OK, it's official: Allen West is going to contest his election defeat!

[LongTomH]

From Brad Blog: Rep. Allen West Refuses to Concede, Seeks Hand-count, Impounding of Ballots and Voting Systems in FL-18 House Race

With precinct votes unofficially tabulated in the three counties which comprise the new Democratic-leaning district --- Martin, St. Lucie and part of Palm Beach --- Murphy reportedly leads West by 2,456 votes out of 318,200 electronically tallied to date. That number does not include what West's campaign manager describes as "tens of thousands of absentee ballots to be counted in Palm Beach County and potential provisional ballots across the district."

Nonetheless, Murphy has declared victory, which carries no particular legal weight, while West has filed legal documents in St. Lucie and Palm Beach calling for the impounding of voting systems, paper ballots and a hand-count of those ballots.

Brad goes on to say:

West may be a far Right extremist. A fair amount of evidence even suggests that West may be certifiably insane. But, even far right, possibly insane candidates, and especially their supporters, deserve to have their votes counted in a way that they can know, for certain, that they either won or lost an election.

Given the oft-failed, easily-manipulated, unoverseeable electronic voting and tabulation systems --- each with a long and well-documented record of failure and miscounts --- used in the three counties that make up Florida's new 18th district (as well as the rest of the state of Florida, and the rest of the 50 states for that matter), West and his supporters have every reason to demand a public, 100% hand-count of paper ballots before conceding defeat. Particularly in an election with such a slim margin, as reported by the flawed electronic systems, said to stand between the two candidates...

I'll go along with Brad and give West credit for having brass balls, even if he is nuts; I just wish some candidates on our side had the balls to do stuff like this!

[sinkingfeeling]

1. And court just threw out West's demands. LBN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014297882

[Popcorn 51]

3. I think the judge just threw out the request to impound the machines.

But West can still ask for and get a new hand count. I assume West has to pay for it.

[bongbong]

9. More irony from repigs

"We hate frivolous lawsuits! We need tort reform!"



(of course the real reason they want to do that is to reduce the power/influence/money-donating-ability of injury lawyers, traditionally a source of Democratic money)

[Scuba]

2. No one should object to verifying the electronic machines with a hand count.

[democrattotheend]

6. I agree 100%

I have no problem with any candidate, Republican or Democrat, taking action to make sure all the votes are counted. It's depressing how many votes often go uncounted when the election is not close and nobody contests it. If this recount shines light on Florida's voting problems, so be it.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

4. You are a tad behind the times. West's prayer for injunction was denied.

The court pointing out that there were administrative remedies in place.

Yes, everyone has a right to a fair election.

What West does NOT have a right to is file frivolous lawsuits without seeking remedy through legal and proper channels.

Judge denies Allen West motion in Palm Beach County

[HopeHoops]

5. Thrown out. No use. Go home and jerk off, West.

[MightyAfrodite]

7. With what? LOL! [eom]

[HopeHoops]

8. Um. Good point.

[ffr]

10. Seen signing up for unemployment benefits (Gov't handouts)

[HopeHoops]

12. SOMEBODY has to take them!!!

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. He lost by .8%. We would want a recount too. n/t