Page 13 - IAV Digital Magazine #504

KanyeWest’sPresidential CampaignBallot Filed14SecondsLate, BlamesiPhoneClock
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Ben Lovejoy
Kanye West’s presidential cam- paign appears to have hit a bit of a snag after his bal- lot papers were filed in Wisconsin some 14 seconds after the deadline. West’s campaign lawyer had a vari- ety of reasons he thought this shouldn’t matter, including suggest- ing that
the iPhone clock is ‘notoriously faulty’ ...
The Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel reports the amusing story. West’s campaign is arguing he belongs on the presidential ballot in Wisconsin even if his campaign turned in his nom- ination signatures 14 seconds after the 5 p.m. on Aug. 4.
The 23-page doc- ument, filed Monday, says a state Elections Commission staffer told a West campaign aide that she turned in the nomination
papers 14 sec- onds after the deadline. State law says the papers had to have been filed by “not later” than 5 p.m.
Excuse one? 5pm doesn’t really mean 5pm.
“The statutory provision does not distinguish between minutes and seconds,” lawyer Michael Curran of Spring Green said in the filing. “For the average observer, arriving before 5:01 p.m. is arriv- ing ‘not later’ than 5 p.m.
Next, there was
the time needed to unlock the door, and interfer- ence from, well, everyone.
“Even assuming filing was not timely to begin with, the Commission should find that the nomination paperwork was timely filed here due to the locking of the Commission’s doors as well as the interference of the media and a rival campaign,” Curran wrote [...]
In Wisconsin, Curran wrote, Democratic oper- atives have made “shameful threats
against his sup- porters and an organized effort of harassment and intimidation.” Finally, there’s that iPhone clock.
Curran dismisses a video and tweet by a WISN- TV (Channel 12) reporter that Ruhland and her assistant entered the building 18 seconds after 5 p.m. Curran also challenged a video by a Democratic Party staffer that sug- gested they arrived about 20 seconds after the deadline.
That video, Curran said, used
an iPhone clock to track Ruhland’s entrance. Curran said such clocks are notoriously faulty.
A bipartisan board will now rule on Kanye West’s presidential cam- paign ballot.
The complaints will be reviewed by Elections Commission staffers, who will make a recom- mendation on West’s nomination papers to the bipartisan board. The panel is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans.
Though they may also be influenced by the reported signatures in the papers.
There are numer- ous problems with West’s nomination papers,
including incorrect addresses for cir- culators and bogus signatures, such as “Mickey Mouse” and “Bernie
Sanders.” The Democratic Party’s complaint included affidavits from six individu- als who said they were duped into putting their names on West’s paperwork.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine