 |
Our much hated governor, Ed "The Hut" Rendell is schilling for Kerry. Of course, he is a Democrat, but what is totally despicable is that he is trying to eliminate overseas ballots from military personnel. |
PHILADELPHIA - Republican lawmakers have accused Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell of trying to suppress military votes for President Bush by failing to push for an extension of the deadline to accept overseas military and civilian ballots.
Democrats said there wasn't a "single shred of evidence" to back up the claim.
Nevertheless, rumors of military disenfranchisement swirled Friday. Hundreds of angry callers swamped the governor's office, forcing it to set up a recorded message: "The governor is very aware of this issue. Please leave your name and contact information."
With military personnel traditionally voting Republican, the GOP is eager to garner as many military votes as possible in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in the Nov. 2 election.
Republicans want Rendell to ask the courts to extend the deadline for counting absentee military votes until Nov. 17 - something the governor has refused to do.
On Wednesday, a federal judge sided with the Rendell administration in refusing a U.S. Justice Department request to order new absentee ballots for military families and overseas voters and to give those voters until after the election to return them because of confusion over Ralph Nader's ballot status.
"The men and women who are most affected by who becomes commander in chief, their vote is going to be denied," said state Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-Chester. "If 73 percent of these votes were coming in for John Kerry, she (U.S. District Judge Yvette Kane, a Clinton appointee), would rule the other way and so would Ed Rendell."
