Steve Geller, D-FL, said to be dropping DNC lawsuit if Obama seats all FL and MI delegates.

[madfloridian]

There have been two lawsuits dragged out here in Florida over the early primary. These fellows have filed, refiled, and still not dropped officially as far as I can see.

But the events of this week have been very coincidental. Obama says FL and MI delegates will be seated in full...AND

Steve Geller says he will drop his lawsuit against the DNC.

This is all I can find today on the lawsuit.

Florida State Senator Is Dropping Lawsuit on Florida Delegates at Democratic National Convention

From July 25.

Florida State Senator Steven Geller is about to drop his lawsuit, Geller v Democratic National Committee, because the Obama campaign has assured him that Obama will ask that the full Florida delegation be seated, with a full vote for each delegate. The lawsuit had been filed on May 22, 2008, in federal court in Miami.

I will not quote any of the comments to this paragraph, they are ugly.

Some background, because there is still another lawsuit pending...in fact I can not find that this one has been officially dropped.

Pending lawsuits against the DNC because it stuck with the rules

Two federal courts in Florida are dealing with lawsuits by Florida Democrats, against the Democratic National Committee, over Florida’s lack of representation at the national convention. DiMaio v Democratic National Committee, which had been filed in August 2007, has a hearing in U.S. District Court, Middle District, on May 28. The plaintiff is a Florida Democratic voter. The case has already been to the 11th circuit, which found a procedural error, so technically this is the new DiMaio case, not the original case. 8:08cv-672T.

The other case was filed May 22 by three delegates to the national convention, State Senator Steve Geller (who is an uncommitted superdelegate), Barbara Effman (who is for Hillary Clinton) and Percy Johnson (who is for Barack Obama). It is Geller v Democratic National Committee, 08-cv-60774, southern district, in Miami.

Steve Geller of "bramble bush" video fame has endorsed Barack Obama.

Yet he never did apologize for going on the BBC and threatening the DNC and Dean with
"mutually assured destruction.

I will watching for more about the lawsuit being dropped.

[whistle]

1. Is it up to Obama?

[madfloridian]

2. Yes, he just yesterday said he would seat full delegations.

.

[DevonRex]

4. I thought he requested that the DNC do that but that the DNC had

not replied yet. Maybe I'm out of the loop.

Thanks for the post. :)

[madfloridian]

7. He did, but the DNC is part of his campaign now.

These Florida Democrats kept donations from Dean and the DNC and blamed them for standing by the rules.

And then effing sued them.

That is why there are PUMAs now....because of my state's idiotic Democrats.

Because the Dems in FL and MI tried to break the rules and blame Dean.

I would call these lawsuits a form of blackmail, but I guess I won't go there.

[DevonRex]

8. You are so right about that...

I think it is a form of blackmail, too.

Thanks for the clarification on the DNC part.

[madfloridian]

10. You are welcome.

:hi:

[MaineDem]

14. Yes, the campaigns have merged but the delegates still have to vote

And not all delegates (after the credentials committee has its say) are willing to go along to seat all the FL and MI delegates.

[madfloridian]

15. I would imagine not.

In fact I would hope not.

I think Obama had to make the gesture.

[DevonRex]

3. No, it isn't. He has written a letter to the DNC asking that they

be seated. But it is ultimately the DNC's call. And they already ruled on the matter twice now.

[whistle]

5. That's what I thought, let's see if the DNC comples to Obama's request

[madfloridian]

6. The DNC is part of the Obama campaign now....

That is what happens when there is a nominee. He has moved part of the DNC to Chicago.

[janx]

11. YEP.

The request from Obama was not exactly a request, unless it was a request for a rubber stamp.

[madfloridian]

13. Exactly, like a request that will be done.

He has said this before. Doesn't matter, the puma blogs are exploding with anger now like how dare he?

[Debi]

20. The Rules Committee voted on it - this time the Credentials Committee gets to vote

and they'll do what the proposed nominee requests.

[madfloridian]

28. I just saw somewhere that Dean appointed a new rules committee for convention

:shrug:

Getting confusing.

[Whisp]

9. so what do you think of all this, mad?

did Obama do the right thing - I think so - what other way would there be to rid himself of those disruptors. but then they may file suit for retro damages or something akin - they don't want to settle , obviously, they want to make life miserable for Obama.

Does this make for a bad example tho for future races: dont' follow the rules and you still get fully represented at the convention.

