California Wrong To Shut Down 'Vote-swapping' Sites In 2000

by Paul Elias - August 6th, 2007 - Associated Press (Contra Costa Times)

Nearly seven years after President Bush won the closest presidential election in U.S. history, a federal appeals court ruled Monday that California officials wrongly shut down "vote-swapping" Web sites in the days before polls opened.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it finally decided the issue to prevent California officials from taking similar action in future elections.

"I don't know if it's too late or just in time," said Brenda Wright, a lawyer for the Boston-based National Voting Rights Institute that argued the case in court. "It certainly has taken a long time, but we are very glad to get it straightened out for the upcoming election."

Oh yes. The heart of democracy. Swapping votes to rig an election. Certainly no surprise the 9th circuit is in the middle of making that the law of the land. Of course the 9th circuit was quick to assure everyone that it was only legal if it resulted in the election of a Democrat. Any similar scheme that benefitted a Republican was still unconstitutional.