Ex-Democratic Party official jailed for fake Tea Party scheme

[Bozita]

JANUARY 11, 2012 AT 2:17 PM
Ex-Democratic Party official jailed for fake Tea Party scheme
BY MIKE MARTINDALE THE DETROIT NEWS


Pontiac— The former political director of the Oakland County Democratic Party was sentenced Wednesday to 30 days in jail for his role in putting bogus candidates on the ballot in 2010 under the banner of a fake Tea Party.

Jason Bauer, 28, was sentenced by Oakland Circuit Judge James Alexander to the jail time, one year's probation and more than $2,500 in fines and costs. Bauer had pleaded no contest to five counts of fraud for creating the fake political party to confuse voters and manipulate the 2010 election.

Bauer and Michael McGuinness, former county party chairman, were both charged in a scheme in which fake candidates were added to the ballot in an effort to sway votes away from legitimate candidates for local and state offices.

McGuinness was sentenced last month to one year's probation and court costs and fines for his role in the scheme.

more...
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120111/METRO02/201110421/1361/Ex-Democratic-Party-official-jailed-for-fake-Tea-Party-scheme

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Not to mention unethical and disgusting.

Let's leave that kind of "campaigning" to the KKKarl Roves of the world.

[rhett o rick]

2. Funny how KKKarl gets away with it. nm

[Jackpine Radical]

13. Yeah, I know, and in an odd way it almost doesn't bother me

because I think it indicates that most of us don't think like the psychopathic Republicans.

[Richardo]

3. That's a real Republican-type O'Keefean stunt.

Asshole.

[Bozita]

7. Speaking of O'Keefe ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002154471

[Bozita]

4. The judge is a former official with the Oakland County GOP

Last edited Wed Jan 11, 2012, 05:07 PM - Edit history (1)

-snip-

Jason Bauer, 31, of Waterford said nothing as Oakland County Circuit Court judge James Alexander, a former official with the county’s Republican party, told Bauer what he did was equivalent to murder.

“This is as heinous as someone who tries to kill somebody else,” Alexander said.

-snip-

http://www.freep.com/article/20120111/NEWS03/120111032/Oakland-County-Dems-official-sentenced-in-fake-tea-party-scheme?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

[karynnj]

15. What a strange, disgusting thing to say

That saying what he did was wrong and counterproductive. As this very likely was the first illegal thing he did and his age, I think that he should have gotten a reduced sentence or probation - isn't that what O'Keefe got - and his actions were pretty bad too - and he is continuing to do them. I hope no one in the Democratic party suggested this or knew about it in advance and did not dissuade him.

[louis-t]

5. Yet repugs get away with these tactics all the time.

Last edited Wed Jan 11, 2012, 07:29 PM - Edit history (1)

Frat house pranks, n'stuff.

[Bozita]

6. Take a peek at this ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002154471

[louis-t]

16. It was posted, but we'll have to see what happens.

I doubt O'keefe will go to prison.

[mysuzuki2]

8. sounds a lot like what the repubs did in Wisconsin by running fake primary candidates

during the last round of recall elections.

[AtomicKitten]

9. Exactly what I thought.

Dare we hope for a similar outcome?

[EC]

10. No kidding..

and it was treated like a big joke here and the repubs said it was legal and fair as far as they were concerned and since they own our courts now, it seems to fly.

[Scuba]

11. Hmmm. That means every Republican in Wisconsin deserves to be in jail....

... but then we already knew that.


In case you missed it, the R's ran "fake Democrats" in the recall elections last spring, forcing primaries and confusing voters.

[Jackpine Radical]

14. That was my first thought too, but

I think that there is a vital difference in that the Walkerites didn't create a fake Democratic Party; they just ran their candidates as Democrats, collecting the sigs necessary to get them on the ballot. If this guy had just gotten cronies to run as Republicans, he'd probably not be in trouble.

[Enrique]

12. it's against the law to confuse Tea Partiers? n/t

[AnotherMcIntosh]

21. Yes, if you're a Democrat.

[klook]

17. IOBIYAD

It's Only Bad If You're A Democrat. Let's see whether James O'Keefe's band of merry criminals does any jail time over their little "prank" in New Hampshire.

[FarLeftFist]

18. Disavowed!

[Bozita]

19. kicking due to another James O'Keefe thread here in GD

[Bozita]

20. kick, same reason