Oceanian Election Turmoil [GO News Cycle][Closed/GO Only]

[Lykens]

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Joint Statement on the Oceanian Presidential Election of 2020

12/12/2020

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Democracy is a grand experiment hundreds of years in the making, with different offshoots and brands around the world. Experiments often react in ways that we can not hypothesize and in ways that many are unprepared for. For Mu-Kal, the Union is always prepared and ready to face the continued evolution of democracy, and head on. Unfortunately in Oceania, the democratic experience has been strained and tested, stressed almost to the breaking point, with riots and increasingly violent demonstrations taking place in the aftermath of a heated and spirited Presidential Election.

Due to adherence to a traditional and to many, outdated, electoral system, Oceania finds itself in the awkward position of having a winner of two votes, the popular vote of the voters, and the electoral college vote, of those who actually elect the President. Citizens have expressed extreme shock and outrage at such an occurrence, but it is imperative that the rule of law be followed, and the results respected. Unfounded accusations have been launched by powerful figures in Oceania, to the detriment of its electoral integrity and the integrity of the Mu-Kal Union. Such actions have forced our hands on the matter.

We the Leaders of Mu-Kal and the Mu-Kal Assembly firmly believe that a peaceful solution is possible, and extend our own suggestion for resolution by the Oceanian people. President Allison Ricardo must concede the election, allowing for a peaceful transition to the administration of President-Elect Danielle Martinez. Upon her inauguration, President-Elect Martinez must follow through on several points to begin healing her nation.

She must appoint outgoing President Ricardo as Vice President, to show the people of Oceania that it is the time to heal, and commit to working towards the abolition of the Oceanian Electoral College, so that we may never find ourselves in another fractious and violent situation. It is a symptom of the aged system that a candidate who can lose the popular vote but still be elected President, and to ensure that Oceanians have faith in their electoral processes, we must ensure that this can not happen again.

In addition to assuage any and all doubts in the integrity of the electoral system of Oceania, appoint a Special Counsel to probe any and all allegations of voter fraud, and bring criminal charges where evidence is found.

To further remedy this issue, we will also call for President-Elect Martinez to commit to serving only half of the balance of her term, before resigning in favor of President Ricardo, who as her Vice President may ascend to the office of President, and then appoint President-Elect Martinez as her Vice President for the remainder of the term, ensuring a power sharing government that can show Oceanians of every stripe that they will not be forgotten or marginalized, and that patriotism over partisanship is still alive and well.

Kenneth Diaz, State Counselor of Lykens
Kenneth Everett, Prime Minister of Tumbra
Kállá Tamvere, First Minister of the United Republic of Storsnia
Mikhail Nikolayev Tikhomirov, Presidial Plenipotentiary Chief of the Mu-Kal Union Coordination and Cooperation Authority, on behalf of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Assembly of Soviets of Tanayan Socialist People's Republic
Ty Rant, Grand Chancellor of Ascolla-East Ternev
Arecelis Belmonte, Secretary-General of the Mu-Kal Union

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[Vienna Eliot]

Alison Ricardo

12/13/2020

@ricardo

#backoffDiaz Oceanians don't cave under pressure. SH will hold its inauguration as planned on Wed to install the duly elected Government.

Danielle Martinez

12/13/2020

@DanielleMartinezElicia

I am aware of the compromise proposed by several Mu-Kal Union leaders. As the lawful President-Elect of the Republic, I cannot agree to it.

[Vienna Eliot]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RE: Our Nation; Our Values

SCHLOE, OCEANIA — We're in a tough place as a nation. You don't need me to rehash what's going on — because odds are, it's already affected you, your family, and your community. It isn't every day that we face this kind of challenge. And because this isn't our every day challenge, any old solution just isn't going to cut it. This time, we've got to be bold.

