Political Court Battle in Nevada

Posted on January 13, 2008

Two days after a key Nevada union of casino employees endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton, filed a lawsuit to block the special “at-large” casino precincts set up months ago for those very casino employees.

On Saturday, January 19, 2008, Nevada will be the site of the Democratic and Republican caucuses and already there is a court battle heating up.

In what the NYT is calling a “proxy” battle between the Obama and Clinton campaigns, a lawsuit was filed Friday, January 11, 2008, by the Nevada State Education Association and six local area residents of the Las Vegas area, in the Federal District Court.

Here is a link to the suit. (PDF)

At the heart of the argument of the Nevada State Education Association is the Nevada Democratic Party’s decision to create nine at-large precincts within Las Vegas resorts on caucus day.

The reason these nine precincts have been established was because the hotel workers would not be able to leave their jobs to be able to participate in the caucuses in their home precincts.

Their claim is that it will violate the state election law that would allow them to elect more delegates than voters at other precincts and the argument asserts that voters at the other 1,754 precincts in Nevada would have less influence.

Although the Nevada State Education Association has not officially endorsed for the caucuses, some of the groups top officials are supporting Hillary Clinton and this lawsuit from the 20,000 member group comes just days after a 60,000 member group, the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 in Nevada had endorsed Barack Obama.

The Secretary-Treasurer for the Culinary Local 226, Dr. Taylor, called this lawsuit “despicable” and “disgusting” and stated “I never thought weâ€™d have people in the Democratic Party try to disenfranchise women, people of color and large numbers of working people in this state. I am sure every single elected official in Nevada will renounce it, and so will the Clinton campaign.”Statements from the Clinton campaign by Phil Singer “We hope the courts and the state party resolve this matter. We will respect their decision and focus our efforts on running a strong campaign.â€

Obama campaign spokesman said “We believe as a party, and a country, we should be looking for ways to include working men and women in the electoral process, not disenfranchise them.â€The Nevada Democratic party dismissed the suit by arguing that as of last spring, every presidential campaign was involved in setting up the casino caucus sites while party officials and the DNC ironed out the details.

In a party statement they make the assertion that this is a “fair, legal and proper way to choose delegates under established law and legal precedent that has been reviewed by attorneys….The time for comment or complaint has passed”.

â€œThis has been a fully transparent process,â€ party spokeswoman Kirsten Searer said. â€œThese rules have been approved by the Democratic National Committee and the campaigns have been fully informed throughout this process, which started in May.â€

Dr Taylor also feels the timing of this lawsuit, right after the Culinary Local 226 endorsed Obama is “strange”.

» Filed Under Elections, News, Politics As Usual, Union Mafias/Thugs

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Comments

2 Responses to “Political Court Battle in Nevada”

PulSamsara on January 14th, 2008 1:01 pm

Barack Obama TOOK A STAND against the IRAQ INVASION when it MATTERED.

Hillary Clinton PLAYED politics when it MATTERED.

Everything else is just BUNK !
NeanTomp on January 17th, 2008 1:07 am

BarackObama voted for funding for Iraq War. Voted to allow the Patriot Act which allows the goverment to spy on Americans. Real Change = Real Bunk.