December 7, 2000
Produced by the Houston Fair Vote Organization Website: http://www.hal-pc.org/~edi/houston.html Contact: Edwin Johnston - edi@hal-pc.org At 1:30 p.m. on Monday, December 4, former U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaum and several Florida State Senators launched the national Orange Ribbon Campaign to show their support for thousands of disenfranchised Florida voters. These ribbons will be used to send the message that in America, every vote must be counted. They will also be used as a symbol of protest to the Republican dominated Florida Legislature to make them abandon their plans to name a separate slate of Electors. Yesterday, on the steps of the Florida State Capitol building, thousands of voters' rights supporters from across the state of Florida held a "Trust the People-Honor Our Votes Rally." The purpose of this rally was to tell the Florida Legislature that when they meet in Special Session to consider selecting Floridašs 25 Electors that they must count all of the people's votes and follow the peoplešs will. The purpose of our press conference today is to show support for both of these movements. The votes of thousands of Florida citizens have still not been counted, and with the Republican dominated Florida Legislature attempting to choose Florida's Electors, the number of disenfranchised voters will only grow larger. On Sunday, November 26, the day that Secretary of State Katherine Harris certified the Florida vote, Governor Jeb Bush, George W. Bush's brother, signed the paperwork that certified George W. Bush's victory in Florida and set up a Republican slate of Electors. This "Certificate of Ascertainment" was sent to the Archivist of the United States on Monday, November 27. Therefore, Florida has already named a slate of Electors; and it was done before the legal battles were decided. On Wednesday, November 29, the Associated Press reported that Jeb Bush, was applauding the Florida state Legislature for considering naming its own slate of Electors. Neither of these slates of Electors would reflect the will of the people of the state of Florida, as thousands of votes remain uncounted. Should Al Gore ultimately prevail in his contest of the election, there could be yet a third slate of Electors, further muddying the waters. The Republican dominated Florida Legislature is trying to use a slave era law that violates the 14th Amendment rights of due process and equal protection under the law to pave the way to their appointing Florida's Electors. If they are allowed to succeed, it will severely damage democratic rights. The Florida Republican Legislature seems willing to do anything to insure a Bush win, including running roughshod over voters' rights. Americans everywhere need to stand up and let their voices be heard; we will not allow this to happen. Al Gore said, "Ignoring votes means ignoring democracy itself. And if we ignore the votes of thousands in Florida in this election, how can you or any American have confidence that your vote will not be ignored in a future election?" Show your support for the thousands of disenfranchised voters in Florida, and at the same time send a message to the Florida state legislature that they are being watched by America and the world. Wear an Orange Ribbon.