We extend our condolences to the friends and family of Democratic Congressman Julian Dixon (California Congressional District 32) who passed away Friday 8 December 2000.

Tuesday 12 December 2000 10PM EST (0300 UTC 13 December) - The Supreme Court issued a decision regarding the manual recount which was ordered by the Florida Supreme Court and remanded the case back to Florida. A majority in the Supreme Court saw Constitutional problems with the Florida Supreme Court's recount order and saw Constitutional problems with further recounts. Text of the Ruling

Tuesday 12 December 2000 - The Gore campaign will analyze the Supreme Court's ruling this evening. Expect a statement Wednesday.

We have received a lot of e-mails regarding the issue of whether or not Presidential Electors may or may not defect from the Party that chose them in their casting of Electoral Votes (the so-called "Faithless Elector"). Check out our response: MAY ELECTORS DEFECT?

Tuesday 12 December 2000 - The Florida Supreme Court has upheld the lower courts' decisions regarding absentee ballots in Seminole and Martin counties- NO absentee ballots will be thrown out.

Saturday 9 December 2000 - The Florida Supreme Court has ordered the parties involved with the absentee ballot cases in Seminole and Martin counties to file their arguments by Monday 11 December 2000 9AM EST (1400 UTC).

Friday 8 December 2000: Decisions NOT to throw out absentee ballots were reached in two cases, one in Seminole County (Judge Nikki Clark) the other in Martin County (Judge Terry Lewis).

Tuesday 12 December 2000 - In a special session, the Florida House approved a slate of 25 Bush electors. The Florida Senate will meet on Wednesday 13 December or Thursday 14 December for their consideration on this issue. The deadline for selecting uncontested electors is 12 December.

Monday 11 December 2000 - On Saturday 9 December 2000 in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a halt to the Florida hand recounts. Today, oral arguments were held before the Supreme Court. The unofficial tally from the Florida Supreme Court ordered hand recount was Bush +154 when the recount was stopped. Text of the U.S. Supreme Court Decision to halt the manual recount

Friday 8 December 2000 - In a 4-3 decision, the Florida Supreme Court has reversed Leon County Circuit Court Judge N. Sanders Sauls decision. The court has ordered manual recounts of ALL undervotes in ALL counties. The recounts are to begin immediately. The court added 383 votes to Al Gore's total (from earlier recounts in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties) thus reducing the Bush lead to 154 votes. (9 December Correction: The Palm Beach County's canvassing board declared that Gore gained 176 votes during their manual recount. This declaration brings Bush's unofficial total to 193.) The recounts begin Saturday morning 9 December and will be run under the supervision of Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis. Judge Lewis has set a target recount completion date of Sunday 10 December 2 PM EST (1900 UTC). The Bush campaign has appealed the Florida Supreme Court ruling to U.S. Supreme Court and has asked both the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts for a stay. Text of Florida Supreme Court Decision

Monday 4 December 2000 - The U.S. Supreme Court has vacated the Florida Supreme Court ruling which extended the Florida vote certification deadline. The court has remanded the case back to the Florida Supreme Court, that is, the Florida Supreme Court must reconsider its previous decision.

• Text of Supreme Court Ruling
• Text of Friday 1 December 2000 Arguments
• Monday 11 December 2000: Florida Supreme Court responds to the U.S. Supreme Court remand. The Florida Court states that its decision to extend the certification (ballot recount) deadline was based on state law. Text of Florida Supreme Court Response

PRESIDENT

Commentary

Monday, November 27, 2000
QUIT WHILE YOU'RE BEHIND!
It is now time for Al Gore to bow out gracefully

Friday, November 24, 2000
IN DEFENSE OF THE COURTS
The innate propriety of the Florida Supreme Court ruling of 21 November 2000

Wednesday, November 22, 2000
A POX ON BOTH YOUR HOUSES!!!
The Election 2000 battle in Florida escalates

• FLORIDA (25 electoral votes): Recounts: Bush has been formally certified the winner as of 7:35 P.M. EST, 26 November (0035 UTC, 27 November) by 537 votes.
  • Constitutional provisions for the election of the President and Vice-President
    
  • Federal Law governing the election of a President and Vice-President
    
  • Florida General Election Statutes
• NEW MEXICO (5 electoral votes) Gore certified winner by 0.07%. The Friday 8 December 2000 contest deadline has passed -- the Bush campaign will NOT contest New Mexico.

Popular vote [includes Florida certification of 26 November]:
(national margin 337,576 for Gore)
Gore: 50,158,094
Bush: 49,820,518

Additional Notes...
LAME DUCK 106^th CONGRESS