On July 9, Ralph Nader asked the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit, for an en banc rehearing in his case against the Democratic National Committee for actions in the 2004 election. The original 3-judge panel had ruled last month that Nader’s case had been filed a few months too late in 2007, and that the Statute of Limitations bars the court from hearing the case.
The main point of the petition for rehearing is that it is impossible to know whether the Statute of Limitations was violated without taking evidence, and no court in this case has ever permitted any evidence-gathering.
If there was ever a conspiracy to deprive snti-war voters of their Presidential candidate on state ballots – even in non-contested states- this was it. The Democratic effort and its funders were not out for revenge against Nader; they wanted the
strong anti-war opposition to “Ready for Duty” Kerry to be left uncounted. See my posts in counterpunch and dissident voice in that era. Let this case be heard on its merits!
The courts are afraid to make decisions in cases based on the merits. They make our legal system a sham. Shame on the judges.
As usual, the courts are protecting the powers that be instead of citizens’ rights to seek relief from them…If it’s not one procedural excuse, it’s another…unless you have all the money, power and political connections in the world as many of the ‘winners’ in court do.
No wonder few than 50% of us vote anymore…or care about this democracy as much as Mr Nader