on June 6, 2005 10:25 AM
97. To the likes of Janet who posted above, go ahead. Get smug. Talk big. Act like a bunch of thugs, like you own the place.

Hopefully you'll soon get out from behind your keyboards and then we can have it out. I, for one, am sick and tired of dealing with your crap. From McChimpyBushitlerstein, to Howard Dean to the rest of you on the miserable Left - come on out and play. You said you were going to "riot motherf***ers" if Bush won, but ya didn't. You say you're going to all these other things to overthrow the facists in office, but you never do.

Please. Light the fuse.

I know I don't speak for many people on this board, but I do know a lot of people share similar feelings. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get on with fighting our other enemies overseas.

Posted by: jimg on June 6, 2005 10:25 AM
98. I believe getting deflated is normal -- wishing for fairness and right always wins out, I am choosing to look at the silver lining in this --- you may say, Where is that? I know we can make this work next time around, I will volunteer to become a poll worker -- and dedicate some of my time to promoting Repubs without political agendas -- And most importantly, change the mix in the Washington State Government by voting out as many Dems as possible in all upcoming elections --- Chris wont see her come-upance when it hits -- she certainly wont get a second chance to mess things up like Locke did --- And King County --- What a JOKE! My dollars will stay out of that county --- the restaurants in Pierce County are getting better by the minute ---

Posted by: CJ on June 6, 2005 10:25 AM
99. Washington will now be a blue state for many years to come. Now that democrat voting "goofs" can withstand the law there is nothing that will hold them back from doing it every election.
The only way to beat them is to out-cheat the cheaters but since the GOP will not stoop to that level it will never happen. We could all say 'now we all legally have more than one vote so lets use them'. But we won't. So we just wait for the demos to hang themselves with stupidity as they usually do.

Posted by: Me on June 6, 2005 10:25 AM
100. The Judge relies on circular logic. Voters are supposed to use a flawed system controlled by one party to change the people in that party who run the flawed system. In fact, the people DID vote to change the status quo, and King County elections officials and a stacked court overruled us.
So what to do? We obviously won't be "allowed" to vote for change if that change means Democrats have to leave office because they obviously have had 25 years to put the appraratus in place in elections systems and judgeships to void anything but a landslide by the Republicans. So what to do? Play by the Dems rules? Stuff ballot boxes? Steal votes from heavily Dem precincts? Win at all costs? Is that what it's all about now?
Here's my suggestion to frustrated GOPers. Republicans statewide must do everything to legally resist ANYTHING that supports the STATE. When you make a decision, ask if it supports the STATE. If so, ask yourself if there is another decision you can make that meets your goals without supporting the STATE. Don't spend your money or your vote supporting anything run by KING COUNTY including transit, parks, voluntary fees, or anything that supports the current appratus. Total fiscal boycott of anything that supports the currrent political system. That's what I'm going to do. It may be stupid and pointless, but at least I'll feel good about it.

Posted by: soctt C on June 6, 2005 10:26 AM
101. To the likes of Janet who posted above, go ahead. Get smug. Talk big. Act like a bunch of thugs, like you own the place.

Hopefully you'll soon get out from behind your keyboards and then we can have it out. I, for one, am sick and tired of dealing with your crap. From McChimpyBushitlerstein, to Howard Dean to the rest of you on the miserable Left - come on out and play. You said you were going to "riot motherf***ers" if Bush won, but ya didn't. You say you're going to all these other things to overthrow the facists in office, but you never do.

Please. Light the fuse.

I know I don't speak for many people on this board, but I do know a lot of people share similar feelings. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can get on with fighting our other enemies overseas.

Posted by: jimg on June 6, 2005 10:26 AM
102. Judicial Trickery!

Bridges knew all along the GOP could not prove who the illegals voted for. The Washington statute is meaningless or Bridges was the ultimate activist. According to Bridges logic, no matter what degree of illegal voting, it could have been 50,000 votes, it would not have changed the outcome! Judicial Trickery!

Get rid of Bridges!

Posted by: blasater on June 6, 2005 10:26 AM
103. Judicial Trickery!

Bridges knew all along the GOP could not prove who the illegals voted for. The Washington statute is meaningless or Bridges was the ultimate activist. According to Bridges logic, no matter what degree of illegal voting, it could have been 50,000 votes, it would not have changed the outcome! Judicial Trickery!

Get rid of Bridges!

Posted by: blasater on June 6, 2005 10:26 AM
104. "As voters, we have all the power we need to make these changes" - Yeh Right! Just like we had the power to elect Dino. Any hope for Washington voters to have power over their own lives went down the toilet this morning. Time to move out of state.

Posted by: Dale on June 6, 2005 10:26 AM
105. Of course I'm bitterly disappointed, but the only thing on which I can strongly disagree with the judge is his swallowing of the crap spewed forth by the prostitute professors Handcock and Adolph.

As a trial judge, Bridges was bound to take the statutes at their word, and they are completely inadequate to deal with this situation. At the end, he ordered that the illegal votes be deducted from the total votes cast, but could not and would not deduct any portion of those votes from the totals counted for each candidate. The statutes provided no method for him to do so.

What he did do was make the inadequacy of the election contest statutes clearly visible for everyone to see, and the Supreme Court is not bound to follow them. The SC can address this public policy issue as a case of first impression; it can decide whether the democratic process requires a clear winner; and it can void the election on that ground and thereby force the legislature to revise the statutes. It can also recognize that the current statutes, as written, and as made evident by this case, create a legal standard for a successful contest that is actually impossible to meet (so long as we have secret ballots), and direct the legislature to revise the statutes accordingly.


Will they? We'll see.

Posted by: srogers on June 6, 2005 10:27 AM
106. So, a judge from your hand-picked county ruled against you.

Good work.

Losers.

Posted by: A Winner on June 6, 2005 10:27 AM
107. Guys - let me offer a bit of encouragement: months ago I saw a headline in the Tribune, "Democrats will pay for revote". If you believe in a just God, then you'll understand when I say it jumped off the page for me. The Democrats will pay for their incompetence -and I believe fraud- in this last election, for a long time. They'll pay, and our state will be the better for it.
Now, get involved in the PR battle. Sims and company will make a few token gestures that WILL NOT fix the problem. We need to deluge the media with the truth over teh coming years. And remember, the media has no antidote for a good neighbor that shares the truth with kindness and credibility. Talk to your friends, let them know how you feel and why.
Washington will not accept being ruled by incompetents in King County, and the coming elections will go great for us IF we stay involved.

Posted by: Rick D on June 6, 2005 10:27 AM
108. I think Judge Bridges provides some good advice for Republicans in this state. What we need to do is all request and vote absentee ballots, then show up at a dozen or so polling places each election; request provisional ballots and slip them into the ballot box without verification. Since they wouldn't be able to prove who voted or even if the ballot contained a vote we'd be home free. This way Republicans can make sure they aren't proportionally disenfranchised.

Other than that, we're supposed to fix a broken voting system by using the broken voting system?

Posted by: Steve N on June 6, 2005 10:27 AM
109. As someone who comes from THE most corrupt state in the union, Louisiana, where our governor was indicted while in office and now is sitting in the federal pen, but was voted in 4 times, I now feel like Washington has got them beat. Hands down.

Posted by: Rich on June 6, 2005 10:27 AM
110. Judicial Trickery!

Bridges knew all along the GOP could not prove who the illegals voted for. The Washington statute is meaningless or Bridges was the ultimate activist. According to Bridges logic, no matter what degree of illegal voting, it could have been 50,000 votes, it would not have changed the outcome! Judicial Trickery!

Get rid of Bridges!

Posted by: blasater on June 6, 2005 10:28 AM
111. Judicial Trickery!

Bridges knew all along the GOP could not prove who the illegals voted for. The Washington statute is meaningless or Bridges was the ultimate activist. According to Bridges logic, no matter what degree of illegal voting, it could have been 50,000 votes, it would not have changed the outcome! Judicial Trickery!

Get rid of Bridges!

Posted by: blasater on June 6, 2005 10:28 AM
112. Name and other gloaters,

The judge did not call Rossi's case frivolous, not by any means.

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 10:28 AM
113. OK....(Tried to post this in another thread..site is too busy)

It appears that Judge Bridges ruling was more of a simple sound bite answer to Durkans long winded closing argument..
He mentioned the validity of 2.8 million legal votes over the 2000+ illegal votes - as did Durkan in her closing..
He mentioned the 4 certified Felon Statements indicating they voted for Rossi....and mentioned that the Petitiners provided no proof that felons voted for Gregoire..(as if certifications from felons could be considered reliable..)
He chose to question Gill and Katz proportional analysis - as recommended by Durkan in her closing...

His entire decision appears to have been made from the Intervenors closing argument - with little regard to the Petitioners evidence and findings during the trial....

I don't understand why......Doesn't make sense to me.. I'll have to ponder this awhile..

Regardless of the Supreme Court take on the Judges ruling in appeal - it is obvious now - that the responsibility of a fair and uncorrupted election is up to us - the people. And we must do all we can to insure that this fraud, error, and ignorance never happens again in King and other counties in this state!

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 10:28 AM
114. Bridge's said: "When the people have spoken".

No, when the SoS has certified an election the peoples voice doesn't matter!

WE MUST HAVE REAL ELECTION REFORM!

If all Vote-By-Mail is adopted we may never get this chance again.

Posted by: Splatter on June 6, 2005 10:28 AM
115. OK....(Tried to post this in another thread..site is too busy)

It appears that Judge Bridges ruling was more of a simple sound bite answer to Durkans long winded closing argument..
He mentioned the validity of 2.8 million legal votes over the 2000+ illegal votes - as did Durkan in her closing..
He mentioned the 4 certified Felon Statements indicating they voted for Rossi....and mentioned that the Petitiners provided no proof that felons voted for Gregoire..(as if certifications from felons could be considered reliable..)
He chose to question Gill and Katz proportional analysis - as recommended by Durkan in her closing...

His entire decision appears to have been made from the Intervenors closing argument - with little regard to the Petitioners evidence and findings during the trial....

I don't understand why......Doesn't make sense to me.. I'll have to ponder this awhile..

Regardless of the Supreme Court take on the Judges ruling in appeal - it is obvious now - that the responsibility of a fair and uncorrupted election is up to us - the people. And we must do all we can to insure that this fraud, error, and ignorance never happens again in King and other counties in this state!

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 10:28 AM
116. It appears that in historically democrat-run states, you have to win by a large number so they can't cheat. In the end, their philosophy is: cheating is OK because having us democrats in power is a good thing. The ends justify the means!

Rossi's win was just too small! We need a 100,000 vote advantage to assure the result.

Posted by: Jim Thomasson on June 6, 2005 10:28 AM
117. Newman - So finish your thought. Did he leave himself open for appeal?

Posted by: Dogbert on June 6, 2005 10:29 AM
118. OK....(Tried to post this in another thread..site is too busy)

It appears that Judge Bridges ruling was more of a simple sound bite answer to Durkans long winded closing argument..
He mentioned the validity of 2.8 million legal votes over the 2000+ illegal votes - as did Durkan in her closing..
He mentioned the 4 certified Felon Statements indicating they voted for Rossi....and mentioned that the Petitiners provided no proof that felons voted for Gregoire..(as if certifications from felons could be considered reliable..)
He chose to question Gill and Katz proportional analysis - as recommended by Durkan in her closing...

His entire decision appears to have been made from the Intervenors closing argument - with little regard to the Petitioners evidence and findings during the trial....

I don't understand why......Doesn't make sense to me.. I'll have to ponder this awhile..

Regardless of the Supreme Court take on the Judges ruling in appeal - it is obvious now - that the responsibility of a fair and uncorrupted election is up to us - the people. And we must do all we can to insure that this fraud, error, and ignorance never happens again in King and other counties in this state!

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 10:29 AM
119. >I'm not surprised, although I am saddened and disgusted.
>Hugh Hewitt is right: if it's not close, they can't cheat.
>Don't let it be so close next time.

Wow, this sounds like karma here. Presidential elections in 2000 and 2004? Wonder if we would have noticed the cheating that happened in Florida and Ohio, respectively, if those elections weren't so close.

But I guess it's only a crime if the other side does it, right? After all, for Dems, Democrats can do no such wrong. For Rethugs, their politicians are guiltless too, right?

Posted by: Sputnik on June 6, 2005 10:30 AM
120. The judge made it clear his hands were tied by our state law, and that's how it should be -- judicial restraint and all that. It was a well reasoned and clear decision, the supreme court won't overturn it, I'm afraid, although he seemed to invite them to.

So -- time to change the state laws! This case has highlighted the flaws in our system and we need to fix them. All crowing from the liberals aside, I'll bet even most of them are aware of the need for better election management.

Posted by: starboardhelm on June 6, 2005 10:30 AM
121. We will now see MORE fraud; not less. The 'blessing' on vote fraud has just been given. A republican will NEVER EVER win another close statewide race because the Dems know they can throw away R votes and stuff the ballot box until the desired result is obtained.

They now know for sure that if they can just GET an illegal ballot into the hopper, it will count, regardless of what else happens. That's how it will be until the law gets changed.

This is a tragic day for Washington state. The Stalinists who 'counted' the votes and got access to all the blank ballots they wanted got their way.

Posted by: Michele on June 6, 2005 10:30 AM
122. oops sorry about the triple post...this site is burping big time!

I hope it can handle the traffic!

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 10:30 AM
123. Yee Haaa! Who wudda thought we had a judge east of the Cascades in our pocket, too? The Dems are the people's party and we rule! Vote early, vote often; stuff those boxes; it doesn't matter, as long as we win. Patronage is more important than patriotism, and don't you forget it. Who in Chelan County do I send my "contribution?" Job well done.
TomG

Posted by: TomG on June 6, 2005 10:30 AM
124. Good post Deborah.

Posted by: rolling eyes on June 6, 2005 10:30 AM
125. I knew it. I knew this guy was a liberal when i saw the earring and I told you guys as much (no offense to you conservative earring wearers)and I was certain he was a liberal when even Stefan and Carlson couldn't identify if he were lib or conservative. These two guys are pretty damned intelligent and if they can't read him...something is wrong.