That's why I'm calling on all of us to come together, and why my firm is committing $15 million to companies and nonprofits that are willing to #StepUp to the plate and help piece things back together. If your organization sees how much this affects all of us, I'm asking you to join this campaign to find a solution that will preserve our communities, our local economies, and our republic.

When I was President of Oceania, I met with hundreds of people every day to talk. But more importantly, I met with them to listen. That's what our world needs right now. In the face of a politics that has shut many of us out, I am amazed every day by the resilience of the every day Oceanians from across our country who refuse to settle; who say, "I am a human being," and fight on for what they know is right. If you're reading this, I'm asking you to do that today. I'm asking you to fight on.

Democracy isn't a spectator sport. It's a well played chess game, and ultimately, you've got to realize that it is up to you as an individual to make the changes we all talk about needing in our society. Yes: our society. Because together, we can own it one person at a time with this brilliant blueprint called democracy. Now more than ever, it's vital. You matter. The powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.

What will your verse be?

Best,
Vienna Eliot

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Contact: Interested in learning more about our firm? Contact Marie Russo, Press Liaison. press@viennaconsulting.com.

[Vienna Eliot]

blogspot.republicanpoliticsblog.co.or

What the fuck is supposed to happen tomorrow?

Hi everyone, and welcome back for the midweek post.

Here's the quick rundown of what's going down in orpol this week:

• Elicia's Fifth finished their recount, and Salvador O'Hara lost his seat. (Sadly they're just going to give him a list seat.)
• Dems actually went a step further than Martinez and told the MU to fuck off in a statement.
• Vienna Prufrock Eliot, of course, had to one up them, and now an army of tech startups are... putting out vague statements?
• Elections are fun and all, but let's not forget that the lame duck NC is pushing through some last minute tax cuts for private equity.
• And I don't have a source for this one, but at least two insiders have told me that EOE is going to run for Labor leader.

So that's the rundown. Now: what the fuck is going to happen tomorrow?

Four years ago Vienna Eliot was inaugurated POTR with much ado about bullshit. Now we've apparently decided we can't get enough of this, and President-Elect Danielle Martinez and Not-President-Elect Alison Ricardo will both be holding their own, separate inaugurations. Ricardo said in a personal statement that the majority who voted for her (it wasn't a majority) could consider her their president instead of Martinez. Unfortunately there is no constitutional provision for this.

According to Alison Ricardo (before she was president), this is "conspiracy theory blog," so I would not be surprised if a legion of reported experts discredit this on signpost, but one particularly reputable source emailed me and suggested that the military has asked the High Court who they're supposed to recognize as president. Keen observers will note that they have dodged this question several times already. Kind of hard to do that when a four star general asks, though.

Keener observers will note that the inauguration, which is at noon tomorrow, traditionally concludes with the new president entering the State House. So one of two things has to happen: Danielle Martinez is either going to set up camp in a trailer outside the executive office of the president, or Alison Ricardo is going to be evicted. Or just leave voluntarily, I guess.

Either way, that means the High Court has to rule tonight. They might have already, but if I had to speculate I'm guessing they're going to announce it publicly (with or without acknowledging the military requested clarification). If we don't have word by 11am, of course, expect people to claim there's been a coup.

[Vienna Eliot]

Williams v. Hallandale
December 16, 2020

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PER CURIAM.

The proceedings leading to the present controversy are discussed in some detail in our opinion in Martinez v. Ricardo, ante, p. ___ (per curiam) (Martinez I) and Martinez Electors v. Heritage, ante, p. ___ (per curiam) (Martinez II). On December 2, 2020, the day following the presidential election, the Hallandale Board of Elections reported that the winner, Danielle Martinez, had received 1,879,490 votes, and the runner up, Alison Ricardo, had received 1,865,097 votes, a margin of 14,393 for Martinez. Because Martinez’s margin of victory was less than "one-half of a percent ... of the votes cast," an automatic machine recount was conducted under §102.141(4) of the provincial election code, the results of which showed Martinez still winning the race but by a diminished margin.

