AUSTIN, Texas -- Oh boy! Starting the year off briskly, lending it such tone already, such cachet, such je ne sais quoi -- those Republicans are so special, aren't they? Their first move, first rat out of the trap, top priority: lower ethics standards. Yessiree, this 2005 is going to be quite a year, some pip.

Let's put that to a vote. Many problems before us -- Iraq, a Social Security "crisis," a real health care crisis, world terrorism, our international reputation possibly at its lowest ever ... who is in favor of lowering ethics standards first? Who thinks ethics standards in Washington are too high?

House "Republican leaders" -- that would be your Tom DeLay, Dennis Hastert and other moral heroes of our time -- want to repeal the rule that makes it possible for the House to censure members for bringing "discredit" on the House, even if their behavior does not fall under a specific rule.

This document contains links to pdfs of the complete text of the filings of the VERIFIED ELECTION CONTEST PETITION IN THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO, also known as Moss v. Bush, and other related court documents.

Moss v. Bush

First Filing (Dismissed) (File size: 82 KB)
Second Filing (Current) (File size: 1.2 MB)

Moss v. Bush expert witness depositions

Dr. Baiman (File size: 100 KB)

Dr. Lange (File size: 76 KB)

Dr. Phillips (File size: 152 KB)

Moss v. Moyer

First Filing (Current) (File size: 838 KB)

I'll admit it; my checkbook is not very tidy.  Like many people, I don't scrupulously reconcile my bank statements and I don't record every trip to the ATM or check card purchase the way my dad taught me.  Usually everything works out fine but every once in a while I bounce a check and suffer the consequences of my sloppiness.   It seems our public officials are being just as reckless with our votes.  An examination of the New Mexico canvass report of the November 2 election suggests that the state might be running the risk of bouncing an election.

USA Today founder Al Neuharth's New Year's Resolution that we should support the troops in Iraq by bringing them home has stirred up a hornet's nest, according to Editor & Publisher Magazine which, after describing Neuharth's Dec. 22 Christmas column, was inundated with hate mail.

The E&P staff wrote that Neuharth said if he were eligible to serve in Iraq, "I would do all I could to avoid it."  Neuharth also wrote in his weekly column for the paper that America's New Year's Resolution should be to bring the troops home "sooner rather than later."

Neuharth, who is 80, recalled his duty as an infantryman in France, Germany and the Phillipines during World War II as "highly moral." But he said that troops floundering around in the bloody Iraqi mess today were, like those in Vietnam, thrust into an "ill-advised adventure by an unwise commander-in-chief," and should be brought home post-haste.

The vitriolic response was immediate, and got the attention of editor Greg Mitchell, who said E&P's little four-paragraph article "drew more letters than virtually any story we have ever posted."

Republican recently sort of maybe re-elected Chief Justice Moyer in the Ohio Supreme Court apparently deems the Judicial Code of Ohio, specifically Cannon 3, not sufficiently convincing to recuse himself. That Canon specifically provides that if your economic interests are tied to the outcome of litigation you MUST recuse yourself. Moyer’s job and salary are base on his reelection results. Notwithstanding that his Election results are shadowed by the same alleged problems with the voting manipulations and irregularities plaguing the Presidential Election, and notwithstanding that there is a collateral action by the same plaintiff attorneys against Moyer himself related to the pled illegitimacy of his re-election, before any evidence on any substantive summary judgment motion or hearings issued, and before even his Court apparently effectively served the Defendants according to the spurious arguments of those main Defendants served but ducking subpoenas, Moyer deems the plaintiff's case-in advance- "inadequate."