They kept saying that they couldn't figure out which way he buttered his toast.
Always remember this...
As I said before, Liberals camouflage themselves and this judge camouflaged himself throughout this trial. That is how I knew he was a liberal. If this judge were a conservative you would have known it. It would be evident. That is how conservatives are. There aren't any guessing games or hiding/stalling tactics.
Liberals are liars and cowards. They have to hide their intentions to push thier agenda through the courts because they can't win at the polls nationally when they reveal who they are. Look at Hillary Clinton...
Does anyone believe that she is a centrist? Well she is "moving to the middle" and pushing this moderate nonsense now (holding hands with Mccain and Gingrich) but we all know who she is. We know who her husband is.
I think it is time to wake up and realize that these liberals can NOT be bargained or compromised with. Not any more. It seems like the big mistake here was the Republicans bargaining/compromising with the Dems on this judge. This guy was a liberal plant from day one and they knew it.

Posted by: pete on June 6, 2005 10:33 AM
126. Jason nailed it.

Bridges essentially said that an election contest statute is only useful in those rare situations where the direct evidence of the distribution of illegal votes is reasonably obtainable, clearly not the case here. In other words, errors that reflect broad trends are not contestable because evidence related to broad trends, the ecological approach, is not acceptable. Put another way, one can make decisions to shortchange electoral safeguards, reap the benefits of such decisions and not pay a price. We know that there was no effort at all in King, and apparently Pierce Co., to bar voting by felons. And it is unlikely there will be any strengthening of these processes in the future.

Posted by: barchester on June 6, 2005 10:33 AM
127. Just FYI, the "Matt R" in this comment string is not me, the Matt R. who contributes to Sound Politics.

Posted by: Matt Rosenberg on June 6, 2005 10:33 AM
128. God help us until the next election. Get ready to pay a lot of taxes... through the nose and out the wallet.

God help us.

Posted by: Keri on June 6, 2005 10:34 AM
129. Somebody tell me the admitted felon-voters will be prosecuted.

I can't believe it is now the practice to give credibility to felon affidavits. They now get two bites at the apple. First they get to vote, negating a legal vote. Then, they can sign an affidavit "claiming" to have voted for a candidate, potentially negating another legal vote.

These guys who admitted voting need to be prosecuted to make this scenario a little less appealing.

Posted by: California Dreamer on June 6, 2005 10:35 AM
130. Sputnik, talk is cheap. The lack of details is the interesting part.

Neither in FL 2000 or OH 2004, did I hear ANY talk about all the stuff that this case has PROVEN that KCE committed.

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 10:35 AM
131. By the way -- if that nincompoop Nick Handy's name pops up in the future for any state office, I hope we'll all join together to sink him!

Nincompoop: One deficient in judgment and good sense: ass, fool, idiot, imbecile, jackass, mooncalf, moron, ninny, nitwit, simple, simpleton, softhead, tomfool. Informal : dope, gander, goose. Slang : cretin, ding-dong, dip, goof, jerk, nerd, schmo, schmuck, turkey.

Posted by: starboardhelm on June 6, 2005 10:36 AM
132. Judge Bridges expects the voters to fix this mess. How? When we give our solutions to the task force, they ignore them. When we pass initiatives, they throw them out. We have activist Judges making new laws from the bench.

We can never trust our ballots to be handled properly. They can be "lost", enhanced with felt pens or cancelled out by a felon or deceased persons vote. Voting is a farce, it is merely a bone to toss to the drones to make us feel that we are part of the process, when in fact we are anything but. We live in a dictatorship.

Posted by: Vicki on June 6, 2005 10:36 AM
133. The Repub's on this board have become so myopic as to not see very clearly. This case was a slam dunk; there was really nothing to decide.

Listen, from the left, I've seen and participated in a similar myopic view. It clouds your vision, causes you to look for evidence in only one direction, and in the end, eliminates your ability to see and think clearly.

This web site has reflected this type of thinking for months. There has been no rational discussion going on here.

I am a dem, and I applaud this ruling, not because the Dems won, but because it makes legal sense, and is good for the ongoing democracy, inspite of the hysteria displayed by some here.

I am not evil. I do not condone fraud. I would willingly and gladly support the removal of Gov. Gregoire had fraud been shown. But, it hasn't been.

This is not you vs. us. This is us. We disagree, but I have lots of GOP friends, and I'll continue to engage in persuasion and discussion with all of you, and we'll continue to work together to improve this State.

I acknowledge your dissapointment. I reject your label of me as evil and dishonest. I am a concerned citizen and patriot just as you are, and I too want fair and honest elections.

Let us move forward together.

Posted by: Timothy Killian on June 6, 2005 10:36 AM
134. DO NOT DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL, OR EVEN LIKE IT.

Don't register multiple times. Don't vote twice or more times.

Also, don't let this get you down! Ultimately, we will win.

Vote in the next election, once. And get all of your neighbors to vote, once. You do not defeat evil conspirators with more evil conspiracies. You defeat them with honesty, integrity, and accountability. Remember how Moses defeated the Egyptian Empire. That's what we need, and that's what we're really fighting for. Do you think Ron Sims and Christine Gregoire are more powerful than the Egyptian Pharoah? Do you think they are stronger than King George, Adolf Hitler, Emperor Hirohito, or even Gorbachev? We defeated them all.

*WHEN* Ron Sims et al gets held accountable they will be punished justly. Don't screw things up for yourselves!

Remember, we are a nation ruled not by men and not even by laws, but by God. Petition him and see if he will restore the election and justify all the wrongs committed. That's how General George Washington defeated King George and his immense empire. That's how Reagan beat the Communist Empire. That's how we are going to beat King Sims.

Posted by: Jonathan Gardner on June 6, 2005 10:36 AM
135. I always get an absentee ballot for my daughter who moved away 12 years ago. Next election, I shall cast it:/

Posted by: Hanna on June 6, 2005 10:37 AM
136. Bostonian and others - don't bother trying to convince the gloaters that the facts are on your side. They aren't listening. They're too busy celebrating their victory against the "rethugs" and scribbling the digital equivalent of bathroom graffiti in this comment thread.

Just beat them and take away their power. If they act this ridiculously immature when they win, imagine the howls when they lose.

That will be a beautiful thing.

Posted by: Slublog on June 6, 2005 10:38 AM
137. If Rossi runs for Senator, he is not the candidate he claimed to be. He stated over and over again he doesn't want to be Senator, he wants to be governor.

Is Rossi just another political hack wannabe?

He should run for Governor in 2008 or not at all.

Posted by: Hippo Krit on June 6, 2005 10:39 AM
138. All,

I have been reading this blog every day of the trial and had hoped for a common sense "we the people" outcome. I feel bad for WA residents. My advice, give up and get out of there - it will only get worse in CA, OR, and WA.

I moved to Houston, Texas this spring from California, precisely becasue I could no longer stand the dishonest, duplicitous, and MEGA-EXPENSIVE government owned by lefties.

For my move, I sold a crappy little 900 sq. ft. house on a very busy street corner in a Los Angeles burb for $500,000. I bought a 4,000 sq. ft. house on 10 acres with a pool, spa, and sauna for $200,000!

Houston Rocks Red!

Posted by: Will on June 6, 2005 10:39 AM
139. Coupla comments.

First, I'll have to wait for a more careful reading of the decision, but it seems as though there was, in fact, a nearly impossible hurdle to jump to explicitly identify which way individual votes went. This is something I'll be following far more closely. As it is, I find it difficult to imagine how fraud could ever be demonstrated.

Second, I suspect the R's knew this would be the case, but went to trial anyway to, as someone else pointed out, win the PR battle. It's clear at this point that King County swung the election, the counting was suspect, the reconciliation was suspect, and to any reasonable person the actual outcome is, in fact, unknown. Of course, once KC was able to get their hands on actual ballots everyone knew they'd never let a Republican win, so that was a foregone conclusion.

So, in large part they probably accomplished what they set out to do: Show that KC installed Gregoire as governor. Her polls seem to be reflecting that.

Posted by: Frank Black on June 6, 2005 10:39 AM
140. I'm all for a ballot iniative to change the election contest rules. Well worth contributions all! In my thinking this is the best way, perhaps only way now, to scare Sims and the Democrat fraud machine. Bridges says 'so long as you really screw up accounting, you get to keep your fraud votes.' We need to change the law. Unfortunate we missed this recetn deadline while passions are hot, but might as well get it going now and get enough signatures for next year.

Make sure to have all your dead relatives sign twice!

Posted by: rick D on June 6, 2005 10:39 AM
141. As voters, we have all the power we need to make these changes - Right! Just like we had the power to vote in Dino. Any power the voters of Washington State may have thought they had just went down the toilet. I have never once missed an opportunity to vote since the day I turned 18. Now that I know what a farce it is I won't bother to return.

Posted by: Dale on June 6, 2005 10:40 AM
142. Timothy,

What is your take on the law here? Bridges did admit that the margin of error was much larger than the margin of victory. He basically said that that isn't enough reason under WA state law for him to do anything.

So what's your opinion of this law? Is it fair to honest voters?

How much certainty do you have that Gregoire won honestly?

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 10:40 AM
143. Timothy, how are we to "move forward together" when King County elections will not count our votes fairly?

Posted by: Shannon K on June 6, 2005 10:40 AM
144. Did you really expect anything different? Cheaters always prosper, good guys finish last, etc...
I'm sure Republicans would be gloating right now had the decision been in our favor, but I'm SURE it would not have been as childish as the third grade rhetoric seen here and elsewhere. At least I can sleep at night knowing that there are more conservatives in this state now than in the past. Look out DEMS, your getting in over your head.

Posted by: Dave J. on June 6, 2005 10:40 AM
145. Based on the decision of the judge all the Rossi team really needed to do to win this election was for them to depose at least 134 (129+4+1) illegal felons and have them state they voted for Gregoire. The entire rest of the case could have been ignored.

Based on the law as written it's hard to fault the judge for his decision. He did make at least one ridiculous assertion on his part though, such as his finding that a male felon would most likely vote for a male candidate. Where did that come from? He said you couldn't judge how a felon would vote based on precinct, but you could based on sex? Give me a break.

Posted by: Tucker on June 6, 2005 10:40 AM
146. It is difficult for me to understand how any judge could validate fraud, which in essence he did. He ignored the fact that the people of Washington do not know who won. And it also seems to me that according to Nicole Way’s deposition they illegally remove ballots to Huenneken’s office, page 64 & 65 of her dep, which is potential fraud. This judge allows that??? We must get this NO NEW TAX petition filed and take some of the wind out of this fake state government.

Posted by: RussS on June 6, 2005 10:40 AM
147. The best recourse is to remember this verdict each and every November and not to vote with a hothead. The only way of making real change is to vote in those who have a higher standard -- and to do so consistently.

As for the smuggness of the trolls, I just offer that winning graciously is as just as much as an art as losing graciously. And before we travel down the slippery slope of "Rossi shouldn't have brought this election contest", I say wrong, the result was simply too close to call especially in light of evidence of illegal voting. And a 133 vote victory does not a mandate make, so I would say that the WA is changing.

Personally, and I know I'm probably alone here in this, is that I wish there wouldn't be an appeal. I realize why it is necessary, but I would prefer to move on and get down to the real work -- starting with getting Ron Sims OUT. There's the key to all it. IMHO.

Posted by: Emily on June 6, 2005 10:41 AM
148. The strain ruling from Judge Bridge can only leave one shaking their heads as they call the moving vans. Clearly we have a problem when the illegal votes are removed from the totals and not from the candidates. This type of logic will not be acceptable in any other legal case involing the private sector. One may only conclude that the public sector operates by a different set of rules that accept illegalties, errors and omissions.As Stalin's wisdom clearly prevailed, the only remedies left to the people is to cut the knot by changing the "law" or hold the political executives accountable in the same manner that private executives are held accountable. If a bank produced books which were clearly out of balance, I imagine that the executives of that bank will be held accountable. Ron Sim's bank produced books clearly out of balance. On that point even the Judge agreed. I say we hold Sim's and other KC executives and supervisors accountable for their errors and omissions. And finally one last point, this case proves that there is no honor in our voting system.

Snuffy

Posted by: snuffy on June 6, 2005 10:41 AM
149. "I think Judge Bridges provides some good advice for Republicans in this state. What we need to do is all request and vote absentee ballots, then show up at a dozen or so polling places each election; request provisional ballots and slip them into the ballot box without verification."

That is EXACTLY what I plan on doing. Free reign!

Posted by: Rich on June 6, 2005 10:41 AM
150. The first post in this string tells it all -- first of all: THERE IS NO BRIGHT SIDE - cut the spin for GOD's sake -- and secondly expecting the demo's to show why they should be replaced over the next 4 yrs is stupid -- they have been showing why they should not be elected for the last 40 yrs -- and what is especially troublesome is the idea that the voters need to change the system - how many voter approved initiatives have been shut down by the courts in the last few years??? -- NO FOLKS - it is business as usual in the soviet of warshington -- they can have their victory celebration at the foot of Lenin in Fremont

Posted by: Bill on June 6, 2005 10:42 AM
151. I am a dem, and I applaud this ruling, not because the Dems won, but because it makes legal sense, and is good for the ongoing democracy, inspite of the hysteria displayed by some here.

I respect what you're trying to say.

But "good for the democracy"? Where in hell do you get that?

Why is it good for a democracy to have *zero* accountability for the people in charge of elections?

No, I'm sorry...I've no room left for compromise with the democratic party. They will never get another vote from me in my lifetime, don't care if the GOP puts up Bozo The Clown.

Posted by: steve_dog on June 6, 2005 10:42 AM
152. We have "honor system voting" why not "Honor system BANKING?

Ron Simms, what do you think? we could re-hometrain everybody.

Posted by: who'dathunk? on June 6, 2005 10:42 AM
153. I feel the same discouragment, Dale, but if we don't vote again then they've won, haven't they? They can't muster more votes, so they squash ours by demoralizing all Republican voters.

Posted by: Shannon K on June 6, 2005 10:43 AM
154. I think the outcome here, while unfortunate, was to be expected.

The fight, however, was very worthwhile. Here is why:

1) There was a slim chance the election could have been invalidated. That was certainly worthwhile.

