Voter Suppression in Nevada
The Clinton-supporting teachers’ union in Nevada is suing to block members of the Obama-supporting hotel workers union from participating in next Saturday’s caucuses. A Rovian tactic that all good Democrats claim to abhor. It comes two days after the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 endorsed Obama.
Ben Smith’s Blog at Politico.com notes Clinton’s supporters cry that it’s unfair … once it turns out it’s unfair to them.
Teachers Sue to Block Hotel Workers’ Union Vote in Nevada Caucus - New York Times
The lawsuit argues that the Nevada Democratic Party’s decision, decided late last year, to create at-large precincts inside nine Las Vegas resorts on caucus day violates the state’s election laws and creates a system in which voters at the at-large precincts can elect more delegates than voters at other precincts. The lawsuit employs a complex mathematical formula to show that voters at the other 1,754 precincts would have less influence with their votes. The at-large precincts are being established because thousands of hotel workers cannot leave work to participate in the midday caucuses in their home precincts.
The Nevada State Education Association has said it would not endorse any Democrat, but some of its top officials have endorsed Mrs. Clinton. The association’s deputy executive director, Debbie Cahill, for instance, was a founding member of Senator Clinton’s Nevada Women’s Leadership Council.
Clinton supporter Jeralyn Merritt blithely says: “I don’t think Hillary’s campaign is behind this lawsuit.” Wanna buy a bridge, Jeralyn?
Dan Riehl observes: “And here I thought Democrats wanted everyone to vote, other than military members voting absentee, of course.” I find your lack of faith disturbing, Dan
The Progressive blog Las Vegas Gleaner says:
Suing to shut down the at-large caucus sites at this late date is of course blatant and bald politics that has nothing to do with fairness or concern for the process and everything to do with a fear within the Clinton camp that Official Nevada might not be able to drag the Borg across the finish line.
Joe Gandelman, atThe Moderate Voice, asks “Isn’t this the kind of thing Democrats denounce when Republicans do it to keep Democratic voters away from the polls?”
Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo sums it up:
If there’s one thing that’s core to the modern Democratic party is that voter suppression tactics are always wrong. Much of the US Attorney purge scandal was at root about Republican voter suppression tactics. I suspect this is doubly wrong — both in the sense that the suit is meritless on its face but certainly also in the sense that you don’t decide how easy to make it for people to vote depending on who you think they’re likely to vote for.
Please leave these shameful tactics to Republicans.
And Jake Tapper at Political Punch has more:
According to those minutes and attendance records of the obtained by ABC News (Click HERE), four plaintiffs now suing the state party to stop these “at-large” precincts from convening were in attendance: Clark Party Second Vice Chair Vicki Birkland and John Birkland, Party Third Vice Chair Dwayne Chesnut and Clark County Public Administrator John Cahill.
The “Delegation Selection Plan Review and Approval” including these “at-large” precincts was, according to minutes of the meeting reviewed by ABC News, “Passed unanimously.” The plan was submitted to the Democratic National Committee for approval in August.
In a statement, Nevada Democratic Party deputy executive director Kirsten Searer said, “We have taken unprecedented steps to include as many Nevadans as possible in this historic caucus day. The ‘at-large’ precincts were included to increase participation in the highest concentration of shift workers — many of whom are minorities.”
Culinary union secretary-treasurer D. Taylor told the Associated Press that the plaintiffs were using “Floridian Republican tactics to suppress cooks, housekeepers, people of color and women.”
Gross political hackery. Anyone ready for a change?
Voter Suppression Update
DNC opposes voter suppression
Nevada Voter Suppression Update; Hearing Thursday
Final word on Nevada delegates
“A broad effort to use the Justice Dept. to affect the 2006 election”