This press release was just sent out by the Thune campaign:
JOHN THUNE TO CHALLENGE “SHAM” COURT RULINGSIOUX FALLS –John Thune will appeal the “sham” ruling made late last night by a federal judge with close personal and political ties to Senator Tom Daschle.
“This sham ruling will not stand,” said Thune for Senate campaign manager Dick Wadhams. “Daschle’s desperate move is nothing less than an attempt to steal this election in the dark of night by a political crony in a judge’s robe.”
The testimony presented at the hearing consisted of nothing more than the speculation of a single Daschle operative from Virginia who testified that all he observed was eye-rolling and note taking by observers.
“We will appeal this ruling in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals,” Wadhams said. “We are going to order a transcript of the hearing and prove to the people of the State of South Dakota that this hearing was a farce and the decision is not supported by ANY evidence.”
Federal Judge Larry Piersol is a longtime personal friend and political ally of Daschle.
Piersol was Daschle’s personal lawyer in 1978 when Daschle first ran and won a contested election for Congress.
Daschle nominated Piersol for the appointment by President Bill Clinton for the federal judgeship Piersol now holds.
Piersol’s wife, Catherine, is listed as a supporter of Daschle in an ad appearing in today’s Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
Comments