- WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- U.S.
counterterrorism officials are looking at an emergency proposal on the
legal steps needed to postpone the November presidential election in case
of an attack by al Qaeda, Newsweek reported on Sunday.
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- Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned last week
that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network may attack within the United States
to try to disrupt the election.
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- The magazine cited unnamed sources who told it that the
Department of Homeland Security asked the Justice Department last week
to review what legal steps would be needed to delay the election if an
attack occurred on the day before or the day of the election.
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- The department was asked to review a letter to Ridge
from DeForest Soaries, who is the chairman of the new U.S. Election Assistance
Commission, the magazine said.
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- The commission was created in 2002 to provide funds to
the states to the replace punch card voting systems and provide other assistance
in conducting federal elections.
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- In his letter, Soaries pointed out that while New York's
Board of Elections suspended primary elections in New York on the day of
the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, "the federal government has no agency
that has the statutory authority to cancel and reschedule a federal election."
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- Soaries wants Ridge to ask Congress to pass legislation
giving the government such power, Newsweek reported in its latest issue
that hits the newsstands on Monday.
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- Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Rochrkasse
told the magazine the agency is reviewing the matter "to determine
what steps need to be taken to secure the election."
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