[madfloridian]

12. I don't think he has a choice....I don't think it will matter to the Obama disrupters.

I went to some of the blogs and they think Obama is arrogant for saying he will seat all of them.

One of them is calling for an investigation into is Dean is still getting paid?

Totally no way to satisfy.

He did what he had to do. Dean did what he had to do during the primaries and he paid a dear price for it financially

[crimsonblue]

16. I read the comments

on that first article, and the stupidity of some amazes me. I don't know if it's bitterness or whatnot, but Obama won fairly and he in no way blocked new elections. I wonder how much of the PUMA movement is fueled solely by racism and violent feminism (thus giving a terrible name to all that fight for equal rights).

[madfloridian]

19. They must search on terms with DNC or Dean or Obama....

and they flock there and post comments...ugly ones.

[RollWithIt]

17. Media hype... the guy just wanted the votes to count....

Lots of people in Florida voted. Seat the delegates, Obama is the nominee.

[madfloridian]

18. Here's your media hype.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1910

Steve Geller was one of the worst instigators of the rule-breaking in Florida.

The Democrats in my state voted for the early primary bill almost 100%, and then they lied about it.

See how Geller went to the BBC and whined about Dean's destruction. The man compared the chairman to Cartman on South Park.

He's a fool. When I post about that fool I get all kinds of new folks here to tell me how great he is.

[Debi]

21. I was waiting to see what you'd have to say about this n/t

[madfloridian]

23. It makes me livid.

:grr:

[madfloridian]

22. Hey, rollwithit.....did you know Geller was going to sue IA, NH, NV, and SC?

Do you know why? Because he said they were terrorist rogue states...and the poor man was not kidding. He also said Dean was not welcome in Florida.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1527

"Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller, who on Wednesday labeled Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina “terrorist, rogue states” for coercing Democratic presidential candidates not to campaign in Florida in advance of its Jan. 29 primary, on Thursday announced he will not be attending a Tallahassee fundraiser held by the head terrorist himself, Democratic chairman Howard Dean.

“He’s welcome in certain, small enclaves of the state,” Geller told the Q. “If you don’t have something nice to say about someone, you shouldn’t say anything at all. Therefore I will not go.”

He is a very annoying man.

[madfloridian]

24. This site is updated daily...shows nothing about suit being dropped.

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/GellervDNC.php

[madfloridian]

25. Did a search today for some resolution on this. Nothing.

:shrug:

[madfloridian]

26. I will bet he does NOT drop this lawsuit.

He will keep it going to stir things up.

[madfloridian]

27. Update: He has not dropped it yet.

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/GellervDNC.php

Neither has Vic DiMaio.

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/DiMaiov.DemocraticNationalCommittee.php

So still two pending lawsuits against the DNC by Florida Democrats.

[madfloridian]

29. Another update: still no record it has been dropped.

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/GellervDNC.php

[TechBear_Seattle]

30. I thought this had all been settled n/t

[madfloridian]

31. No, two lawsuits still pending.

I thought the Geller one had to settle by July 28...but nothing yet.

DiMaio just refiled.

[Vattel]

32. The DNC had its head up its ass

and so did the some of Florida's democratic state leaders. Plenty of blame to go around. Bottom line: the DNC has no business demanding that primaries not be scheduled when a state legislature schedules them.

[geiger]

33. There is no end to the duplicity of the Clintons.

[geiger]

34. kick.

[madfloridian]

35. Geller lawsuit officially dropped. Another lawsuit reinstated against the DNC

So, there is now only one pending lawsuit against the DNC. I guess we should cheer.

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/Geller-Motion-8-14-08.pdf

"3. Thereafter, the nomination process for the Democratic nominee for
President for the 2008 election became, effectively, uncontested. On August 3, 2008, Senator Obama requested, in writing, that Defendant’s Credentials Committee restore full voting rights to Florida’s Delegates to the Democratic National Convention. Such action, once it is, as is expected, implemented by Defendant’s Credentials Committee will afford
to Plaintiffs, via these non-judicial processes, all relief they seek in this action.

4. As a consequence, the claims herein have been effectively rendered moot by events that have transpired since the filing of this action. In the interests of judicial efficiency and because, in Plaintiffs’ view, justice has now been effected, this action should be dismissed, as moot.

6. Plaintiffs, accordingly, request that this action be dismissed, with
prejudice, with all parties to bear their own costs and attorneys’ fees.