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Dem Delegation Reinforces Lawsuit Threat

Posted Aug 28, 2007 by Billy House, Tribune Washington bureau

Updated Aug 28, 2007 at 11:11 AM

Florida’s Democratic members of Congress have just issued a statement reinforcing their threat of a legal challenge against any effort by the national Democratic Party to strip the state of delegates to the party’s national convention next year.

“We cannot go along with anything but the state-run primary set for next January,” said the 10 Florida Democratic lawmakers, led by Sen. Bill Nelson and including Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa, in a joint statement issued today. “We strongly encourage all Democrats to vote for their preferred nominee in that primary, regardless of whatever penalties the DNC might enact.”

“The vote is going to matter - period,” the lawmakers said.

Other members of Florida’s Democratic congressional delegation are Reps. Allen Boyd Jr. of Monticello, Corrine Brown of Jacksonville, Alcee Hastings of Miramar, Ron Klein of Boca Raton, Tim Mahoney of Palm Beach Gardens, Kendrick Meek of Miami, Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston and Robert Wexler of Boca Raton.

The DNC’s Rules Committee voted Saturday to strip Florida of its 210 voting delegates to the national convention next year, unless the party changes its plans to choose its national convention delegates based on the Jan. 29 primary. The Jan. 29 date violates the national party’s calendar of primary dates.

The statement does not specify what type pf legal challenge might be pursued. While the DNC doesn’t control Florida’s election dates, its officials say it does have legal rights to specify how its nominees are chosen and how delegates to its national convention are seated.

Nelson hinted in conversations last week that the DNC action could violate Florida’s voting rights. Castor suggested in an conversation this week that it could violate 14th Amendment guarantees of equal protection.