Ricardo then sought a manual recount, pursuant to Hallandale's election protest provisions. Hal. Stat. §102.166 (2020). A dispute arose concerning the deadline for the provincial Board of Elections to submit its certification to the Secretary of State. The National Council declined to waive the midnight, December 4 deadline imposed by statute. The Hallandale Court of Appeals, however, stayed the certification until shortly before the midnight deadline. The Board of Elections certified the results after the midnight deadline, and the Secretary of State notified electors chosen by Martinez to attend the Electoral College pursuant to provincial law. Hal. Stat. §106.18 (2020). In addition, electors chosen by Ricardo attended the Electoral College.

On December 7, 2020, the Electoral College met in Annheim and seated the electors certified by the Hallandale Province, then elected Martinez as President. Petitioner, Gilday Williams, contends that Respondent, Hallandale Province, wrongly certified its electors since the Board of Elections certified the election results after the statutory deadline. We granted review and affirmed the decision of the Electoral College.

Standing in this case is clear. Petitioner, as the Chief of Staff of the Navy, must answer to the President in their capacity as Commander in Chief of the National Military Establishment. Any ambiguity in the identity of the officeholder, then, must be resolved. Likewise, because a Province is party to the case, and indeed stipulated to the facts of the complaint, this Court has original jurisdiction.

However, we do not address the certification of electors, which is a political question. Rather, we merely affirm the Constitutional authority of the Electoral College to "be the judge of the qualifications of its own members." The legally certified electors, whose qualifications are not in doubt, have the power to seat electors they deem qualified and to expel electors they deem unqualified, when the qualifications of those electors are reasonably in doubt.

It is not this Court's place to question the decision of the Electoral College as to which members it seats when legitimate doubt arose. The Electoral College is the judge of its own rules and its own membership, and it exercised its powers constitutionally in determining its composition and electing Danielle Martinez as President of the Republic. Because there is no controversy at hand, then, this Court does not grant any remedy.

It is so ordered.

[Vienna Eliot]

High Court: Martinez is president-elect
Katelyn Ríos, Associated Press
^{December 16th, 2020}

As protests extended late into the night before dueling inaugurations, the High Court issued a surprise opinion

(AP) — The High Court ruled shortly after midnight Wednesday morning that Danielle Martinez is the president-elect, affirming the decision of the Electoral College. The National Military Establishment issued a brief statement immediately thereafter pledging its loyalty to Martinez when she is inaugurated tomorrow at noon.

The opinion, made unanimously and without a signature from any one author, dismissed whether Hallandale properly certified its electors as a political question, but affirmed that the Electoral College had the right to decide which slate of electors — Ricardo's or Martinez's — to allow to vote.

"It sure does open up a can of worms," said High Court editor Dominic Mulvaney, explaining that in the future rogue electors could use the ruling to contest and even change the results of elections by "showing up in Annheim unannounced and uncertified... But it solves the problem for now."

Neither campaign commented on the ruling, but a source inside the Martinez campaign said that they were unaware of the campaign playing any role in the case.

[Winst]

removed

[Vienna Eliot]

Martinez takes office as Ricardo removed from State House
Katelyn Ríos, Associated Press
^{December 16th, 2020}

President Danielle Martinez was sworn in earlier today at noon.

(AP) — Danielle Martinez was sworn in Wednesday as the 5th President of the Republic, ending a controversial election in which she defeated incumbent Alison Ricardo but lost the nationwide popular vote. Shortly after the inauguration at noon, Ricardo was escorted out of the State House.

The High Court affirmed Martinez's victory early Wednesday morning, causing Ricardo to cancel a competing inaugural ceremony. After the former president left the premises of the executive residence, Martinez formally took up residence in the State House, hosting an inaugural ball Wednesday evening.

The Chamber of Deputies took their oath of office following the presidential inauguration, with Martinez presiding. The President is expected to name her Cabinet by the end of this week.