2) If the case had not happened, much of what is now known by the public would not have seen the light of day. Documenting the ineptitude and corruption was worthwhile.

3) You must realize that the Dems were certainly surprised that the election was even close in a Blue state like WA. This opportunity to highlight the problems (i.e., "theft") would not have been available if the election had not been close. The Repubs had to take this opportunity to go to court and let the evidence see the light of day.

I agree with some posters here that this was more about fighting the good fight in a likely loosing battle so as to gain ground and ultimate victory in the war.

We have won much ground on the national level, and as many say, a backlash against liberals and Dems is simmering and may reach a boil in the years to come. That backlash will be felt in 2006 and 2008 in this state.

I applaud the Repubs/Rossi for all the work to bring this case despite tough odds. The R party knew this was important to the long-term roadmap for success.

Tom in Bellevue

Posted by: Tom on June 6, 2005 10:43 AM
155. According to thefindings in the 2000 florida election felons vote overwelmingly for dems. He is suppose to be smart enough to know of this. This was not a legal issue with Bridges but political.

Posted by: RussS on June 6, 2005 10:44 AM
156. "Tear down this wall!" as a great President once proclaimed to the Germans.

I propose that we start the dismantling brick-by-brick beginning with Komisar Sims! King County should get a taste of citizen revolt and repulsion of the electile dysfunction that allows illegal votes to be counted.

Undermine the Queen at the grass roots, one stooge at a time. This will open the next governor race in 2008 to be waged on a fair field.

I will throw my time and energy into the removal of Ron Sims...this needs to be the large staged demonstration response to the court loss. Tactical strikes against the foes in KING COUNTY who screwed up the entire state election. Do not let them face the public without constant reminder of their acts.

Posted by: Elvis is the King County on June 6, 2005 10:44 AM
157. As I said in other post, I think in my trial as well as this one Bridges has shown himself to be a Dem.

We need to get some R's into the big house soon

Posted by: Gary Schoessler on June 6, 2005 10:44 AM
158. DON'T BE AN ABSENTEE VOTER!!!!

Make sure you change your voting registration IMMEDIATELY to vote at your local precinct... DO NOT MAIL in your ballot... CHANGE BACK NOW!!! or risk having your ballot lost or misplaced...

CHANGE YOUR STATUS NOW. MARK "NO" in the ONGOING ABSENTEE REQUEST
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/pdf/VoterForm_20040803.pdf

Posted by: Carl on June 6, 2005 10:44 AM
159. Tom, that's a good view to take.

I also applaud Rossi's team for doing this. Otherwise, the full extent of KCE's shenanigans would not be known.

As it is, the public has become much better educated about the election process and can monitor the appointed officials much better.

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 10:45 AM
160. The fall elections are fast approaching. We need to send a very loud and very clear message in King County and get rid of Sims and his cronies. That's a good start. This guy is as corrupt as they come and he has surrounded himself with people who will do his bidding for him, such as Logan, etc. Now let's send this guy a message in November!

Posted by: mimi on June 6, 2005 10:46 AM
161. Starve the BEAST! We should do as some of the pathetic gloating trolls on this site suggest, and, at least economically, "move out of our state". OK, trolls, as you wish. I won't participate in YOUR state. I'll keep MY money however I can and YOU can PAY for everything in YOUR state. Let's see how long YOUR state can keep it's nostrils above the water of incompentence and corruption.

Posted by: Scott C on June 6, 2005 10:47 AM
162. All this ruling should tell us is that the Republican party needs to be A LOT more organized in the next election and A LOT more prepared to deal with these issues in REAL TIME. Obviously, using the discovery process in a court case to find that significant errors (aka., Fraud) took place is not enough. The Republican strategy must now be two-pronged.

First, the judge's ruling was partially based on there being an inadequate legal basis to rule on the Republican's behalf—the language was unclear. Legislation must be drafted to create a more failsafe quality control system for the procedure we use to conduct and certify elections. The current system is rife with loopholes; some might say purposefully. The nation is putting more political and judicial energy into making professional sports a level playing field than in the foundation of our political system. In a free society, the electing of representatives is crucial to it’s legitimacy.

The Republican Party must also energize to draft an army of volunteers of every stripe and strata to do work for the party in preparation for the next election. I stated earlier that the people need to be able to react to "discrepancies" real-time. Obviously it won't be enough to find out about "errors" through discovery in a legal proceeding. Think of it as you might a coach's challenge in NFL football. Throwing the red flag during the election may be the only way to stop Dems from using this ruling to turn this state into a turn-of-the-century political machine.

This process has consumed a lot of energy but it can’t be over. In the next few years we are certainly going to be voting on a lot of levies, bond issues, and other spending related ballot choices. The Dems are already in juggernaut mode in Olympia and this ruling is almost certainly going to embolden them. This is no time to sulk back into the malaise of a ruling-induced depression. No matter what the basis for the judge’s ruling, the polls seem to indicate that the people of Washington State smell something rotten in the way this last election was managed. King County voters may have no way to hold Ken Logan and his staff accountable, but that’s the great thing about our system of government—Ron Sims is next in line on the accountability ladder. Every voting opportunity is going to give Republicans--and the masses of disgusted independent voters--an opportunity to send a message to the Dems. They will get the message sooner or later.

Posted by: BryanM on June 6, 2005 10:47 AM
163. Thanks, Tom. We can at least run on honest elections.

Posted by: Shannon K on June 6, 2005 10:48 AM
164. I wonder if someone could set up a web site for voters with tips for making sure you get a ballot and making sure it gets counted (or at least checking after an election to see if it was counted).

It seems the voters need some how-to info.

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 10:48 AM
165. I think it's pretty humorous how you guys are all down and defeated. I mean... bombshells... fraud... felons... oh my!

Seriously though, What's more important? Having your candidate win? or letting the law of the land prevail?

For all yr. (Republican's) talk about "activist judges" you all should be quite willing to be accepting this.

Oh, why don't you guys draft Tim Sheldon into the party? We'd love to be rid of him.

Love,

Big Biff the Democrat Dawg

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 10:48 AM
166. So many Moonbats on here today with their gloating. All this brought to you by the supposed party of diversity and tolerance Monnbats, moonbats, moonbats.....go back to your smelly Seattle communist hidey hole.

Posted by: cowboy on June 6, 2005 10:51 AM
167. And a good start would be the no new gas tax initiative, which is being printed today. If for no other reason, sign it just to show Olympia that the people of this state have a voice -- and we can shout when we need to!

Posted by: Shannon K on June 6, 2005 10:51 AM
168. Responding to Dogbert who asked: Newman - So finish your thought. Did he leave himself open for appeal? Posted by Dogbert at June 6, 2005 10:29 AM". Yes - BUT I do not think the state supreme court will reverse. In addition to the heavy burden imposed on Rossi's team at trial, the Supreme Court will give great deference to the trial judge who was, after all, the finder of fact. Appellate courts do not act as finders of fact. Moreover, the caselaw is not cut and dry ... but I was surprised he did not distinquish Foulkes. Bottom line, courts are loath to void an election, any election. This decision makes election challenges virtually impossible.

Posted by: Newman on June 6, 2005 10:52 AM
169. Michelle - what do you mean? - "if they don't get caught" -- more than one of the demos admitted to falsifying the certification reports - UNDER OATH - in deposition - they don't have to worry about getting caught - they can even brag about it -- the fraud is completely in the open now -- I go with a caller I heard this am and predict that Bridges will be appointed to the appellate court within a year -

Posted by: Bill on June 6, 2005 10:52 AM
170. I have to agree with JDM way up at the top of this thread... let's start in Ohio.

As a proud Ohioan, first of all, my condolences to all of you who have to deal with this "traversty o'justis".

Having said that, yes, let's clean out Ohio... it's run by nothing but RINOs (except in Youngstown). Kick 'em all out and put some real conservatives in office!

Posted by: Snowy Owl on June 6, 2005 10:52 AM
171. Cowboy, they cme here to provoke. I would suggest we send them away empty-handed.

Posted by: South County on June 6, 2005 10:53 AM
172. If you follow the logic of the ruling then each canidate needs to get as many illegal votes as possible and then have them testify under oath that they voted for them in the event that the election is contested.

Posted by: WK on June 6, 2005 10:54 AM
173. Another giant step toward anarchy. Thank you very much sissy liberal Democrat scum. When your house is burning, when your wife is being raped just before they kill you, remember this day. If you don't see this coming it is just another evidence of your short-sightedness. The only vision you have is in the form of a star trek episode (I'm sure all of those wacky looking beings are in outer space).

Posted by: REBEL on June 6, 2005 10:56 AM
174. For real analysis for the past three months, go to HA...for Windmills that tumble down on you, stay with the Snark. Stefan, Goldy may not be a lawyer, but he sure nailed everything on the head in every post how a court would rule. Maybe he plays one on TV...you had everything absolutly wrong...you win the Tariq Aziz award for Journalism.

Posted by: danw on June 6, 2005 10:56 AM
175. Big Biff: "Seriously though, What's more important? Having your candidate win? or letting the law of the land prevail?"

Still don't get it, do you? The law did NOT prevail because voter fraud turned an election. We were disenfranchised.

The law said the KC elections people had to do several things in specific ways, and they did not do them! They falsified reports, enter votes that should not have been entered, etc, etc, etc. No, the law of the land - honest elections - did NOT prevail.

Posted by: Shannon K on June 6, 2005 10:56 AM
176. It is not Judge Bridges fault that our laws are all screwed up. He made no decisions that I thought showed partisan bias even though I clearly disagree with his findings he did follow the law.
The laws need to be changed. Period. There is no other answer. You cannot expect a judge to legislate from the bench, Judge Bridges does not have this reputation and his actions speak for themselves, they were clear, concise and quoted the law as he read the laws. I would not expect the SC to overturn this decision as it is based on sound readings of the law.
However, this does not mean that the law is just or cannot be changed. It must be. This election contest has brought to light many errors in our laws that if not corrected only encourage fraudulent voting and furthur King county forays into what I would call undocumented and unlawful votes are bound to happen.

Posted by: Cliff on June 6, 2005 10:57 AM
177. No worries. Rossi will be back. And the voters of WA will remember he got screwed. Wouldn't want to be that Democrat running against him.

Posted by: Marc on June 6, 2005 10:57 AM
178. June 6 D Day...stands for democracy, not BIAW money buying an election.

Posted by: danw on June 6, 2005 10:58 AM
179. The judge just granted the Democrats a license to steal.

Posted by: Disenfranchised on June 6, 2005 10:58 AM
180. It was close. They stole it.

We know two things for sure:

1) KCE Counted the Larry Phillips absentees which pushed Gregoire into the lead.
2) KCE did now count a number of other absentees.

We don't know for absolute sure that those uncounted ballots would have swayed the election back to Rossi. But in selectively counting the ballots, the partisan KCE folks managed to achieve a result that matched the party who appointed them to their positions.

Anyone want to start drafting an intitiative? Time to change the law to both better handle negligent behavior of election officials, and to make it harder to vote illegally in the first place.

It's certainly not going to be anything that the current legislature changes.

Posted by: Jeff B. on June 6, 2005 10:59 AM
181. The judge just granted the Democrats a license to steal.

Posted by: Disenfranchised on June 6, 2005 10:59 AM
182. Judge Bridges just disenfranchised half the voters in the State of Washington because he did not have the courage to fight the Democrat machine in King County. Because he could not see a rotting corpse when everyone can smell on.

So it's back to business as usual. The only way the people of Washington State can affect the status quo is through the initiative. Will I-900 and I-912 win? I guess we will determine that.

So, King County voters how are YOU going to clean up YOUR elections department so the the votes of the rest of the State have some meaning?

As for the suggestion that 134 illegal voters should have been deposed, who would believe a thing they said? I would guess 80 to 90 percent voted for Illegit but would claim even under oath, since no one can prove how they voted, they voted for Rossi. That would simply be an exercise in futility.

Posted by: JC Bob on June 6, 2005 10:59 AM
183. When the next election rolls around, there coud be a contest to see who can cast the most provisional ballots in the most precincts. Remember it’s an honor system. Maybe this will enhance the outcome.

Posted by: FudgeJudge on June 6, 2005 11:00 AM
184. I love how the word 'fraud' continues to get thrown around in these comments while nobody seems to know what the word means. Here, go read up, educate yourself--

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=fraud

Now that isn't the legal definition of course, but the legal definition is, if I recall correctly, even more stringent and definite about what is and is not fraud. Now unless the Republicans have proof that Democrats acted to stuff the ballot box or hide Rossi votes, they've got no basis to challenge the election last year. Those are examples of fraud. Not mistakes and/or errors.

Posted by: Will on June 6, 2005 11:01 AM
185. I am californian and just reading the commiements is amazing, u libs suck -but paybacks are a b...., heck next election i'm coming up to vote 2-3 times go ROSSI remember '06 wipe them all out, too bad you dont have recalls, like in Cali. Dems own this state my foot you will see who owns you in '06 -commies....

Posted by: craig on June 6, 2005 11:01 AM
186. Gregiore's Days are numbered her political carreer is impotent...no amount help from moveon.stupid will ever
help her to keep up with a class act like Dino Rossi, a true honest American!

Besides it ain't over till the fat lady sings...and she is on a diet today!

Posted by: Terry Clark C on June 6, 2005 11:02 AM
187. Will - It wasn't necessary for the Republicans to prove fraud. That isn't the legal standard. Nonetheless, knowingly fabricating reconciliation reports falls into my definition of fraud.

Posted by: Marc on June 6, 2005 11:02 AM
188. Stefan - I know you must be disappointed, but we need your reaction to the decision.

Posted by: Marc on June 6, 2005 11:04 AM
189. Again...this myopic view is not rational. Many on this board have focused so hard in King County that they've not given the same scrutiny to other counties. When you do so, you find that the errors in King County are not out of line with similar levels of error in many other counties which went for Rossi.

I am confident, given the type of discussion engaged on this blog, that had Rossi won by 129 votes, that none of this discussion of fraud and incompetence would have been pursued; and that is disingenuous.

