Republicans, Florida recounts and the $2000 fine (as opposed to $450,000)

[phoebe]

I'm posting this here in case any of you missed this in the news yesterday. I just caught this article which says it all..


TALLAHASSEE · Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty got a slap on the wrist from the Florida Elections Commission on Wednesday for election law violations stemming from a move to oust several state Supreme Court justices after the 2000 presidential election.

The political veteran and Republican activist had been facing a possible $450,000 in state sanctions -- a record fine -- because of her leadership of a group hoping to remove justices who sided with Democrat Al Gore during the recount battle.

But state commissioners fined McCarty just $2,000 -- $1,000 for signing an incomplete financial report for her group and $1,000 for the organization's acceptance of donations exceeding the state's $500 limit -- including a $150,000 "loan" from an unnamed donor that was used to pay for a letter mailed out to 350,000 conservative Republicans across the state.
snip

The charges result from McCarty's position as chairwoman of the Committee to Take Back Our Judiciary, one of several that emerged after the 2000 election as part of a Republican backlash against Florida's high court, which voted to give Gore a recount. But the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Florida ruling, the presidential victory went to Republican George W. Bush and the drive to oust the targeted justices quickly fizzled

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pfmary14aug14,1,2487225.story?coll=sfla-news-palm

[papau]

1. A Gop'er settle a possible $450000 fine for $2000 - why so much?

Jeb really has to do a better Job with fair and balance law enforcement in Florida. She should have had the case dismissed.

[xchrom]

2. hey -- repukes have the inside track

and unless more of the general public shares our outrage it ain't gonna change soon enough.

[phoebe]

3. I am well aware of that but this is fucking unforgiveable..

n/t

[soup]

4. The part I didn't understand

about this is-
Why wasn't the woman brought up on criminal charges?

Does this explain it?
"An administrative law judge earlier this year recommended the charges against McCarty be dismissed because the law under which she was charged had been declared unconstitutional by a federal judge. But the Elections Commission staff would not back off, contending there was intent to deceive the state."

What's an 'administrative law judge'?

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. This state is so Good Ole Boy

What did you expect? Racial profiling was invented here for goodness sakes.

[LEFTofLEFT]

6. They will destroy us all if we do not stop them.

We must fight the rightwing monsters like the future is at stake.

IT IS !!!