October 1, 2008
"Fixing" Rhode Island
In a comment to my post on Bob Kerr's column, Aldo writes:
Not so fast.....Alves' Election Appeal Update - Your taxes at work!
Quick update on the fiasco in the RI Supreme Court ....
All parties involved in Alves' appeal were supposed to have submitted their briefs / supporting documentation by 4:30 on Friday as Justice Robinson was going to review it over the weekend.
On Monday morning, the news is that there has been a change, it's now Justice Goldberg vice Robinson and she wanted a mtg of all the lawyers involved at the RI Supreme Court at 4PM.
Of note, Alves' attorney failed to provide a copy of the transcript / tape of Board of Elections' hearing as required by RI law. This alone should have been enough for her to deny his appeal.
Instead of denying Alves' appeal, Goldberg apparently wants all 5 members of the RISC to rule on this.
The full court will discuss this matter in closed chambers on Thursday 9 Oct.
Why is the court even considering intervening in an election?
Remember, according to the law, this is only supposed to cover what transpired since the election. It seems as though Alves now wants to raise any issue he possibly can even though that is not in accordance with RI law.
What is going on here?
This is a travesty
Alves' attorney didn’t even comply with RI law in submitting his appeal concerning the BOE hearing and now it seems that RI taxpayers are going to have to cover some of the cost of providing the information that Alves was required to submit.
How much are the taxpayers paying for this nonsense?
Don't we have a budget problem?
In the interim, the Board of Elections will begin printing the other ballots.
If the Court rules in Alves' favor, then the taxpayers would have to cover the cost of a new primary in November AFTER the General Election and another Election in December.
If I were a betting man, I'd say that they will grant him his request. Not based upon the law but because of political pressure....
They will find some excuse to defer to him but one has to ask if any other RI taxpayer would be accorded the same privileges that are being extended to Senator Alves.
And now for the latest. The Board of Elections will conduct another recount on Thursday 2 Oct.
There are a few questions though.
1. On whose authority?
2. What will be recounted?
3. If Goldberg issued a stay pending a review by the entire court, why is there another recount?
4. The law states that the appeal is to be based upon the evidence presented to date. Why is the BOE doing this?
Anyone really think that the RISC will not rule in Alves' favor?
Add the increasingly probable bailout of Senator Alves to the as-yet unlit conflagration in Rhode Island.
I won't jump to conclusions,but neither will I be shocked if the RISC goes in the tank for Alves-he has relatives in so many public agencies,it's incredible.
The powers that be may want to reinforce the fact that we do indeed live in RI PLANTATIONS when it comes to defying the established pecking order.
What?? On what basis does the BOE step back in and do a second recount? This matter is now in the hands of another jurisdiction; the BOE no longer has authority.
Latest News...
Some items / issues to think about.
1. The Post-Primary CFRs are due on 7 Oct. Will Alves show legal fees for Tavares on his report either directly or as an in kind contribution.
2. How many unaffiliated voters voted in the Republican Primary in Ward 5? How many did not disaffiliate in anticipation of doing so AFTER the General Election?
3. Will they be allowed to vote in a “new” Primary if one is ordered by the Court?
4. The WW Town Clerk's office was working overtime Tuesday evening making copies of "thousands" of documents for Alves' attorney. They were supposed to be ready by Wednesday. Did the Town receive a subpoena? Who authorized it? Why if ALL documents in support of Alves’ writ were to have been submitted last Friday, why is this happening? Who is paying for the overtime?
5. What did Tavares deliver to Court last Friday and isn’t that the document that they are required to base their decision on?
6. Doesn’t RI law states that the appeal is to be based upon the evidence presented to date.
7. WW Town Soliciotr Tim Williamson mentioned that Chief Justice Frank Williams had supposedly received two anonymous letters aalleging "criminal" wrong doing in the WW Town Clerk's office and had turned the info over to the State Police. Does the Court always act on anonymous tips?
8. Why is Frank Williams going out of his way to give Alves' everything he asks for even when Alves is not following RI law?
9. The Board of Elections will conduct another recount on Thursday 2 Oct. According to the SecState web site the BOE has meetings scheduled at 11AM, 1 and 4PM on Thursday
10. On whose authority?
11. What will be recounted? Mail ballots? The law states that any requests concerning a recount had to have been made when they were opened. The ballots that were cast on Election Day?
12. If Justice Goldberg issued a stay pending a review by the entire court, why is there another recount?
13. Why is the BOE doing this?
14. Is this a violation of RI law?
Latest News...
Some items / issues to think about.
1. The Post-Primary CFRs are due on 7 Oct. Will Alves show legal fees for Tavares on his report either directly or as an in kind contribution.
2. How many unaffiliated voters voted in the Republican Primary in Ward 5? How many did not disaffiliate in anticipation of doing so AFTER the General Election?
3. Will they be allowed to vote in a “new” Primary if one is ordered by the Court?
4. The WW Town Clerk's office was working overtime Tuesday evening making copies of "thousands" of documents for Alves' attorney. They were supposed to be ready by Wednesday. Did the Town receive a subpoena? Who authorized it? Why if ALL documents in support of Alves’ writ were to have been submitted last Friday, why is this happening? Who is paying for the overtime?
5. What did Tavares deliver to Court last Friday and isn’t that the document that they are required to base their decision on?
6. Doesn’t RI law states that the appeal is to be based upon the evidence presented to date.
7. WW Town Soliciotr Tim Williamson mentioned that Chief Justice Frank Williams had supposedly received two anonymous letters aalleging "criminal" wrong doing in the WW Town Clerk's office and had turned the info over to the State Police. Does the Court always act on anonymous tips?
8. Why is Frank Williams going out of his way to give Alves' everything he asks for even when Alves is not following RI law?
9. The Board of Elections will conduct another recount on Thursday 2 Oct. According to the SecState web site the BOE has meetings scheduled at 11AM, 1 and 4PM on Thursday
10. On whose authority?
11. What will be recounted? Mail ballots? The law states that any requests concerning a recount had to have been made when they were opened. The ballots that were cast on Election Day?
12. If Justice Goldberg issued a stay pending a review by the entire court, why is there another recount?
13. Why is the BOE doing this?
14. Is this a violation of RI law?
There are some good clues on these following web pages here:
http://AlvesSucks.com
http://FrankWilliamsSucks.com
They are real web sites! Check them out, and connect the dots.
Posted by: Citizen Critic at October 1, 2008 12:57 PMSad isn't it? The libs and cons here finally agree on something, and the powers that be are determined to foil it.
Posted by: rhody at October 1, 2008 1:06 PM