This was an historically close election. Nothing more and nothing less. In human endeavors, there is always human error. Would a revote have satisfied you? What if either candidate had "won" the revote by a similar margin? What would that have shown us? There would still have been errors, as there are in any election of this size.

What really disappoints me in this discussion is that several on this board are now advocating specific fraud in future elections. I'd never advocate or condone that.

I said on this board prior to the final recount that I'd support a Gregoire concession even had she lost by a single vote. I meant it then, and I mean it now.

In nearly 3 millions vote cast, you will find irregularities. That doesn't constitute fraud; it doesn't even tell us anything about where those votes ultimately went, and that's all the judge was saying.

Anyway, if you consider yourself a patriot, then you'll cease this hysterical witch hunt and seek to work with and understand those who hold differing political views than your own. Building stronger fortresses around your positions will not help our State become better and stronger.

I say again, lets work together, not against each other.

Posted by: Timothy Killian on June 6, 2005 11:04 AM
190. The thing is, I thought I was ready to lose- but not so overwhealmingly. I mean, this like getting to the end of a boxing match and thinking you're probably winning on points but you know it's close. You go to the judges for the decision and they rule that in the first round the ref counted wrong when you got knocked down and got up on the count of eight. Instead the judges say you were down for ten and award your opponent a TKO win in the first round.

I couldn't believe it. The judge virtually parroted the Democratic talking points. I know that the Dems are gonna be quoting his "no evidence" line ad nausium for the next 4 years- it'll be tommorrows headline in the newspapers. I just can't believe it.
As many have pointed out, the level of evidence required to contest the election makes the contest statute meaningless. Consider:

1: To deduct illegal votes you must have the illegal voters testify how they voted. Except the judge seems to have forgotten the 5th Amendment, which protects a person from making incriminating statements- and last time I checked voting illegally is a crime. That's not all, what about the right to secret ballot? Do we just through that out the window?

2: "no evidence of misconduct" by election officials? You had election officials admit, on the stand, that they falsified the reconciliation reports upon which the election was certified. That's not misconduct?!?

3: Finally, and most damningly in my opinion. The judge ruled:
A: The reconciliation process is "the one check" on either ballot stuffing, or the removal of ballots.
B: King County could not reconcile the number of votes with the number of voters. That there were at least 800+ more ballots than voters.
C: However, there is "no evidence" of ballot stuffing, despite the fact that there has never been given an reasonable alternate explination- just mysterious unspecified "errors"

What this ruling has done, is to make it so that, as a practical matter, to contest an election, you must have either videotape or eyewitness testimony of someone stuffing ballot boxes, or removing ballots from ballot boxes. If this is the case, why do we even bother with reconciliation?

To top it of, the judge didn't even give King County a "stern talking to". He found that they were "lax" and "unconcerned" with errors, but there was no editorializing about how their behavior had damaged voter confidence in the election, or admonishions demanding they improve their conduct so as to prevent this from happening in the future. To put it bluntly, the judge told the 50% of Washington State who voted for Rossi to go to hell.

Posted by: Sparrow on June 6, 2005 11:05 AM
191. Five Stages of Grief
1. Denial and Isolation
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance


Posted by: Redstatepsychologist on June 6, 2005 11:05 AM
192. I'm going to get a Government job, start having sex with other men and take welfare money under the table.
I can now be happy with all of this.

Posted by: Neo dem on June 6, 2005 11:05 AM
193. You would of thought the ear ring toten lefty Judge Bridges could of lubed up prior to giving the great State of Washington a royal A** F*****G.

Posted by: Lubeless on June 6, 2005 11:05 AM
194. Danw: not Tariq Aziz - Baghdad Bob

Posted by: John on June 6, 2005 11:05 AM
195. Dearest Shannon, how dare you speak to me like that?! Do you even yourself, the majestic Shannon K, understand what "fraud" means in the courts? It isn't a right-wing Talking Point, it has a definition. There was no fraud. There were illegal votes, but since you can't tell who they voted for, those votes are tangential to the entire arguments.

It was indeed an honest election, your man lost by 129 (133 now) votes. Go call Sammy Boy Reed and he'll tell you the same thing. Is King County a big county? Yes. Do they have more people there than anywhere else? Yes. Is there elections department perhaps... "mismanaged" to put it lightly? Yes. But was there fraud, or the deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain? No. Screwups, lost ballots, but at the end of the day, when the ballots were counted, there was a winner, as per the law of elections.

When you lose, that doesn't mean you were robbed.
(aside from Florida 2k of course, but that's a whole different story).

Until next time Shannon K,

Love,

Big Biff the Democrat Dawg

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 11:07 AM
196. I think Pete nailed it at, 10:33am

Posted by: rolling eyes on June 6, 2005 11:08 AM
197. What a farce. Republican, the party of higher standards? Hardly. Follow the money - the root of all evil (it's said) - and you'll find the republican party leadership cronyism, dirty tricks, insider corruption and backroom deals, deceit, mudslinging and character assassination, lies, war mongers and war profiteers, big business crushing small business to create monopolies, holier-than-thou christian fundamentalists committing theft, practicing opulent apathy and living in denial.

The lesson republicans need to learn most is humility. Face the fact: the republican Far Right is wrong.

Posted by: Artie on June 6, 2005 11:08 AM
198. Last night I bet a friend a dollar that Dean Logan would keep his job. After listening to Judge Bridges lightweight admonishment of King county election officials and their screw-ups, I feel I should have upped the anti and bet that Logan would not only keep his job, but would be promoted.

I can already hear the popping of corks and the clinking of champagne glasses at the KC elections office, can't you?

Posted by: Rightly Cynical on June 6, 2005 11:08 AM
199. Heres the next step:

Pass an initiative that:

1) invalidates all existing voter registration (wipe the slate clean)

2) mandates that when registering to vote (in person) you must bring PHOTO ID & PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP! (notarized birth certificate or certificate of naturalization)

3) mandatory 100% criminal records check

4) automatic reporting to elections database of any felony conviction

5) audio & video surveliance of all polling places & elections counting centers.

I also think we should eliminate absentee ballots for anyone unless they can prove need, but since I know this won't fly I'll leave it out for now.

Lets face it. One of the Dems core constuencies are people too lazy & irresponsible to put in this much effort. Another is illegal aliens. A third are criminals who don't want to face tough sentances for their crimes. A fourth is people too stupid to figure out a butterfly ballot.

This will eliminate all 4 constiuencies in one fell swoop!

Posted by: Bob on June 6, 2005 11:09 AM
200. Hey biff
Wanna meet at the bath house for lunch?

Posted by: Neo dem on June 6, 2005 11:09 AM
201. Suck it, tools.

And for those who have whined about how it's now "time to leave the state", don't let the Columbia River soak your sorry ass on the way out.

Why don't you take Tim Eyman with you and start your own whiny ass commune of selfish losers somewhere far, far away.

Posted by: Sore Winner on June 6, 2005 11:09 AM
202. The worst thing that we were asking for here was a re-vote. No one wanted to see Rossi "Appointed" to anything. If the libtart-cheating dems REALLY cared, they would have agreed to a revote.

But, no.

It's now clear to me that all Government needs in order to function is democrats.

Posted by: Useless on June 6, 2005 11:09 AM
203. stop your crying, the judge was a republican.dino says he won`t run for the senate i believe.next time get a big enough vote so there is no question who won!!!!!!!

Posted by: JEREMY on June 6, 2005 11:10 AM
204. OUST SIMS!
OUST SIMS!
OUST SIMS!

Posted by: Elvis is the King County on June 6, 2005 11:10 AM
205. Florida in 2000 was settled fairly. Gore lost the first count, the recount, & tried to manufacture votes with selective recounts in heavily socialist strongholds which is why the courts stepped in. Gore lost in 2000 & Gregoire most likely lost in 2004; at least in 2000, the rule of law took precedence & democracy was served.

Posted by: kingdome360 on June 6, 2005 11:10 AM
206. NeoDem of course! Do you want to bring the aborted fetuses and social security checks or should I?

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 11:11 AM
207. Rossi for King County Executive?

Posted by: Elvis is the King County on June 6, 2005 11:13 AM
208. Chicago. Philadelphia. Milwaukee. Seattle.

Posted by: John W. Nelson on June 6, 2005 11:14 AM
209. What a farce. Republican, the party of higher standards? Hardly. Follow the money - the root of all evil (it's said) - and you'll find the republican party leadership cronyism, dirty tricks, insider corruption and backroom deals, deceit, mudslinging and character assassination, lies, war mongers and war profiteers, big business crushing small business to create monopolies, holier-than-thou christian fundamentalists committing theft, practicing opulent apathy and living in denial.

The lesson republicans need to learn most is humility. Face the fact: the republican Far Right is wrong.

Awww...does the cute 'lil troll want a cracker?

Posted by: Slublog on June 6, 2005 11:14 AM
210. kingdome360,

Oh man are you crazy?

I mean, having a REPUBLICAN company remove an ass-load of people from the voter-rolls who happened to share a first or last name with actual felons, who were predominantly BLACKIES, or how all the votes weren't counted, etc, etc.

Florida 2000 = Criminal Shit.
Washington 2004 = Really close, but following the SOP.

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 11:15 AM
211. Let's kill as many kids as we can.
This stuff really used to upset me , but now, killing is fun.
Oh happy day...Being a democrat is fun.
Mean people really suck,halaburton,
Gitmo is just like killing 30 million people under Stalin. No, it's worse!!
I'm coming with the lube Biff, you show up with the love.

Posted by: Neo dem on June 6, 2005 11:15 AM
212. Disenfranchised,

The elections process finally has the chance to be cleaned up if King County residents have the courage to do something.

It will require that the Washington State Republican Party begin to acquire some intestinal fortitude and stand up for what is right.

Step # 1. Depose the corrupt Sims (Daly)administration.

Step # 2. Refuse to re-elect so called republicans like Sam Reed just because they claim to be republican.

If we cannot succeed at these types of goals, then you can kiss goodbye to fair elections and look forward to "Chicago style" elections in the future.

I want to see people like Chris Vance stand up for the ideals of the republican party and not compromise. I truly believe that there is already a majority of like minded individuals that disapprove of the way the liberal democrats currently run this state.

Posted by: jaybo on June 6, 2005 11:16 AM
213. Whoops. That last post should have looked like this:

What a farce. Republican, the party of higher standards? Hardly. Follow the money - the root of all evil (it's said) - and you'll find the republican party leadership cronyism, dirty tricks, insider corruption and backroom deals, deceit, mudslinging and character assassination, lies, war mongers and war profiteers, big business crushing small business to create monopolies, holier-than-thou christian fundamentalists committing theft, practicing opulent apathy and living in denial.

The lesson republicans need to learn most is humility. Face the fact: the republican Far Right is wrong.

Awww...does the cute 'lil troll want a cracker?

Posted by: Slublog on June 6, 2005 11:16 AM
214. How impossibly UNFAIR. You actually have to prove fraud before a judge will overturn an election for you!

Posted by: headless lucy on June 6, 2005 11:16 AM
215. Ah, heck. Forget it. Comment code writers have got to learn that line break does not equal end of code.

Ugh.

Posted by: Slublog on June 6, 2005 11:17 AM
216. 1,237 days until November 4, 2008. 1,308 days until January 14, 2009 when her term expires. She has that number of days and three more legislative sessions to perform other disservices to the prospertiy of this state, which will be her natural inclincation. The last polls indicate she would lose by 12-16%.

My advice is to let the lawyers look at this. If they decide not to appeal, we should not make the 2004 election the centerpiece of our campaigns in 2005 (for Irons), 2006 (against Cantwell) and 2008.

Things are not going to get better in this state. Her position will not improve. But bitterness will not win us the 2008 election. Let's keep it to ourselves and win on the issues. The closeness of 2004 election has made us a credible alternative and the people are listening. With Rossi, McKenna, and hopefully Irons we will have something we have not had in Washington for a long time--a solid bench.

Posted by: B2 on June 6, 2005 11:18 AM
217. I've learned through this process that:

* 1,678 people (person?) voted illegally, yet a 129 vote difference that determined the election stands! Hmmm...seems the outcome of the election is a bit blurry!!!

*King County's election division needs to be gutted and overhauled--if not eliminated

*WA's state election laws desperately need revision (if 1,678 does not blur the 129 vote difference a little bit)

*individual votes do not count (more votes than voters?)

*illegitimate voters will never be held accountable for breaking the law

*there exist no repercussions for punishing these 'illegal' voters; why enforce ANY laws???

*why vote in future elections if illegitimate votes will dilute the legitimate votes that are cast?


***How is it that Iraq can get it right in a single election and this state can't get it right with a 120+ year election history???


Sad day for fair and just elections. Sad day for the state of Washington.

This coming from a member of the Armed Forces who was denied her right to vote while serving overseas in 1998 thanks to negligence of a county clerk in Texas. Nothing happened to resolve the problems then (after I elevated them to my senator) and looks like nothing has resolved the problems now. I won't even bother to hold my breath to see the problems resolved in the future.

Why not just let EVERYBODY vote in US elections--regardless of their status/citizenship??? Seems to be happening as it is anyway...

Beth

Posted by: Beth on June 6, 2005 11:19 AM
218. "Awww...does the cute 'lil troll want a cracker?"

rotf! Yer not posta feedum!

Posted by: rolling eyes on June 6, 2005 11:19 AM
219. Oh, you guys know about the deal Chris Vance and Dino Rossi struck, right? Dino would run for Governor (when you had NO CANDIDATE WHATSOEVER) and he would let Vance run against Cantwell in '06.

Dino would freakin' love to be Senator, but he made his deal, and it backfired on him.

Wait for the Vance/Rossi falling out to occur in about three.... two....

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 11:19 AM
220. I agree on all points jaybo...

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 11:20 AM
221. Right now, many of us are disappointed, mad as hell, and feel cheated once again. I sure do. We were hoping and praying for a different result, but all is not lost. Yes, we are stuck with Gregoire as our governor for the rest of the term. But we are not stuck with Ron Sims and his merry gang of elections officials. It has been clearly demonstrated that King County has serious problems properly running an election and fairly tabulating the results. Here are some action items for all of us who want integrity and fairness to return to election in Washington state:

1. The King County elections office needs to be swept clean. We need to take advantage of the current public anger over the whole election mess and work to bring about change now. It is up to us to keep this issue in the news. You can count on the big local media to try to just let this whole thing die down while the Democrats hope that the voters have short memories. The trial is over, but election reform has just begun. Good-bye, Dean Logan and company. We also need to respond by volunteering work at polling places on election days.

