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DEL.ICIO.USBaker and elections board clash over the meaning of ‘frivolity’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Attorney General Thurbert Baker, one of the highest-ranking Democrats left in state government, clashed today with the Republican-dominated State Elections Board.
You’ll remember that last month, the Georgia Democratic Party filed another lawsuit challenging the state’s voter ID law — even though the U.S. Supreme Court had recently upheld a similar law in Indiana.
The elections board — Secretary of State Karen Handel included — voted to serve the Democratic party formal notice that it considered the lawsuit “frivolous,” and would thus seek to be reimbursed for the cost of attorneys should the lawsuit not prevail in Fulton County Superior Court.
On Tuesday, Baker declined to transmit that notice to his fellow Democrats.
My colleague Rhonda Cook was a witness to the event. “I am personally disappointed that [Baker] chose to put his political interests ahead of the interests of the people of Georgia,” said board member Randy Evans, general counsel to the state Republican party.
Sitting next to Evans, board member David Worley, a former chairman of the state Democratic party, stuck up for Baker. “The litigation is not frivolous and there is no reason to send that letter. [Baker] is within his rights,” Worley said.
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Comments
By betty boop
June 17, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
Thurbert Baker has always been a man of honor regardless of his politics. Good for him to decide that the Dem suit regarding the unfairness of the Photo ID Law is not a frivolity. Golly Pete, we Dems are either frivilous, mendacious, fools, and a thousand other epithets that roll off Repugnican lips like rain drops on a tin roof (noisy).
Anybody who does not think this law is an onerous burden on poor, rural citizens and the elderly has not tried to help one of these about to be disenfranchised voters. I had one poor little old lady in her 70’s who no longer drives, has arthritis and uses a walker tell me she had already made two trips to the DL Bureau and still has not been able to produce anything they will accept — she moved here from out of state, has had two husbands so problems with name change, birth records from 70 plus years ago, an expired passport (she can no longer travel) and she may not be able to vote.
If that odious law disenfranchises even one citizen, the rights of that citizen should prevail and the law should be struck on the merits. But it isn’t just one person. It’s hundreds, maybe thousands, around the state who have had their rights snatched from them.
The political truth is that most of these poor, rural, and/or elderly persons and many ethnic minorities who fall into those catagories are historically Democratic voters. Betcha if Nancy Northside, Debbie Dunwoody and Annie Alpharetta were so disenfranchised, not only would their little Repugnican hearts be all broken, the hue and cry would deafen the legislature which would then hasten to act to help them out in their dispair.
We know and you know this bill is a biased hunk of Republican Crap. My Bull Meter is working overtime and is way over in the hot zone.
Betty Boop
By RJ
June 17, 2008 9:30 PM | Link to this
I am quite sure it took quite a bit of proding from his fellow Democrats to get Baker to take this action. He will do no more than he has to because basically Baker is a do nothing, don’t rock the boat politician. There is a serious question about who runs the Office of Attorney General.
By the way, Karen Handel and Thurbert Baker both are fine examples of why we voters need to do a better job judging talent for elective office. This strict party voting is setting Georgia back big time.
By Yukon Dave
June 18, 2008 7:39 PM | Link to this
Karen Handel was not sufficiently vetted before she became Secretary of State and it shows. She did not graduate college and is not from Georgia. I thought she was an administrator of our elections laws not an advocate. Still she pushes the Republican agenda like that is her job. If the photo id law is valid, then lets have the Georgia Supreme Court say so. The right of suffrage is too important to rely on the U.S. Supreme Court’s analysis of some other state’s law. If she’s doing such a good job at implementing the photo id requirement, then why is she on her third elections division director in less than 2 years?
Karen thinks the lawsuit is frivolous and plans on asking the court for attorney’s fees? I guarantee you she will lose on that point and will show herself for the ignorant person she is. Emmet Bondurant is a genius and a highly respected member of this community. Show him some respect. The Georgia courts may not agree with him here, but don’t call it frivolous unless you are 100% doubt free.
By RJ
June 18, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
Clearly, Karen Handel has compromised her responsibility and duty to fairly enforce Georgia’s election laws.
She has advocated for and continues to defend a change to Georgia’s election laws supposedly to address a problem that factually does not exist. Handel’s actions are partisan politics at its worst in an office where it should not be.
We voters have got to do a better job judging talent for elective office.
By polka dot
June 18, 2008 9:43 PM | Link to this
What a bunch of morons. Is this the best that Georgia can do? Really? Losing a lawsuit does not mean it was frivolous. They will have to prove that the legal arguments are completely unsupportable and that the lawsuit was filed for no valid purpose. How about this for a frivolous motion: Motion for Restoration of Decorum and Good Judgment.
By betty boop
June 18, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this
Folks, let us readdress the issue. The issue ought to be how we let the legislature disenfranchise voters all over Georgia. It is just too easy to pick on the elderly, the poor, minorities. Win or lose, the lawsuit was not silly season suit. Being in a minority on an issue doesn’t make you wrong and losing a lawsuit does not mean you had no issue to bring. Any trial lawyer will tell you sometimes you can be on the side of all angels and still lose. Sadly, it was the voters of Georgia who lost.
Betty Boop ways we ought to vote the suckers out, take away their credentials and see if anyone anywhere will let them vote.
Betty Boop