Explainer

Does Florida Have a Certified Slate of Electors?

Yes. The slate for George W. Bush was certified with a 537-vote margin on Nov. 26 by Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris. That was the deadline given by the Florida Supreme Court to conduct a manual recount in disputed counties, a deadline Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties were unable to meet. Florida Gov. Jeb Bush promptly sent the paperwork for the slate to the archivist of the United States. Throughout all the legal maneuvering after Nov. 26, that Bush slate was never decertified. Since the Florida Legislature has now decided to stop its separate action to certify a Bush slate, the archivist does not have to decide what to do about two separate certifications for the same slate.

Explainer gets mail. …

Explainer–you idiot, you said yesterday the hapless Joseph Klock, who misidentified several Supreme Court justices during Bush v. Gore oral arguments, was a Bush attorney. Don’t you know he was there on behalf of “Respondents Katherine Harris, et al. In support of Petitioner”?

Yes. Explainer should have said he was an attorney for “Respondents Katherine Harris, et al. In support of Petitioner.” Or that he was an attorney for the Bush side.

Next question?

Explainer thanks Michael White of the Office of the Federal Register.