2. We also need to vote Ron Sims out of office this fall. Most Democrats will likely just keep voting for him, but perhaps we can boot him out. It starts with providing a good Republican candidate who is an alternative to King Ron. Focus on the positive potential of our new candidate while pointing out that it is time for change in King County.

3. Let's repeal the new gas tax by supporting the new initiative and getting it passed. If the Democrats in Olympia insist on passing new taxes and other ridiculous laws, we will at times have to respond with initiatives that look out for the people of Washington. Contact your local representatives in Olympia and let them know what you want. I just moved from Redmond to West Seattle, and my Washington state senator, Erik Poulsen is going to hearing from me. I read his recent newsletter, and I am already ticked off at him. I may live in Seattle, but I'm not going to just sit there and suffer.

4. Do not give up or lose hope! By working together, we can try to bring about much needed change. Do not be distracted or dismayed by the taunting and gloating of the opposition. Yes, it is going to be hard, but it is not impossible.


Thank you to all my conservative friends here at soundpolitics. I am anticipating future victories for freedom, integrity and the will of the people of King County and Washington state.

Posted by: Gary on June 6, 2005 11:20 AM
222. How is it that the liberal fringe, who typically preach their enlightened tolerance of others’ views, are so eager to post such childish, ignorant, misspelled, name-calling comments?

More importantly, how is it that while we tolerate liberals’ strong opinions in civil debate, they refuse to respect ours, and refer to us as extremists? It's just sad.

Posted by: Jennifer on June 6, 2005 11:21 AM
223. headless lucy, go away from this blog, you make me puke!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Lubeless on June 6, 2005 11:22 AM
224. HAHAHAAH Leave our state rednecks and neo-cons you are not welcome here. OK we'll give you Tacoma and the gay friendly city of Spokane and its strong GOP leadership. HA the Republican party is doomed in WA. Now put all your stock in that cookie-cop who caught the bad guy after twenty something years or just rot, the outcome will be the same losers.

Posted by: j on June 6, 2005 11:22 AM
225. Ever since Bridges made his pre-trial ruling about not using voter crediting, i.e. you must prove an illegal ballot contained a vote for Gov., I knew the GOP was sunk. Since they did not try to address the substantive issues that they had to address in order to prevail in this contest, I am left with the impression that we have just witnessed the GOP using Bridge's courtroom to try a case in the court of Public Opinion.

My guess is that the GOP will now weigh the advantages/disadvantages of an appeal. If my supposition is correct that they never concerned about trying to win this case, they may make the judgement that an appeal would be counterproductive to their ultimate aim of winning public opinion "votes". Time will tell. I would be shocked if the Supremes overturn Bridge's ruling.

One thing this ruling and the reaction to it points out is that it is critical for thinking people to turn to a variety of sources to get their news. I disagree with much of what I read on this site, but read nonetheless - it is important for me to get as complete a picture as possible to make up my mind.

Posted by: Eddie on June 6, 2005 11:22 AM
226. Well, I was wrong,

I thought there would be a little quiet reflection on this site after Judge Bridges made it clear that there was no fraud, no cheating, and that even if he had accepted proportional analysis, it would have favored Gregoire...,

But, heck, this is Sound Politics, why assume a moment of sanity when paranoia reigns.

Now we have people calling for actual fraud and the use of guns. We have people calling Judge Bridges a commie just because they disagree with him. I'm just waiting for the calls for a recall of Sam Reed and his overthrow. And how long until you turn on Chris Vance (although, in that case you have a reason since he perpetuated this farce upon you).

Well, give credit where credit is due, we finally have some proof of actual fraud, and its here with the wingnuts of Sound Politics. I just hope Deborah doesn't turn you in to her fed friends (titter...).

If there is any chance for your party, it will be when you turn your anger on those who deserve it, those who lied to you and distorted the truth for the sake of PR and of appealing to the worse of your emotions. People like the minnow, Dale Foreman, Chris Vance, John Carlson and the others who would rather lie to you than deal with the real concerns that this case raised.

And assuming that there are some of you here who are starting to realise that the bias here isn't helping you, try horsesass.org or alsoalso (dot) typepad (dot)com (strange, the minnows website considers competing websites "questionable material", but not horsesass, go figure) amongst others. Heck, they have their biases, but at least they get things right. Expose yourself to some alternate views. Hey, you just might learn something (like what the word "fraud" means).

Posted by: JDB on June 6, 2005 11:22 AM
227. I guess now would be a politically correct time to bring in the Feds!
After all - the Judge DID shine the spotlight on King Countys disregard for election policy and procedures! And He DID agree that the largest margin of illegal votes - by far- came from King County....He didn't say fraud was not involved - just that he felt the Petitioners did not prove it.

I think a Federal investigation is warranted now in light of the Judges findings....

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 11:26 AM
228. Has anyone got a bumper sticker:
Picture of Gregoire with "Red Circle w Slash" over her and the text beside it saying:
"Not My Governor!"

I expected this outcome. The judge is just another corrupt Democrat as will be the WA Supreme Court.

What makes anyone think this wont be the same old story election after election? The Dems have just installed a permanent government via Fraud and Corruption. They just got a big pat on the back and in no uncertain terms were told to "Go for it!" Watch what happens now that they are invincible, the rights you have are quickly going to disppear, taxes will dramticaly rise and the liberal agenda will be advanced yet again. Its truly a sad day for this state and this country.

Posted by: Eric on June 6, 2005 11:26 AM
229. the dems can call us sore losers all they want - it keeps them from focusing on the FACT that at least half of the citizens of this great state did NOT vote for Mz(inyourface)fraudoire even with all their bungled attempts to claim "victory" they have no clear mandate in this state. the problem we conservatives must face is that we are naive - plain and simple - and struggle to hold on to the adage that "good will prevail". I, myself, am guilty of voicing an opinion yet standing on the sidelines when it comes to actively participating in the fight. only half of this state is blue and I believe in light of all that came out due to the court case that number is dwindling. we must not lose hope but must step up to the plate and become active participants in the fight. half of the state feels victorious - half does not. the liberal half feels the voice of the people was heard - they are only focused on their half. those of us who feel disenfranchised (over a million strong) can make a difference and we will. there is no victory to celebrate and if the dems believe there is - let them get lost in drunken celebration while the other half of this state get to work.

Posted by: notmygov on June 6, 2005 11:26 AM
230. To all you libs- If Washington ran elections like they do in Iraq with the inky finger, who would have won?

Posted by: FudgeJudge on June 6, 2005 11:26 AM
231. FudgeJudge-

Gregoire. You see, the person with the most inky fingers wins. That's how it works here too. The most ballots wins. If you'd like to have more simple things explained to you, please check out www.mylightswitchistoocomplicated.com .

Love, Big Biff the Democrat Dawg

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 11:29 AM
232. I'd be willing to be the one lib not celebrating this decision is Maria Cantwell.

Posted by: Cheryl on June 6, 2005 11:29 AM
233. QUOTATION:
“If the law supposes that,” said Mr. Bumble, squeezing his hat emphatically in both hands, “the law is a ass—a idiot. If that’s the eye of the law, the law is a bachelor; and the worst I wish the law is, that his eye may be opened by experience—by experience.”
ATTRIBUTION:
Charles Dickens (1812–1870), British novelist. Mr. Bumble in Oliver Twist, ch. 51, p. 399 (1838).

Bridges did the best he thought he could do with the laws he had to work with.

While I disagree I see multiple cause in the law to overturn the election. However on matters of law I differ to Judges Bridges.

While the dems control we will see no meaningful election reform.

Our recourse is the ballot box overwhelming through each and every current elected politician out of office from dog catcher to governor until:

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

It time for the citizen to regain control of Olympia by ballot, referendum, and initiative.

Posted by: JCM on June 6, 2005 11:30 AM
234. You think this is bad, try living in a state that where your district will now change everytime a different party controls legislature instead of every 10 years.

Posted by: Dem in texas on June 6, 2005 11:31 AM
235. Wearing my black armband today. WA flag flying upside down.

Sound Pol., great job in any case. Shark, you're #1. Just mailed my "tip jar" contribution to you. Money well spent. Vigilence is key.

Aesop's fable moral: FUBAR big time with your election counting job and you are rewarded with yet another payckeck. When is Dean Logan's book coming out? Put it right next to O.J's on the store shelf.

Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on June 6, 2005 11:32 AM
236. Nothing like having my vote negated by an illegal vote (oh, perhaps they are more properly known as "undocumented votes"), then being told to vote for change. Hmmm, thought we just did. Thanks for the refresher course in politics, Judge.

Give me a diet Coke with that double cheeseburger and order of deep fried onion rings. Yeah, that will help. Look, I'm eating healthy, and my vote counts!!

To all you liberal folks out there celebrating and thinking you won, enjoy your moment. Remember Pearl Harbor? It may take a while, and you can gloat a while, but eventually, we will kick your donkey ass to the curb. Even the French eventually rejected the liberal elite (voting non! to the EU Constitution). Ahh, springtime in Paris. Olympia, and DC, in due time.

Never forget, and never sit in the back of the election bus, ever again!

Posted by: duhh on June 6, 2005 11:32 AM
237. Eric,
I have been instructed by the party to key any car that has any pro GOP bumper stickers on it.
After all, you guys do not even believe in killing the unborne.


Just a warning.

Posted by: Neo Dem on June 6, 2005 11:33 AM
238. I suppose this is the sort of "quiet reflection" Democrats prefer?
Those CREEPS count heavily on a short attention of the voters, and their mind-f**k noise machines try to encourage that. F**k 'em! NEVER forget. STAND UP, KEEP FIGHTING!
F**K you Rossi! Now get over it, LOSER!
Maybe we'll even get to hear some whiny quote from Rossi? LOSER!
Rossi was a sore loser and this is the right decision. I wonder if the Repugs will appeal it.

Those are all from a thread on the topic at Democratic Underground. Quiet and reflective?

You be the judge.

Posted by: Slublog on June 6, 2005 11:34 AM
239. For some of us, this was not really about Rossi, but about CLEAN, fair elections. Judge Bridges has just ruled that state law makes no enforceable allowances for that.

I am disappointed in the ruling because I believe that it does make an election contest not just difficult, but impossible. If anyone other than election officials or the candidates stuff the ballot box, then the standard appears to be that you must have the name of the stuffer(s) and have depositions on how they voted. They can lie about how they voted and there is absolutely no way to prove otherwise (the actual ballot). If you cannot discover the stuffer(s), then the stuffing is valid and “legal”. I find it incredible that state law actually allows this scenario to be permissible.

I am also disappointed in his dismissal of the proportional deduction. The disappointing aspect was his comment that it is not widely used or accepted. How is that so many states have used it and even Congress uses it and this constitutes “not widely used or accepted”? He may be correct about the bias of the data subsets, etc., but I saw zero evidence that the interveners method was used anywhere in the U.S. to resolve election issues.

What the people need from government are laws that close the loopholes that allow people to obviously vote in a manner contrary to our state constitution.

Proof of citizenship. - Valid ID for registration, not the “honor” system. Purge the voter database and reregister (Amend Have Anyone Vote Act, if necessary)
Proof of restoration of civil rights (felons) - Court decrees with regards to felons should be part of the election system.
Proof of life - The election system should be constantly updated with information of deceased voters.

Create penalties for elections officials (at all levels) who fail to follow the law and the WACs.

Clear up ambiguities shown by this court case – voter crediting!

Judge Bridges ruling did not do much to discourage the cheaters; I fear they are emboldened by his decision. His comment about voters handling the situation doesn’t help. I live in Snohomish County and KC has had a disproportionate impact on us and there is nothing I can do to help solve things in KC. Besides, KC voters can only vote for or against Ron Simms, (and perhaps some county council members), but they don’t have a direct say over the elections division in the form of an elected County Auditor.

Initiatives or Referendums may be a way to address some of these problems, but the cheaters still have clear access to the system. We need to put pressure on the legislature to resolve this. As long as meaningful election reform is ignored and only a new coat of paint is added, very few in the state will feel comfort and confidence in the accuracy of our elections systems.

Posted by: Jack on June 6, 2005 11:34 AM
240. Cheryl--

See above. Rossi will not run for Senate. Vance will. Along with McCaw, Randy Tate, and maybe one or two others. That is unless the Karl Rove/Elizabeth Dole contingent has their way and there's no primary.

It's not like Cantwell is a sitting duck. If she got 70% of the votes that Murray got, well... she'll be fine. What's George Nethercutt doing these days? Oh thats right, phat lobbyist checks on K Street.

Welcome to the end of the Republican threat in major Wa-State races.

Love,

Big Biff

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 11:34 AM
241. I accept the judges decision. Given the current statutes, as written, really gave him little to no wiggle room in his decision. But, to say that there was "no evidence" that Gregoire recieved any illegal votes is a little bit of stretch for me.

Fact: In King County precincts where votes were "found" Gregoire won all but one, in precincts where votes were "lost" Rossi won all but one. How this is "no evidence" is beyond me. It is so statistically improbable that I have a better chance of winning Lotto 5 times.

Its obvious something isn't quite right there and I think to say there is "no evidence" is a bit of a stretch on his part.

Look, this isn't the end of the world. Its one governor's race, and Rossi will be back.

Posted by: Marc on June 6, 2005 11:35 AM
242. Just got my ballots and directions to the polling places. Man, I guess one of does equal 10 of you.
At least were right, that makes it all ok.
I love my new job with the State. It's already break time.

Posted by: Neo dem on June 6, 2005 11:35 AM
243. LLLLLLOSERS! The more you blather the more jokes I have at work about GOP whiners. Thanks!

Posted by: j on June 6, 2005 11:37 AM
244. Democrats: so quiet, so reflective:

LLLLLLOSERS! The more you blather the more jokes I have at work about GOP whiners. Thanks!

