Judge Upholds DNC Refusal to Seat Florida Delegates

Man, Florida don't get no respect when it comes to upholding their voting rights in court. Judge Robert Hinkel has ruled that under the First Amendment's rights to freedom of association, the Democratic party has the right to set its primary calendar and punish those who violate.

Ironically, the lawyer on behalf of Floridians was none other than U.S. Attorney Kendall Coffey, who also argued on behalf of the Gore campaign in Bush v. Gore.

Attorney Kendall Coffey, a veteran of the 2000 post-presidential race litigation, unsuccessfully asked Hinkle to make the DNC recognize the Florida delegation because the Jan. 29 primary date was set by the state Legislature. He said the DNC's alternative — picking delegates in congressional district caucuses after the primary — was unsuitable. Absentee and overseas votes couldn't participate, Coffey said, and there would be only about 150 caucuses, compared to about 6,000 polling places in the primary.

Coffey is infamous for having bitten a stripper after losing a tough case. Read Dave Barry Hits Below the Beltway for hilarious insight into Coffey and our amazing government and political system, especially if you're a fan of giant prehistoric zucchini.

This decision is, more than anything else, a blow to the Clinton campaign. Clinton supporters Senator Bill Nelson and Representative Alcee Hastings were behind the lawsuit, unsurprising as Clinton has been polling very well in polls of Florida.

However, it's also a big blow to the voters and Florida. Voters should not be disenfranchised because of where they live [as a student in D.C., this is a rather big deal for me].