Quote:
Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I think you have to be very careful with this one. In the last election, a friend at [largely Democratic D.C. firm] told me that they couldn't get involved in the Florida recount, etc. because [specific lawyer at said firm who is a prominent Republican] was working for the Bush campaign.
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Exactly. There are roles that are non-legal and don't involve advice in recounts and the like, but what organizations like these will do is go in and challenge the Rs on specifically legal issues. As an example, where they make a significant number of challenges of people on capacity grounds in nursing homes that cater to Blacks or Jews or that have Medicare/ Medicaid patients, someone will need to defend the elderly person's right to vote. Usually, you need a fleet of people because the strategy is to make it an obvious hassle for a group of people to vote rather than to disqualify any single voter, so the lawyers are there to give comfort to the voters that they aren't alone. (By the way, the legal folks recruited by the Rs will be the one's challenging people's capacity and making it a hassle to vote).
If you want to keep your politics quiet while helping out, you'll need to get some real comfort that you're getting involved in a non-legal role, such as observing counts, rather than a legal role, such as challenging counts. You still have the possibility that you are making yourself a witness. I clear all this stuff with the right conflicts people before I do it, but, then, no one has to ask my affiliation - it is not possible to know me and not have some idea.