Posted by: Slublog on June 6, 2005 11:39 AM
245. CALL TO ACTION:!!!!!!!!!! REVOLT

PLEASE READ.

I commend Stefan for being the main catalyst that brought the extent of this scandal to light. (the mainstream media WILL NOT DO IT for us)

I Beg and plead to him and to the rest of us here to keep this issue alive!

The judge has given this issue up to us the voters to 'fix this mess'.

Unfortunately, most washingtonians don't follow these issues the way we have, if at all....

So we must make sure they know and that we use this to help restore fairness to WA., and to serve "crow" back to those trolls here so happy to post about our defeat at the hands of the corrupt.

I ask Stefan and all of us to stay here and brainstorm as to what to do. (maybe we must rule ourselves by initiative)

Shall we start with a recall of fraudoire/and or sims, or some type of initiative establishing new law for elections.
or some other vague IDEAS.
1)Photo ID to vote?
2)New standards of verifying registrations?
3)A Requirement that election director MUST be elected, or that must be a bi-partisan election board for each county. With rep approved by corresponding party.
4)Establishing a MUCH different standard that courts can/must follow in this type of situation.
5) YOUR IDEAS HERE!!

Let's put our heads together and take action...and by this action call attention to the fraud and the fraudulent, and that Seattle, King County and the Democratic House/Senate can't be trusted to correct it, nor do they WANT to correct it.

I Ask Stefan, can we establish a thread (stickey'ed at the top perhaps) to discuss these issues and decide ways to take action. I ask everyone else, lets not forget and stay tuned.....and active.

Let's teach the corrupt and the trolls a lesson. I don't think we can rely on others to do this, as they are paying less attention than us (thx to mmm).

What do you all think?
Scott

Posted by: scotto on June 6, 2005 11:41 AM
246. It's time of some Conservative belt tightening fellow right thinkers (and no one is better at it than a Conservative). Deny SelectedGovChris the money with which to destroy our state (and get yourself a tidy little nest egg) by NOT SPENDING ONE CENT OF YOUR DISPOSABLE INCOME IN SEATTLE, IN KING COUNTY, IN THIS STATE.

Either do without or do without till you can get to Oregon.

Personally, everytime I decide NOT to buy something or I defer buying something I'm going to drop the dems in power a little note.


I had my eye on a nice little $600 Riccar vacuum cleaner, but the old Hoover will do nicely for a while longer.

Posted by: Cheryl on June 6, 2005 11:44 AM
247. Neo-Dem: Are you describing the mayor of Spokane?

Posted by: headless lucy on June 6, 2005 11:45 AM
248. scotto - Its easy. Just vote out of office those persons repsonsible for running this sham of an election.

Posted by: Marc on June 6, 2005 11:45 AM
249. "Just got my ballots and directions to the polling places. Man, I guess one of does equal 10 of you."

That's ok Biff, I'v got mine too!
See my post at 10:14 AM

"Maybe it's not so bad? We did just get permission to cast votes for our dead grandparents & to start stuffing ballot boxes! And I fully intend to. The judge did say that cheating is ok, right?
We should all start by volunteering to work at our local polling places. lol. Don't worry, we'll win the next one. *wink wink*"

And then we'll say, we learned it all from the masters!

Posted by: rolling eyes on June 6, 2005 11:47 AM
250. Oh Cheryl, yr. "I'm not gonna pay any taxes" arugment is hilarious. Such a violent repulsion from the economic system you've devised! Have fun not buying stuff.

Love,

El Big Biff de la Magnifico

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 11:47 AM
251. I have never once missed an opportunity to vote since the day I turned 18. Now that I know what a farce it is I won't bother to return.

Dale, don't lose sight of what we can do. In the face of an unjust decision, we the people have the duty, the responsibility, and the right to live free. Read the founding documents of this nation, examine the writings of the founding fathers, and realize the inherent nature of our rights -- our God-given freedom. Then educate each individual you meet, that they are created with certain inalienable rights, and that we must remember our heritage if we are to continue as a free nation. The answer to injustice is not disallusionment, but renewal and diligence of purpose.

Stand up and be counted. (once)

Posted by: Daniel Kauffman on June 6, 2005 11:49 AM
252. To all you libs - see if you can explain something to me: Rossi wins the first count by 240+ votes, Gregoire says that it's essentially a tie. Then she lies, cheats, steals her way to a "victory" of 129 and declares a mandate. Explain this twisted logic to me, will ya? I know it involves more than name calling, but see if you can try.

And Judge Bridges says there's no fraud?

This state is going down the crapper.

Posted by: Brigadier on June 6, 2005 11:51 AM
253. Nice try biffster - I wasn't saying I wasn't buying "stuff" - I said I wasn't buying it HERE I can get great dinners in Oregon.
They have theatre in Vancouver.
Local sports... TV... free.
Shopping... well the train runs SOUTH kiddo as does I-5.
Internet shopping is a blast.
Alcohol... hubby travels...duty free.
Hubby travels across US, the Atlantic AND the Pacific... my list will fit nicely in his passport wallet.

Posted by: Cheryl on June 6, 2005 11:53 AM
254. I am very, very disappointed, not with the Judge's decision, but with the way the Republican Legal team presented their case. Admittedly, I did not follow the entire trial, but it seems to me that there were several things the legal team could have/should have presented and strongly emphasized to the court:

1. Sam Reeds testimony about his office's findings in earlier audits that (according to statements made on radio shows), that the procedures and system that the elections office was doing in earlier elections could amount to an election being thrown-out if they did not change the way (in accordance with Law). He also (correct me if I am wrong) stated that most of those requested procedures were not corrected for this last election.

2. Where was the expert testimony that machine recount is considerably more reliable and accurate that a hand count?

3. Where was all the testimony/dispositions from all of the callers that stated that they actually observed infractions to the process/law in both the election and the recounts. The fact that provisional ballots were purposely (versus mistakenly) inserted directly into voting machines, mishandling of ballots by election workers, ballots being lost then found, ballots that were not secure in contradiction to state law, the testimony from Dems canvassing workers who went out to verify ballot signatures from Dems and not Republicans and the caller who stated that she personally observed one voter who was casting a ballot at as many polling places as she could. Where are all these people now?

It appears to me that the legal team put all of their eggs in one basket - proportional analysis. There should have been much, much, more emphasis placed on the above items.

Based on what I heard this morning from the Judge, I do not believe Rossi has a chance in the State Supreme Court. Almost all of the decisions from the judgment came as a result of a lack of "evidence" that Rossi would have received more votes than Gargoyle. If the Supreme court follows the same guidelines/law that Judge Bridges based his decision on, Rossi doesn't have a chance.

It's too bad, because I don't think this state can take 3 more years of this Governor. Any chance of a "recall" election? Also, where is the Federal Election Commission that should be investigating this atrocity?

Only one more comment: It does not appear that Washington has a strong GOP party leadership. The point being is how the Gas Tax increase got approved in the legislature and only because several "Republican" members changed sides and voted for it. WHERE WAS THE GOP PARTY CHAIRMAN? It appears that he has lost control of the party.

GO ROSSI

Ron

Posted by: Ron on June 6, 2005 12:00 PM
255. The judge said it is up to the voters to hold officials accountable. How can I a Snohomish county resident or for that matter any resident of the other 38 counties hold king county officials accountable? I don't think the judge gave much thought to the chance that most king county voters are happy with the system that delivered a win for their candidate.

The obvious answer might be to cast an illegal vote in king county which this judge has validated. Unfortunately that won't happen, you see i am not a liberal democrat!

Posted by: ace on June 6, 2005 12:00 PM
256. Brigadier- You filthy swine!
Name calling aside, here's how it happens:
Rossi is ahead with 241 after the first count.
Machine recount ordered by law.
Rossi ahead by 60 or whatever votes.
Democrats have the right to pay for hand recount, and do so.
Hand recount, which is able to count ballots that machines can not read, shows Gregoire ahead by 9 or whatever votes.
Those 400 ballots that were valid, but uncounted due to a mistake by the elections staff, not fraud, not stealing votes, not bullshit, get added in after the SC says they're good to go.
Gregoire is ahead by 129.
Reed certifies Gregoire winner.

Then the Hypoc-Rossi begins...

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 12:02 PM
257. "Nice try biffster - I wasn't saying I wasn't buying "stuff" - I said I wasn't buying it HERE I can get great dinners in Oregon.
They have theatre in Vancouver.
Local sports... TV... free.
Shopping... well the train runs SOUTH kiddo as does I-5.
Internet shopping is a blast.
Alcohol... hubby travels...duty free.
Hubby travels across US, the Atlantic AND the Pacific... my list will fit nicely in his passport wallet"


Same here. It's a mere hop skip and a jump to keep my money out of her grubby vote stealing hands.
I'll make money here though, selling my bumper stickers. But I won't spend it here.

Posted by: rolling eyes on June 6, 2005 12:03 PM
258. Every one is sleeping at my new office.
I asked my supervisor what we do here and he laughed. He pinched my butt, can he do that?
Doing nothing is really boaring, but at least the paychecks are steady. Funny thing is, the boss says we are adding staff and we will need to lease a larger building soon. This new State job is great. I feel I'm getting in on a real growing business. Wonder who pays for this, awwe, who cares.

My tush hurts Lucy, What do you and that bad Mayor of Spokane do for sore pooper?

Posted by: Neo Dem on June 6, 2005 12:04 PM
259. Amidst all the understanding gloating by the leftwingnuts--who sez cheaters never prosper?--over putting another fraud over, there has been no point made in the 200 some responses I've scanned (not all by the left loons, of course), that sets out why the judge's decision was solomonic.

I never held out hope for a just ruling, because of how the system is rigged. But it'd be nice to see a thoughtful analysis of why the decision was profound, and not merely predicatable.

After all, how often are modern judges feeling constrained by democratic rules and legislation? They ignore, overturn, and stand them on their heads all the time.

Cordially..

Posted by: Rick on June 6, 2005 12:04 PM
260. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:05 PM
261. Sorry Cheryl. My whole comment was to imply that you're being stupid.

You know what taxes do? They build the roads you drive on. They drive the buses your kids take to school. They pay for the cop to arrest the pervert sex offender next door. They are how the world works.

If you want to be stupid and try to avoid paying the unavoidable, go ahead. But don't bitch when you get in a wreck because of a pothole or dangerous intersection, or you have to take your kid to school or the sex offender next door comes peering into your yard.

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 12:05 PM
262. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:05 PM
263. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
264. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
265. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
266. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
267. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
268. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
269. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
270. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
271. Ah Damn. The republican judge, in the most republican county in Washington, helped by the Republican AG and Sec of State joined the vast left-wing conspiracy and actually ruled according to the law. Must really fry you right wing wackos.

And just think, I was going to make a bunch of money selling my "Re-Defeat Rossi" bumper stickers....

HA HA!

Posted by: Rossi Is A Crybaby on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
272. >Sputnik, talk is cheap. The lack of details is the >interesting part.
>Neither in FL 2000 or OH 2004, did I hear ANY talk about >all the stuff that this case has PROVEN that KCE >committed.

That's because you've probably spent too much time reading the wrong print, i.e. the so-called "liberal bias" in the "mainstream" media. Serious allegations of vote rigging and fraud were extensively documented -- but not extensively reported in the US media. You'd need to consult the British press (the BBC did report extensively on this) instead. Try looking at Greg Palast's website (www.gregpalast.com) -- he's one of the few real American investigative journalists left.

Now before pulling out the "Bush-hating-liberal" card, you would also need to read some of the things he dug up on Clinton.

Posted by: Sputnik on June 6, 2005 12:06 PM
273. Andy,
I think we need to *win more elections*, not "contest them all" after the fact. If we reject activist judges, let's not build a strategy based on reliance on their activism.

Listen to some clips from the Judge's ruling in my podcast today. Give it a listen if you get a minute. Bridges is the lead story today.

Posted by: Charlie Quidnunc on June 6, 2005 12:07 PM
274. When I first saw the judge with an earing in his ear, I knew right away how he was going to rule, but I was still hoping.

CAN WE SAY JUDGE "COWARD"?

ALL THE MORE REASON TO SIGN UP TO GET SIGNATURES FOR THE NO NEW GAS TAX INITIATIVE!

Posted by: PS on June 6, 2005 12:08 PM
275. Isn't Big Biff the fat-boy boogar-eater from the Dems side at the trial?

Ewwww! Get out of our site! Yuck!

Just gross!

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 12:09 PM
276. Crybaby
Posting twice? Sort of hard to break the habit of voting twice, eh?

Posted by: duhh on June 6, 2005 12:10 PM
277. Oh Deborah you filthy swine! How dare you call me anythign other than elustrious and tremendous! That was not me for I have not been to Wenatchee for a long time. Nice one calling me fat and a boogar (it's booger) eater though. Way to be mature! Deborah is awesome! Awesome is Deborah!

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 12:13 PM
278. BREAK TIME!!!

Posted by: Neo Dem on June 6, 2005 12:14 PM
279. I support Dino's cause, but as far as I can tell the judge ruled according to the letter of the law. The law just sucks. There is no quick fix here, we'll have to battle it out in the legislature and future (rigged!) poll booths.

Posted by: Matt S. on June 6, 2005 12:16 PM
280. Brigadier Bogus, The process of recounting was as fair as possible. Your side lost. Get used to it. Republican pundits will whine forever that the recount was unfair because 1) they are sore losers and 2) they want you to believe that democrats are always to blame for any and all wrongs, especially the wrongs committed by the right wing liars, crooks and pompous hypocrits now in control of the republican party. Wake up and face the truth: George W Bush is a war criminal, just like his old man George HW Bush, his grandfather Prescott Bush and great grandfather Samuel Bush. The Bush Dynasty is the United States of America's most horrific disgrace.

Posted by: Artie on June 6, 2005 12:16 PM
281. Well, I knew this would bring the trolls and idiots out. Sensible conversation is obviously going to be impossible for a while.

Posted by: ScottM on June 6, 2005 12:17 PM
282. Bush won in 2004 with the largest share of the popular vote since, I don't know... Abraham Lincoln, or something. He also received some 3 million more votes than Kerry. And the Democrats have obstructed his agenda while the MSM has repeatedly reminded American citizens that Bush has no mandate for his agenda whatsoever.

