I’ve read a number of the letters written by Keith Twombley this semester. I’ve been disgusted by his repeated misrepresentation of facts, but his letter on Dec. 4 crossed the line.

First, Twombley indicates that Florida law mandates a complete statewide recount, and that Bush has fought this. Apparently Twombley doesn’t realize that a statewide recount was performed on Nov. 8 and those results were received by the Secretary of State and noted as the official count.

Clearly, Twombley has mistaken a recount for a manual recount, and in this those are two very different things. There are issues here.

First of all, under Florida law a manual recount is provided for only under the circumstance of machine error and the decision as to whether to undertake a manual recount is that of county canvassing boards — not candidates.

There is no provision in Florida or Federal law allowing for a statewide manual recount. Gore’s offer for a full manual recount was unfounded in law and likely violates the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution by making the votes of Floridians more closely scrutinized than the rest of the nation’s.

Second, most counties didn’t see the need to manually recount votes — despite being run by Democrats. Miami-Dade only began doing so under threat of prosecution by Gore.

Twombley missed another fact when he claimed that Harris “illegally filed a deadline for vote counting.”

It is Florida law that the final vote tally be certified after seven days after an election. Harris followed the letter of the law, she didn’t arbitrarily make up numbers, as the Florida Supreme Court did.

Is the Florida Supreme Court biased? I have great respect for the law and courts, but when our nation’s highest court is “unclear as to the extent to which the Florida Supreme Court saw the Florida Constitution as circumscribing the legislature’s authority” (from their Dec. 4 opinion), I can’t help but wonder.

The U.S. Supreme Court viewed the Florida Court’s decision as unfounded in the law. If the Florida Court didn’t base their decision in law, it must be based in prejudice.

Next, do you believe that our armed services have nothing better to do than make sure their envelope is postmarked? Our service men and women rely on foreign post offices and shipboard postal services. Despite that, they have a right for their vote to count.

Your illegal ballot issue also lacks merit. The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that the Democrat-designed, Democrat-approved, ballot was legal. The U.S. Supreme Court has long held that a voter is assumed competent and to act with appropriate gravity when voting.

In plain language, voting is important enough that the voter should read the ballot carefully, and if they can’t, ask for help.

Bush’s Magic Eight Ball, as you put it Mr. Twombley, does not exist. Viewing the series of events over the last month, a consistent pattern of action-reaction is evident. Gore acts, Bush responds defensively but assuredly.

Scott T Sevcik

Junior

Aerospace engineering

President

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