Florida Senator Bill Nelson Files New Lawsuit Seeking To Extend Recount Deadlines
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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is filing another lawsuit related to the ongoing recount of the U.S. Senate race.
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to push back the deadline for a potential hand recount in the race. It also asks a judge to set aside some of the rules in place for a hand recount.
Right now, counties are doing a machine recount of the tight race between Nelson and Florida Governor Rick Scott.
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If Nelson and Scott are separated by 0.25 percent or less after the first recount then a second hand recount will be ordered. The results are due Sunday.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says President Donald Trump and Scott are attempting to bully Florida election officials out of doing their jobs.
Schumer and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, both Democrats, spoke with reporters Tuesday in Washington.
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Scott, a Republican, is challenging Nelson for his Senate seat. Scott's slight lead over Nelson following last week's election prompted an automatic recount.
Schumer says Scott should recuse himself from any duties connected to the recount. Nelson echoed those sentiments, saying Scott can't oversee the process in a fair and impartial way.
Schumer says election officials should have all the time they need to count every vote, rather than Sunday's deadline.
He says President Trump, who has made unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, should stop bullying, harassing and lying about the vote in Florida.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
