Legal manoeuvres from Gore and Bush

TALLAHASSEE - Al Gore's lawyers fought for a quick recount of contested votes in Florida yesterday, but Republican lawmakers acted to outflank them, voting to call a special legislative session to help propel George W. Bush into the White House.

Gore lawyer David Boies filed an emergency appeal with the Florida Supreme Court to issue an order to start counting contested ballots immediately.

A committee of Florida's Republican-led Legislature voted 8-5 along party lines to recommend that state lawmakers hold a special session to choose the state's 25 presidential electors.

A truck carrying nearly 463,000 ballots left Palm Beach County under police escort and arrived in the state capital, Tallahassee, where a judge will hear arguments tomorrow on whether some or all of them should be recounted. A further 650,000 ballots from Miami-Dade will be transported today.

Gore submitted written briefs to the US Supreme Court ahead of arguments to be heard today. Retired General Colin Powell, widely expected to be Secretary of State in a possible Bush Administration, met the Texas Governor at his ranch but said he had not been offered any jobs by Bush.

- REUTERS

Herald Online feature: America votes

The US Electoral College

Florida Dept. of State Division of Elections

Supreme Court of Florida

Supreme Court of the United States

Democrats and Republicans wage war online