AP Confirms Boxer Challenge
By Brad Friedman on 1/6/2005, 9:04am PT  

According to several sources, Jesse Jackson has just announced six Senators who will join in challenging the Electors today in a joint session of Congress. His announcement was made to a rally going on at this hour in Lafayette Park across from the White House.

Jackson told the crowd that Senator Barbara Boxer will stand to challenge, and will be supported by at least the following Democratic Senators: Hilary Clinton (NY), Harry Ried (NV), Barack Obama (IL), Dick Durbin (IL) and Christopher Dodd (CT).

Jackson's statement was just confirmed by The BRAD BLOG with a second source. A representative from Rainbow/PUSH and an aide to Rev. Jackson who spoke to us by cellphone moments ago as Jackson could be heard in the background speaking to reporters has confirmed that Jackson announced Sen. Barbara Boxer will stand and make the challenge, and will be supported by at least a half a dozen Senators.

"When they convene for the debate," he told us, "at least a half dozen if not more will speak about the irregularities and the need for Election reform. Boxer herself will raise the challenge."

He confirmed the Senators named above and suggests that people continue to send in Email and phonecalls asking Senators to stand up.

MORE...

AP is confirming that Boxer "and a small group of Democrats" will challenge.

According to the AP article:

It would be only the second time since 1877 that the House and Senate were forced into separate meetings to consider electoral votes.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., signed a challenge mounted by House Democrats to Ohio's 20 electoral votes, which put Bush over the top. By law, a protest signed by members of the House and Senate requires both chambers to meet separately for up to two hours to consider it. Lawmakers are allowed to speak for no more than five minutes each.

"I have concluded that objecting to the electoral votes from Ohio is the only immediate way to bring these issues to light by allowing you to have a two-hour debate to let the American people know the facts surrounding Ohio's election," Boxer wrote in a letter to Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, a leader of the Democratic effort.

And the White House seems prepared to keep their "conspiracy theorist" defense firmly in place. We'll expect to hear the following language, as reported by AP repeated quite frequently as the day goes on...

White House spokesman Scott McClellan dismissed the move as politically driven.

"I think the American people expect members of Congress to work together and move forward on the real priorities facing this country, instead of engaging in conspiracy theories and rehashing issues that were settled long ago," McClellan said.

If you can't beat 'em, slime 'em...

MORE FROM BOXER'S PRESS CONFERENCE...

Senator Boxer: "It's not about overturning the election. For me, this is the opening round in the call for Electoral Justice."

Bravo, Senator. We got your back...(and, unlike others who may say it, we actually mean it.)

...MORE SOON...

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