WP: Misleading Maryland GOP Handouts Called a Political 'Low Point'

[DeepModem Mom]

Misleading GOP Handouts Called a Political 'Low Point'
By Ovetta Wiggins and Avis Thomas-lester
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, November 8, 2006; Page A29


Homeless man, wearing an Ehrlich campaign T-shirt and talking to voters in District Heights, said he was recruited at a Philadelphia homeless shelter and bused to Maryland to hand out fliers. (By Linda Davidson -- The Washington Post)

At least six chartered buses carried mostly poor, black men from as far as Philadelphia to hand out inaccurate voter guides in Baltimore and Prince George's County yesterday as part of an effort by backers of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. and U.S. Senate candidate Michael S. Steele to woo black voters.

The glossy voter guide, paid for by the Ehrlich and Steele campaigns, pictured three of Maryland's most prominent black Democrats above the words "These are OUR Choices," even though two were not on yesterday's ballot and the other was running unopposed. Inside, under the heading "Democratic Sample Ballot," it listed mostly Democratic candidates as the preferred choices -- along with Ehrlich and Steele, who were not identified as Republicans.

Several people who distributed the fliers said they were recruited at a Philadelphia homeless shelter and told they would be paid $100, plus two meals, for the day.

Shareese DeLeaver, an Ehrlich spokeswoman, said the group "Democrats for Ehrlich" arranged for distribution of the fliers. She said she did not know how the people were chosen or where they came from.

"I don't know if they were bused in, walked in or crawled in," she said. "I just don't know."...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/07/AR2006110701756.html?nav=most_emailed

[AIJ Alom]

1. "I don't know if they were bused in, walked in or crawled in," she said.

"I just don't know."...

"Crawled in", very interesting choice of words. Seems like she knows a little more than she is letting on.The most disagreeable of actions is that the misleading voter guides were paid for by their campaigns so they are misrepresenting themselves. Someone in the Maryland Republican Senate and Governor's campaigns has got to pay up.

Do you recall, how the pundits were originally saying Maryland was too close to call. But I guess word of the phamplets got around and to steal this one would have brought about justice.

[DeepModem Mom]

2. I wish there were some way to hold campaigns that...

pull this kind of dirty tricks accountable.

[AIJ Alom]

3. At least we know what to look for next time. Our job is to inform

the general public of dirty tricks such as this. We will be vigilant. We should however, make a paper trails for voting machines and an end to robocalls, top election reform priorities.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Indeed!

[Bitwit1234]

5. Dems should have expected this...

Because when Ehrlich and Steele ran the last time they pulled similiar stunts. They posted flyers and called people telling them that voting was postponed to Wednesday. Flyers that said people would be arrested if they showed up to vote if they had unpaid parking tickets, late on their utility bills, or rent. They were pulling republican dirty tricks in 2002 so what was going to stop them this time.

[BootinUp]

6. Bill Maher last night said

you can't lie in advertisements for mouth wash, but its ok if it is about politics.

[mikeytherat]

7. So, how did those dirty tricks turn out for Ehrlich and Steele?

Can't even rig an election anymore? What has happened to the GOP?

:rofl:

mikey_the_rat