With the presidential race still a toss-up, lawyers for both parties are getting ready for possible recounts in hotly-contested swing states that could determine the election outcome.
That’s what happened in 2000, when Florida remained in play for days until the Supreme Court cut off the recounts.
“They are all bracing for Florida in 2000 — everyone wants to be in position so as not to be disadvantaged by a court decision in a tie,” Steve Schmidt, who ran John McCain’s 2008 campaign, told
Politico.
Urgent Poll: One Week Until Election Day — Obama or Romney? Vote Here!
“This [is] a preventive strategy. They are largely in search of problems that don’t yet exist. It’s like the Cold War and nuclear capability. You want to have what the other guy has. ”
President Barack Obama’s top election lawyer is former White House Counsel Robert Bauer, and Romney’s is Benjamin Ginsberg, who was chief counsel for George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns. Both men were involved with the controversial Florida recount in 2000, and both will get heavily involved again if there’s a recount this time around.
“We have all the resources and infrastructure we need for any potential dispute or recount,” a senior Romney campaign aide told Politico.
Among states where the lawyers are ready to go are Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Nevada.
© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.