1. I was among those who received an e-mail this morning from the former Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court, Charles T. Wells. I asked Justice Wells for permission to quote from his e-mail, and he agreed. I do so in this thread.
2. Background: Justice Wells was appointed by Democratic Governor Lawton Chiles to the Florida Supreme Court in 1994, and served until he retired in 2009. He served as Chief Justice from July 1, 2000, until June 30, 2002, and presided over the appeals in Bush v. Gore in 2000.
3. Here are excerpts from his e-mail to friends:
"I have never in the past written a letter or email to you about a preference in an election. I do so now with hesitancy because I know that you have concerns and interests which differ from mine.
"I have never in the past written a letter or email to you about a preference in an election. I do so now with hesitancy because I know that you have concerns and interests which differ from mine.
4. "However, I set out my thoughts here because I am compelled to believe that our Country, and thus our children and grandchildren, face a grave threat to keeping the kind of representative democracy that we have experienced in our life.
5. "I do not believe that we have had as serious a threat during our lives.
I have worked hard at separating my thoughts about this from partisanship. As you know I had a unique experience in 2000. In that experience I had to separate my decision from partisanship.
I have worked hard at separating my thoughts about this from partisanship. As you know I had a unique experience in 2000. In that experience I had to separate my decision from partisanship.
6. "I was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by a Democrat, but in Bush v Gore my objective analysis of the legal issues required me to write a dissenting opinion which...was cited in the majority and C.J. Rehnquist’s concurring opinion which decided the case.
7. "From my work in Bush v Gore I learned a great deal about the laws that control the election of the President. The law in respect to 'contested' elections is very confusing, outdated and fragile.
8. "I will not get into the details here. Suffice it though to say that President Trump’s threat to not accept the outcome of the election is a grave and real threat to our democracy.
9. "I have other reasons that I will not vote for Trump...But, those are not the reason I write to you. The reason I write is because the threat to this Country’s democracy is in my judgment grave and real.
10. "The only way that I can see that this threat can be eliminated is to vote for Biden. It will not be enough to just not vote for Trump. Any basis for a contested election can only really be eliminated by the election not being close.
11. "Again this year as in 2000 Florida will be a key and likely decisive state. I urge you to vote early and if by mail ensure that your vote gets to the Supervisor of Elections in your county.
Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts."
END
Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts."
END
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