Reply #4: Abu Gonzales on trial! [View All]

[Bill Bored]

135. Defendants Kim and Gonzales, acting on behalf of the United States and the Department of Justice, have threatened legal action against the Secretary and against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania unless the State and County Defendants immediately adopt new voting machines for the May 16 primary.
136. This threat, combined with the threat to seek recoupment of monies paid to Pennsylvania under HAVA, has prompted the State and County Defendants to rush to acquire and implement new voting technologies without regard for the security, reliability, and accessibility of the new machines, and without regard for the chaos which is certain to result on Election Day if the machines are placed in use.
137. Despite these threats, the Department of Justice has taken a sharply different approach in a similar matter in the adjoining state of New York, by recognizing that the Department does not “expect the impossible” when it comes to matters affecting the fundamental right to vote. In New York, the Department of Justice has made clear that it would not pursue legal action if circumstances did not permit the State to adopt new machines prior to the first federal election of 2006.