Gregoire is selected to be the Governor of Washington with 129 votes, while the judge today acknowledged that close to 1700 votes were cast illegally, primarily due to felons the inpetitude of King County elections officials in the most Democratic county in Washington state. And Gregoire and the MSM are claiming her mandate to ride roughshod all over the wishes of the citizens of this state.

I think the Democrats and Judge Bridges may have just turned Washington red.

Posted by: JRR on June 6, 2005 12:18 PM
283. "As voters, we have all the power we need to make these changes, regardless of the decisions of any court, executive or legislature." ...??????

The judge said:

Illegal votes - no problem
More votes than voters - no problem
Vote counts fixed without reconciliation - no problem

How then can voting change the system? Apparantly the game is now down to who can perpetrate the most fraud since validating fraud is impossible and inconsquential.

You can be sure of one thing; this decision just went into every democrat playbook for Election '08!

Posted by: Baynative on June 6, 2005 12:18 PM
284. Artie,

I think it's quite fair to complain that hundreds of voterless ballots were counted--illegally, I might add.

It's nice to see how the Left loves democracy.

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 12:20 PM
285. @Deborah:
His entire decision appears to have been made from the Intervenors closing argument - with little regard to the Petitioners evidence and findings during the trial...

he gave it significant regard and comment. Regarding proportional analysis, Bridges said it was "assumptions which determined the outcome." And he's absolutely correct.

I don't understand why......Doesn't make sense to me.. I'll have to ponder this awhile..

He followed the law and the science.

Posted by: JDM on June 6, 2005 12:20 PM
286. Why do I get the feeling that in a few months when this has died down that ruling party in Olympia will bring forth a law to make it easier for felons to restore their voting rights?

As for sending a message, I could not agree more about the NO NEW GAS TAX initiative. I've already made my donation via that website.

While I will continue to vote here (legally) like I always have, I will not go as far to say that I will move somewhere else because of all this. This is where we choose to make our home and we do it because we love to live and work here. Moving out is akin to giving up and there's plenty of fight left in this dog. I hope this does stir up all those who did not vote last election and I hope Rossi does give it another go in 2008. Let's do whatever we can to encourage people to get out and vote legally in the next election - I'm sure we can do a better job than what the angry Democrats did in Florida in 2004.

Posted by: Palouse on June 6, 2005 12:21 PM
287. Stefan, where are you? Gone crying to mommy? Or would you care to comment on how/why you were so DEAD WRONG in every point and every prediction that you made about this trial?

Posted by: duckie on June 6, 2005 12:21 PM
288. JDM, perhaps you could do us all a favor and direct us to the statute that says that it's OK to count voterless ballots?

Posted by: Bostonian on June 6, 2005 12:22 PM
289. The way I read the judges decision is this:

1. There were 10 times the number of PROVEN illegal ballots than there was the margin of victory. DOES NOT MATTER.

2. Specific statutes in Washington law were not followed (and ADMITTED in court.) DOES NOT MATTER!

3. Election officials falsified return information and were condoned by their superiors, also ADMITTED in court. DOES NOT MATTER.

4. The law (W.A.C.) has specific remedies for breaking the legal requirements set forth for a legitimate election. DOES NOT MATTER.

Therefore, I have to conclude that it DOES NOT MATTER what my vote is nor does it matter whether or not I follow the law in making that vote.

Besides my own obvious disappointment, I have to ask the following question:

What do I tell my kids about fairness and superiority of the American voting system and the "fact" that we are a nation ruled by law and not by fiat? They see with a child's eye the obvious lies and illegalities and have to wonder if what I tell them is a lie as well. After all, I told them to trust the system and they saw how well that works.

I am truly saddened that our state has no remedy for obvious deviations from an honest election process. All the talk about "next time" means very little when you have no faith that your voice counts for anything.

A sad day for Washington, and a sad day for the nation as a whole.

Posted by: Elmo on June 6, 2005 12:22 PM
290. First, I'm a strict constructionist who believes the courts should only be about interpreting legislatively established law and not mandating new policies through judicial activism. But there did seem to be at least the appearance of fraud (despite the local Democratic establishments carefully manicured protestations to the contrary) and I don't see how an election this controversial couldn't be overturned.

But having said that, don't you just love how justices typically rule in favor of the liberal establishment (be it an "elected" official or a liberal social policy) by pleading a limitation of its judicial power, but when traditional or conservative policies come under review, justices more often than not excercise an overstepping judicial activism?

Why is it that highly-suspicious elections which favor Democratic candidates or controversial liberal social prescriptions are sacrosanct but conservative causes are always being reviewed with a very real threat of being overturned on the whim of some judicial tyrant? Hmmmm, me detects a rather insidious double standard here. You voters who really care about honest and fair elections in Washington just got flipped off by Judge Bridges. But don't despair, you can always console yourselves that you didn't suffer even greater harm than did Terri Shiavo under Florida's Judge Greer.

But I'll leave any conspiracy theories to the moonbats on the left since they are far more adept at coming up with insanities that speak of a Bu$Hitler/Haliburton rape of Iraq or some KKKarl Rove political voodoo which is causing Howard Dean to go slowly insane.

Posted by: Hankmeister on June 6, 2005 12:22 PM
291. The law is the law. The Judge had no choice but to rule the way he did. The shame is that the Democrats will now take this as a go ahead to continue the same illegal activities, they have employed nation wide. I think I am done with politics, the evil ones have won, and nothing can stop people like the clintons, and their ilk from prevailing. Its off to Australia for me, six months here six months there. Good luck to the rest of you serfs.

Posted by: enigma on June 6, 2005 12:24 PM
292. Teenie-weenie-Biff,

Thanks for making my point for me. Like my dad always used to tell me

"If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance
Baffle 'em with bullshit"

You paid attention really well.

Try thinking for a change. I know the sequence of events, you mental midget. I asked how a 240 vote difference can be a tie, yet a 129 vote difference is a mandate.

I know it's hard, but try to explain that.

Posted by: Brigadier on June 6, 2005 12:28 PM
293. Hey Fartie, er, I mean Artie,

Can't you stick to the subject. How the heck did Bush get involved in this? All you lefty libs can do is default back to Bush/War crimes/Florida 2000, start snivelling like a 4 year old brat, and call names.

Grow up guys, deal with the issues - oh, that's right you can't, because then you would see how wrong you are and what an idiot you've been all your life.

How does 240 votes equal a tie, yet 129 votes is a mandate?

Posted by: Brigadier on June 6, 2005 12:35 PM
294. Ok, a little bitterness, a bit of dispair, I'm definately not happy with the ruling.....HOWEVER, scanning down this thread, I see an aweful lot of people slamming the judge, and I'm thinking it's a serious case of shoot the messanger.

From day 1 he stated what the burden of proof was going to be, and it seemed insanely high to me then. Turns out I was right, oh joy. But it's not like judge Bridges ever tried to hide that point. He made his judgement based on his best interpretation of the LAW. That doesn't mean he thought it was a good law, or a law he necessarily liked, but that is what he is SUPPOSED to do.

I have in my time railed mightily against judges legistlating from the bench, I refuse to change now because one DIDN'T when I personally wanted him to. He took the existing law that he had to work with and made his decision based on it. I know that it doesn't help that the law is assinine and unreachable due to many factors, but if he took off and made a different ruling, then
a) the state supreme court (who have already repeatedly demonstrated their leftist leanings) would have overturned it in a heartbeat, and
b) he would be guilty of EXACTLY the same thing that many R's complain about in obviously left leaning judges.

With that said, we need to take Olympia's obvious trends with current legislation and ram it down their throats next election time (and I include the damn R's that went along with the insane tax hikes and labeled them 'emergency clauses') I know an aweful lot of D's that are all excited about Rossi losing the case, that aren't going to be so excited as they look at their ever mounting tax debt due to our lovely legislature. That and the ever decreasing small-mid business tax base is what I think will be a much better lever for change than mere political partisianship. Their thoughts might be swayed by rhetoric, but their lives are ruled through their wallets. No new gas tax seems a good place to start!

P.S. Sorry about any misspellings or typos, I just fix the darn computers, I don't type on them :)

Posted by: Disgruntled IT guy on June 6, 2005 12:37 PM
295. A well trained and disciplined communist knows that the end always justifies the means... by any means.
We have seen a wonderful example of this often used communist philosophy here is Washington State during this 2004 election debacle.
It is time to get rid of the Rhinos routinely elected to state office and fight fire with fire. If Sam Reed was the Sec. Of State in Florida in 2000, we would be in our 5th year of the Gore administration. Hopefully, this defeat snatched from the jaws of victory will forever
remind all clear thinking citizens in this state of the level of corruption and fraud that has permeated Western Washington politics for generations. Is there no Republican office-seeker brave enough to call these people what they are ?? Sadly, I think not !! The truth only ensures that you will be defeated at the polls.

Posted by: Not Surprised on June 6, 2005 12:41 PM
296. I saw that live during Algebra this morning (don't worry, MOM, I did the classwork, too ;-p) and it was most dissappointing. More than that it was doooming annoying to watch 'em cheering. Looked like an Iranian wedding, people dancing and (metaphorically) shooting off their AKs into the air ;)

Right off the bat though, I see a few good things coming of this.

1) Fence-sitters who were neutral before are now very enticed to hate Former Attorney General Gregoire's guts. Two lateral clicks says she'll never be electable for anything except DNC chair-thing.

2) Every republican and previously anti-gregoire type is positively livid. That means a couple of things:

a) Lots of heads are going to roll all over the state, both at local levels, in the state legislature and hopefully there'll even be negative response for the Witches from Washington, our lovely US Senators.

b) Lots of public support for election reform. Lots.

3) All our Re-Elect Rossi stuff is still perfectly valid (provided he runs again in 08). Save a tree, shoot a greenie, right? ;) (j/k)

4) ˇViva Cascadia! ;)

Posted by: fishy on June 6, 2005 12:42 PM
297. Why is nobody writing about getting rid of our 'secret-ballot' system? The reasons we have it are outdated, and it's about as useful as our tailbone. We never know it's there until we land on our butt, and then it hurts like crazy. It's the key to committing fraud - once the ballot is in the box, it's legal.

Why not a double-blind system, so we can track down and remove illegally-cast ballots?

Posted by: Larry on June 6, 2005 12:43 PM
298. It really sounds like Judge Bridges didn't want to be the "One" who overturned an election that needed overturning. What still escapes me is, how can King (Kiev) County have certified the result when they couldn't reconcile the votes and voters. Just based on that the election should have be de-certified and a new election ordered. It's no secret that stealing elections is a Democrat Party specialty...that's what hand counts are for..."Finding" the votes needed to win. Congrats to Comrade Gregoire.

Posted by: Grommit on June 6, 2005 12:44 PM
299. Even though I completely disagree with the thrust of almost everything I usually read or hear from un-SoundPolitics, I can really respect Andy MacDonald's latest posting.

No blather. No over-the-top rhetoric. No reactionary response against Judge Bridges. A sound posting that could have been written by someone one either end of the political spectrum. A real class act.

But it leaves me wondering if anyone has checked to see if Stefan Sharkansky is laying in a bathtub with his wrists slit?

He was all over this story, until...

Why just last night he promised his "...final post before the ruling..." and then followed up less than 12 hours later with his 'if you agree with me you're right, and if you don't you're a communist...'

I sure hope his alright. I really do. I like having someone to laugh at.

Posted by: Steve on June 6, 2005 12:46 PM
300. When the demos don't get their way, the advocate civil disobedience and civil distress (riots).

Wouldn't it be wonderful if some of the common, god fearing, tax paying residents of the great state went up to the state capital, walked into the chambers, sat down and refused to move?

How would that be explained?

Enough is Enough....I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more!!! Stop the madness by stopping the theft of your rights!!!

As a side comment to all of you dumbshit libss...How does your party complain about the theft of the presidential election when the only cases that have been presented have only involved demo party hacks (see Wisconsin, St Louis, and you great state of WA)? Don't say what about Ohio, because any issues in Ohio were under the jurisdiction of the local party (ie. lack of voting machines or allocation of machines to precents was not decided by Karl Rove...he ain
't that good, no matter what you think)...

Posted by: noceon on June 6, 2005 12:48 PM
301. The 'tie' was a 'statistical tie' during the early days of the counting. It was a selling point for Dems to not think that she lost. It wasn't an actual tie but it was close enough that law says it needed to be counted again. Quit trying to be a baffling bastard and realize that ll hope is lost! And say hi to your dad for me.

Love, Big Biff

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 12:51 PM
302. By Bridges logic there really is no standard to rule on any evidence of any wrong doing in any criminal or civil matter. Heck someone can even say I made up a report but that is not 'enough' evidence. Someone can say look at all the illegal votes and the Judge can even agree but then hide in the conclusion. Hey he had to say, forced to say, no one benefited by the mistakes instead of saying no one SHOULD have benefited..right Queen C? Someone did benefit as there was a winner and a loser and since 1,678 is much greater than 129 well hmmmmmm.

I could call Bridges a coward and the evidence is there that he cannot make an obvious ruling but I am forced to say he was an honest man so as to follow the 'law' as well. I would not want his ego bruised or anything like that.

So what will be the next excuse for the Do Nothing US Attorney General?

Look over there Sam Reed doing the "Phyrrhic Victory Dance".

The Seattle Times and PI can now plot the personal attack piece on The Shark.

Columnists and editorial boards can finally put to rest the demons of ethics and morality and enjoy victory of evil.

Auditors that declared Dean 'one of the best' in Ocean Shores can now dream of increasing the fraud in their department.

Dean Logan can finally resign 'for health reasons', of course. His new book for children is tenatively titled "Everyone Loves to Count and Draw" and has the story line of a Queen that needs the taxes her way and a boy that figures out using numbers and marking pens just how to do it!...so Magical!

A rogue can now start plotting how to steal the votes of all the public officials across the state since it is now exposed how easy it is by redirecting all those absentee ballots-feeding through a provisional in their name etc. since they won't fix the system.

Move On can't wait for '06 when they will just be allowed right in the ballot printing room and avoid destroying the environment by actually driving around to get all those votes.

