Iowa Democratic Chair (who is preventing a caucus review) is a Clinton fundraiser, former co-chair

[CoffeeCat]

The Des Moines Register is asking for the Iowa Democratic Party to allow an examination of the caucus-night records. The Register has asked the Chairperson of the Iowa Democratic Party for the records.

The Chairperson of the Iowa Democratic Party is Andy McGuire. She is unilaterally preventing any examination of any data related to the caucus, thus far. Every precinct is required to submit their caucus totals (and the math they completed) to the Iowa Democratic Party. Bernie Sanders also asked his precinct captains to submit the same data--separately--to his campaign.

Sanders would like to compare the data that he received from his precinct captains--to the data that the Iowa Democratic party has--specifically in precincts in which problems or possible errors have been reported to the Sanders campaign.

Andy McGuire has refused to give the data to Sanders. Andy McGuire has refused to give the data to the Des Moines Register. She is unilaterally preventing any examination of the caucus results.

It's important to note the following facts about Andy McGuire.

McGuire’s license plate on her Buick Enclave says “HRC 2016,” as in “Hillary Rodham Clinton.” (Source: “Clinton makes just one excruciating’ Iowa mention,” Des Moines Register, 6/11/14)

McGuire was co-chair of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 Iowa campaign.

McGuire had Hillary Clinton fundraisers in her home. In 2007, the New York Times reported, “On Friday night, Mrs. Clinton had dinner in Des Moines at the home of a leading Democrat, Andrea McGuire, and was joined by several other influential party members: Mr. Boswell; the state Senate Democratic leader, Michael Gronstal; and Bonnie Campbell, the former state attorney general, among others.” (“Clinton, in Iowa, Vows to ‘Renew the Promise of America,’” New York Times, 1/28/07)

In 2007, McGuire served on Hillary Clinton’s National Council of Civic Leaders as well as the Women’s Leadership Council for Team Hillary in Iowa.

Sources:
https://caffeinatedthoughts.com/2015/04/some-fun-facts-about-the-new-iowa-democratic-party-chair/

http://www.bleedingheartland.com/2015/01/17/three-pros-and-three-cons-of-andy-mcguire-as-iowa-democratic-party-chair-updated/

[litlbilly]

1. I wonder what she has to hide? Kinda seems like something the republican party would do, not

release records. If they are positive Hillary won Iowa, why not prove it?

[CharlotteVale]

10. +1000000

[peacebird]

2. And that is who is refusing to divulge the counts. I'm sure that she wouldn't DREAM of 'helping' HRC

However I am NOT at all sure that she wouldn't actually do it!

[Motown_Johnny]

3. a DWS Mini-Me ?

[Dragonfli]

5. I expect this will be a trend throughout the entire primary. /nt

[Ford_Prefect]

4. Is It possible they don't know, made up the final numbers to suit, and cannot prove anything?

Which makes comparing notes and observations more than embarrassing. It could lead to charges of Fraud. What the presumptive nominee would like to avoid, and Iowa Party officials, not only embarrassed but possibly in court, would then have is the basis for the Republican party calling the Democrats cheaters. Wouldn't THAT be awkward come election day?

[NowSam]

6. They own the table and it is slanted

We need to demand integrity in our voting systems. There are too many questions in Iowa this year that need to be answered or it will be only the first of many hanging chads in this election season. Since Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004 we the people have rolled over and allowed the system to become a farce. It wasn't a caucus, it was a circus.

[RiverLover]

7. Hear, hear!

It is a farce. A rigged farce.

We need to face it, and then fix it.

[NowSam]

8. No more protecting the Status Quo eom

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. This requires another lawsuit!

Who the hell does that woman (McGuire) think she is? She can't be allowed to get away with this.

Next, we'll find out she shredded all the paperwork.

SUE HER FOR ACCESS!

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[CharlotteVale]

11. Will the DMR take it any further?

[cui bono]

12. This should be posted every damn day.

[CoffeeCat]

13. I am so torn and so upset because I love our Iowa Caucuses

Last edited Thu Feb 4, 2016, 03:59 PM - Edit history (3)

I've always been so proud of our process. It's so transparent and open. We vote by a show of hands, as I'm sure many of you have seen, from the videos. I've relentlessly defended our process as I've watched many criticize it, attempt to disparage it and turn people against it.

You couldn't find a more fierce advocate for our Iowa caucus system.

