Indeed, by not allowing Palm Beach and other counties to extend their deadlines to, say, Friday, when the absentee ballots are due, Harris has made a ruling that undoubtedly has her friends in Austin, Texas, pleased, even though she can argue that she is just abiding by the state statute. The one provision in the statute that would allow her to waive the Tuesday 5 p.m. deadline would be in the case of a national emergency, like a hurricane. Such arguments hold little water with Democrats, however.

"She is clearly a partisan Republican -- and there's nothing illegal about that," said Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Fla. "And I give everyone the benefit of the doubt, expecting them to perform their public functions appropriately. But her actions will speak volumes about whether she is qualified. If she does this fairly, fine. But if she acts as an emissary for Bush to steal this election in Florida, she will delegitimize Florida's vote count."

This isn't the first time critics have questioned Harris' impartiality. Last month, the Tampa Tribune reported Harris had spent $100,000 in state funds on trips to New York, Washington and abroad, raising "speculation [about] Harris seeking an ambassadorship if Texas Gov. George W. Bush is elected president."

Additionally, Harris personally enlisted retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf in a Florida public service TV announcement urging Floridians to go to the polls. Schwarzkopf is a well-known Bush supporter who not only vouched for Bush during the Republican National Convention but appeared with the Texas governor at numerous campaign stops throughout the Sunshine State. Democrats and others criticized Harris for selecting someone so clearly aligned with the GOP candidate.

"The only reason to certify the elections at 5 p.m. tomorrow is a partisan one," Wexler said Monday. "If she does what she says she's going to do -- certify the elections at 5 p.m. tomorrow -- she will have proven her critics correct; she will have proven that she is an emissary of the Bush campaign who is willing to steal an election."

Whether that's true or not, Harris' actions throughout the past year have given critics plenty of ammunition to use against her.

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