All..what is the future of the players in this? Lets have some fun!! Imagine what Paul B. is doing right now? Has Nick Handy broken his arm yet patting himself on the back? Is that hit piece on the Shark already ready to go?

Posted by: Col. Hogan on June 6, 2005 12:54 PM
303. We don't have to be too sensible today. Tomorrow is soon enough.

Posted by: South County on June 6, 2005 12:55 PM
304. Larry - You have it half right. It is possible to have secrecy, and have one-way tracability using some of the technology that makes HTTPS possible. You don't have to give up secrecy to have an audit trail.

Posted by: Dogbert on June 6, 2005 12:56 PM
305. All we had to do to WIN would have been find 130 of the felons that actually voted for Gregoire and prove it as the dems did! We blew it.

To chat live:
http://www.webcityusa.com/chat.html

Posted by: Gary F on June 6, 2005 12:56 PM
306. Where the he*& did I put that troll-b-gone?

Posted by: Dogbert on June 6, 2005 12:58 PM
307. Speaking of Howard Dean... he's the best thing that ever happened to the Republican party. He's a total failure as head of the DNC. Fund raising is way down the GOP has 4x the money. So... we'll see who has the last laugh.

Posted by: Tucker on June 6, 2005 01:03 PM
308. STOP CRYING YOU STUPID RETHUGS! YOU LOST FAIR AND SQUARE! NOW GO BACK TO YOUR CAVE AND BEGIN PLOTTING ON HOW TO STEAL THE NEXT ELECTION!! LOL

Posted by: sneakerchad on June 6, 2005 01:07 PM
309. Sorry biffster - my kid goes to private school and I pay for a private bus. All that other stuff you mention - that supposedly comes from property tax - you know, when they aren't building bike trails with it.

Sex offenders? Sorry, again kiddo, not where I live -I've checked the zip code and unless they are hired as live-in nannies or gardners they can't afford to live here.

Roads/potholes? Well, I'm a pretty damned good driver and MY cars (you know, the ones with superior German engineering) handle pretty darn well, so I'm not too worried. And PS on the cars - bought my last NEW car in this tax usory state in 1992. Yes, I've bought other cars, but NEVER a new car in this state. I decided that when Comrade Locke took office -you know the guy whose frequent trade missions to China coincided with his family visits there.

By the way, you have yet to thank me and the others like me who pay taxes so YOUR kids can enjoy the area schools. I've been here 13 years paying school taxes and educated 3 kids OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

You're welcome.

And no, my individual little disposable income spending boycott may not amount to much... but go ahead and multiply it by the number of Rossi voters + the number of disgusted Gregoire voters.

Don't you worry kiddo, I won't do without the things I enjoy, I'll do WITH them from ANY STATE BUT WASHINGTON.

Posted by: Cheryl on June 6, 2005 01:07 PM
310. One thing I find truly remarkable is that amongst the rabid moonbat blather as they kick up their heels in obvious glee, and the frothing by some of those who feel that all hope has been dashed, is that no one appears to have noted that regardless of the outcome of this particular case - it was destined to go the the Supreme Court from the moment it began.

Bridges' decision is meaningless. In fact, upon closer scrutiny - it would appear that Bridges left the door open for the Supremes to reverse his decision. This way - he can be held blameless, and the ultimate decision rests with the Supreme Court.

I hold no particular hope that the SC will rule any differently as they certainly appear to be products of the culture and climate of the People's Republik of Washington... but nonetheless, it's not over yet.

This contest is an obviously polarized and highly politically charged issue that no judge in his/her right mind would want to set any precedent with.

While some might consider his decision cowardly, looking at it from a broader perspective - it may well have been simple self-preservation, whilst foisting the ultimate responsibility for setting precedent to the Supremes, with carefully crafted observations about the process that leaves the door open, while appearing to have followed the letter of the law, despite ignoring the intent.

Posted by: DanC on June 6, 2005 01:13 PM
311. >Bush won in 2004 with the largest share of the popular
>vote since, I don't know... Abraham Lincoln, or something. >He also received some 3 million more votes than Kerry. >And the Democrats have obstructed his agenda while the >MSM has repeatedly reminded American citizens that >Bush has no mandate for his agenda whatsoever.

JRR, your facts are wrong. Bush's reelection in 2004 was the first time since 1988 that a candidate (then, W's papa) to gain more than 50% of the popular vote. In '84, Reagan had 58.8% of the popular vote, but only 50.8% in '80; Carter had 50.1% in '76 -- identical to Bush's 50.1% in 2004; Nixon had a whopping 60.3% in 1972, while Johnson had 60.6% in '64. This ties FDR's 60.6% in 1936 -- the highest since the popular vote has been recorded.

Lincoln came into office in 1860 with only 39.9% of the popular vote, and was re-elected in 1864 with 55.1%.

I don't see the point you're trying to make with mandate -- nor do I see the Democrats' position -- that you somehow need more than 50% of the popular vote to have something called a mandate.

Need I remind you, however, that Bush lost the 2000 election in terms of the popular vote (thus Gore had the popular "mandate"), and had a 2.5% majority in 2004. Assuming our voting tabulation to be accurate to within +/-2% error and free of (--gasp!--) fraud, that would be a clear and decisive victory.

Who here can point out to us what the margin of error, nationwide, in the vote tabulation in the 2004 election? (This assumes that the Diebold machines in Ohio and elsewhere were on the up and up, not hacked, etc., since there was no verifiable paper trail.)

Posted by: Sputnik on June 6, 2005 01:14 PM
312. Very true Dan, but now I'm afraid the WA SC can just punt by refusing to hear it.

Posted by: Cheryl on June 6, 2005 01:14 PM
313. I agree with others that it is pointless to go after the judge.

First of all, who allowed the lax, corruption prone election process that we currently have?

Weren't the Republicans in the majority when these rules were passed?

It's time for republicans to wake up to the truth in this state. Some of our own leaders have sold us down the river (can you say Sam Reed?).

Posted by: jaybo on June 6, 2005 01:17 PM
314. I don't think Dino will appeal.

Posted by: South County on June 6, 2005 01:21 PM
315. I'm with ya Cheryl. I am buying all of my gas and my cigarettes on Fort Lewis now. It's a pain to drive 25 minutes, but I think about the 28 cents a gallon that is now going to benefit soldiers instead of Christine Gregoire all the way and back home again... the same with the cigarette taxes....... I might start shopping at the post exchange for other stuff too!

I just want to know where I can buy a bumper sticker that says "She's not my Governor!" I saw one a few weeks ago....... Now, I want one!

Posted by: sgmmac on June 6, 2005 01:36 PM
316. Cheryl--

You forget that most people, average people, don't give a rats ass about this stuff. First rule of politics is that people forget and are dumb. It's pretty simple. You can hope that you'll have rossi supporters not paying taxes, but you won't. You'll be the person on the extreme (along with your cronies on this extremist blog) who looks like they've gone crazy. It's easy to claim that people will follow you, but they wont. You'll be the one driving down to Oregon to buy stuff because of an election that you can't get over. Who's goose is cooked now?

Posted by: Big Biff on June 6, 2005 01:50 PM
317. Hey, Cheryl...badmouth somebody else's state, but not ours.

You don't like our state? Get the F out.

Posted by: The_Gent on June 6, 2005 02:05 PM
318. Evil has been vanquished! Democracy has been saved!

Halieluja!

Posted by: Donnageddon on June 6, 2005 02:14 PM
319. "We don't have to be too sensible today. Tomorrow is soon enough."

And to think....we haven't even taken our gloves off yet!

It isn't over........The Rossi contest was just the announcement of the war against the liberal/socialist/communist take over of our State.....The battle has yet to begin...

Let the trolls gloat! They will be back to squealing and crying like little girls soon enough...

Posted by: Deborah on June 6, 2005 02:36 PM
320. Donna, you don't show a lot of creativity with your name- Try Dinogeddon and that day will come in '08!!!

Posted by: swatter on June 6, 2005 03:04 PM
321. Anybody who thinks HypocRossi has a chance against Maria Cantwell in 2006 is delusional.

I have no idea what will happen in 2008, but anybody who thinks HypocRossi can ride his "stolen electiob" to victory is similarily delusional.

HypocRossi lost fair and square, get over it.

Posted by: Adam T on June 6, 2005 03:16 PM
322. Anybody who thinks HypocRossi has a chance against Maria Cantwell in 2006 is delusional.

I have no idea what will happen in 2008, but anybody who thinks HypocRossi can ride his "stolen election" to victory is similarily delusional.

HypocRossi lost fair and square, get over it.

Posted by: Adam T on June 6, 2005 03:16 PM
323. Let's turn to more important questions:

Is Rossi going to admit that this was all a sham and not appeal? Or is he riding this crooked horse all the way to hell on an appeal?

Posted by: JDB on June 6, 2005 03:23 PM
324. I think he has to appeal it just to appear consistent. He can hardly say "Well, I knew the corruption charges were bogus all along, but we were trying to undermine confidence in the election and force the judge's hand into calling an election, but I lost and fair's fair."

He has to argue that the judge is mistaken and call for an appeal. The real issue is whether the State Supreme Court will agree to hear his appeal.

Posted by: Adam T on June 6, 2005 03:50 PM
325. If it isn't close, they can't cheat. Judge Bridge's clarion call to voters is: If you get out and vote -- that means everyone eligible -- the outcomes will never be so close so that cheaters can "win". That is the real message behind 'work harder'. At least this is how I read it. Now if Rossi can take on Cantwell or Murray and win, it will all have worked out for the best, just as all the recounts in Florida gave Bush as the winner everytime in the 2000 election. So when that cliffhanger was finally decided (by the voters, by the way) , he and his team really worked to get supporters out in 2004 and Bush won by 3 plus million popular votes, and his electoral margin was bigger than 2000. There's a message in there--grass roots Republicans--get off your buns--work in your local precincts and get those voters out when Rossi runs next time. If you do, you won't have to depend on the whims of a judge to determine the outcome.

Posted by: marlowe anderson on June 6, 2005 03:58 PM
326. If it isn't close, they can't cheat. Judge Bridge's clarion call to voters is: If you get out and vote -- that means everyone eligible -- the outcomes will never be so close so that cheaters can "win". That is the real message behind 'work harder'. At least this is how I read it. Now if Rossi can take on Cantwell or Murray and win, it will all have worked out for the best, just as all the recounts in Florida gave Bush as the winner everytime in the 2000 election. So when that cliffhanger was finally decided (by the voters, by the way) , he and his team really worked to get supporters out in 2004 and Bush won by 3 plus million popular votes, and his electoral margin was bigger than 2000. There's a message in there--grass roots Republicans--get off your buns--work in your local precincts and get those voters out when Rossi runs next time. If you do, you won't have to depend on the whims of a judge to determine the outcome.

Posted by: marlowe anderson on June 6, 2005 03:58 PM
327. On another post's comments, someone mentioned how memories are short. I think it would be a mistake if Rossi decided to attempt a shot at the Senate seat against Maria Cantwell. Surely the Republican party can field a good candidate to compete with her.

It would be better if Rossi got a job in the private sector (or kept his current job if that's what he's been doing) while keeping up a profile in the state with GOP supporters during the next 3.5 years. Then, in the next election for Governor, Rossi can race against Gregoire and it will bring back all of the issues that have been covered in this election contest. The MSM will no doubt label is that re-match royal. That'll stir people from their sleep-induced hypnosis and they'll remember how bad this election was and that deceit and dishonesty ushered Gregoire into office. It will help us to remember when so many will have "forgotten".

In the meantime, I think we might see a revolution in the House and Senate, which might pave the way for a revolution in the Governor's chair.

By the way, to Sputnik:

Thanks for all the numbers. My reference to Lincoln was hyperbole, used to make the point that Bush has more of a mandate now nationally than Gregoire has locally. But while the MSM supports the rights of the Democrats to block and obstruct Bush (because in the view of the MSM, Bush has no mandate), our local MSM supports Gregoire and the Democrats, without ever mentioning that her overreaching legislation has no mandate behind it whatsoever. That I think will be evident over the course of the next few election cycles, culminating with her dismissal from office in the next 2008 election.

Posted by: JRR on June 6, 2005 04:29 PM
328. Unseat Sims and reform the mess from the bottom up. I think Rossi is the perfect man to do the job.

Posted by: Elvis is the King County on June 6, 2005 07:26 PM
329. What a bunch of right wing wackos this site attracts like flies to sh*t. Get over it! Get over yourselves. You lost. Your guy lost. The votes were counted as fairly as possible. It was no mandate, but Gregoire won. By the tenor of the rightwingers here, nothing she may do in office will be worthwhile. Frickin wacko rightwing nutcases acting patriotic while spitting on the constitution, law, and the rights of fellow citizens. You people aren't worth the time it takes to present a contrary view, and no doubt you have no respect for anyone who holds them. Constitutional rights mean nothing to you clowns. duhhh.

Posted by: Artie on June 6, 2005 08:52 PM
330. Yeeesh--sign Artie up for the sensitivity & diversity training immersion course...

"...counted as fairly as possible..." (This guy banks with Sims.)

"Spitting...on...the rights of fellow citizens..?" Hmmm---CAO; Tent Cities; admission of certifying a false voter reconciliation; Mexican government designed lesson plans for WA students; in-state college tuition rates for illegal aliens; steady stream of "found ballots;" Ahh--never mind...

Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on June 6, 2005 10:35 PM
331. Wanted:

Professional Troll Hunter
Hours: 24/7/365.25
Pay: The satisfaction of a job well done. And the fun of doing the work, too...
Education: Must be able to read and write fluent english. English, not the mongrel tongue most people speak these days.
Other requirements: Unlike their quarry, the troll hunter must be intelligent. That means an IQ GREATER than one's hat size (or shoe size in certain jurisdictions).

All training will be OTJ, just like the good 'ole days.


;) :-P :-D Teeheeheeeheeheehee

Posted by: fishy on June 7, 2005 12:50 PM
332. By the way, its petitioner, not plantiff. Slight difference, as the GOP petitioned the court to do a specific action, as opposed to demand something from the other party.

Posted by: John Slyfield on June 10, 2005 01:16 AM
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