However, there were problems this year, obviously. And I frankly, don't understand it. In 2008 everything was smooth sailing. We had record turnout that year, and our caucus was perfectly organized. No problems at all. I didn't hear of any problems in any other precincts. This year, we had many problems in my precinct, where I was one of the many precinct captains. Democrats checked in, and their names weren't on the list. They should have been. So, they had to wait in the same line as those who were first-time caucus goers and those who were changing parties. It was chaos. The lines were out the door for 45 minutes and we ran out of voter-registration forms. We were crammed into an elementary school gymnasium. There were caucus count anomalies in my precinct too.

The first count and the last count should not have added up--because several people left the caucus. Some were O'Malley supporters. Some were parents who had unruly kids. When the counts were finished, the Hillary person said they matched. However, they should not have. It appears that she made them match on paper. How did she do it? Did she decrease/increase one candidate's/both candidate's numbers?

Also, Bernie's count only increased by 4 after we realigned. That number was wrong. I pulled several Undecideds and MOM supporters to our Bernie camp. More than 4. The other precinct captain did the same thing.

The sad truth? Hillary earned 6 delegates in our precinct; Bernie 3. Bernie was 3 people away from earning one more delegate. I believe he did have that many, but it was not reflected in the final count. Because, there's no way that Bernie only gained 4 (as recorded) because myself and the other precinct captain swayed more than 4 people.

The end result should have been 5 Clinton; 4 Bernie. That would have decreased Clinton's Iowa total by 1 and increased Bernie's by 1, making the race even closer. Many anomalies such as this have been discovered by the Bernie camp. The Bernie campaign called me and I reported what I had witnessed. They took the information and I was told that there were many instances like this.

My fear is not so much about the final result being wrong. I think that is set in stone. There's absolutely NO WAY to go back and change a caucus result. There is no paper trail or documentation that would support (or refute) what I just reported. However, we precinct captains know that those numbers should not have matched. They were made to match. But how? How were the numbers finagled?

My fear is that Iowa is now Florida and Andy McGuire is our Catherine Harris. My fear is also that this was done intentionally. At least 100 precincts were staffed without a Precinct Chair. It's also been reported that numerous precincts were merged, created greater numbers at the caucuses. That would explain the chaos, the crowding, the running out of forms.

Again, 2008 was smooth as silk. Our caucus was well run, organized and so much fun. This year it was stressful and chaotic. I feel that someone has intentionally set us up to fail. I feel that someone purposely created chaos by leaving 100 precincts without a Chair. And if widespread precinct consolidation did happen, why was that done?

I remember reading that Drake University only had two caucus sites? I remember being appalled. I didn't realize the situation would be widespread.

I don't understand what happened. I can't believe that it happened in my precinct too. I feel that our system is being intentionally sabotaged. Caucuses are "creatures of the extreme", you know.

[99th_Monkey]

14. Oh boy!! Hmmm. The plot thickens. She's the one who threw together the CNN Forum

that was nothing but a thinly disguised kangaroo court, complete with planted questions,
a 'moderator' who relentlessly attacked Bernie like a rabid jackal, only to greet Hillary with
a hug and a kiss (literally) and only had nice soft-ball 'questions'..

Yet, that's her, and she's got some explaining to do it would appear.

Thanks for your OP and all your work in Iowa.

[Punkingal]

15. This is just so sad.

I feel your frustration. Why do the Clintons want to win so badly they would cheat? They are no better than Jeb and Katherine Harris.

[NCTraveler]

16. Of course. Clinton is surrounded by intelligent, ambitious, progressive women.

Nothing surprising here.

[CoffeeCat]

17. I don't find it surprising that Clinton surrounds herself with

women from the Democratic party who support her. I agree, that is not surprising.

It's fine that a politically active head of the Iowa Democratic party would have a candidate of choice. Andy McGuire is allowed to support Clinton, Bernie, O'Malley or Donald Duck, if she so chooses.

However, in a race this tight--when several discrepancies and anomalies have been reported--she does not have the right to withhold the official caucus data from the Iowa people.

That data needs to be looked over. It should be released.

Andy McGuire does not have the right to keep this data from the any campaign, or from the people of Iowa.

I noticed that during the 2008 caucuses, the vote totals were released by PRECINCT. You could look at the precinct totals, which were made public--and Precinct Captains and Chairs (or even caucusgoers) could compare the public reports with their own reports.

The process was open. This year, they've only released county totals. Something is just not right.

[frylock]

18. Maybe this intelligent woman should be more ambitious about progressing transparency.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. Iowa is the New Florida.

[ViseGrip]

20. Look, Sanders camp has already found errors. And, he's only looking for 200+ votes.

What happens when they find so much more? Is Hillary still the winner?????

THIS IS BULLSHIT! I HOPE THEY STAY ON THIS.

[malokvale77]

21. I'm beginning to think...

Ralph Nader was correct when he said both parties are the same.