Democrats, GOP differ on cost of illegal phone-jamming

[MaineDem]

MANCHESTER, N.H. --State Democrats says Republicans should pay them $4.1 million in damages for an illegal phone-jamming operation that disrupted get-out-the-vote operations on Election Day 2002.

That's nearly half of what Democrats spent on their six-month effort, which was disrupted for nearly two hours the day it was supposed to pay off.

The state and national Republican parties say they should pay only $4,974 -- the actual cost of the disrupted telephone service and rental costs -- to $21,287.

The disagreement is in a civil lawsuit by the state Democratic Party against the state GOP and several national Republican organizations. The trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 4 in Hillsborough County Superior Court.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2006/11/21/democrats_gop_differ_on_cost_of_illegal_phone_jamming/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News

I love what the NH Dems are doing to keep this issue alive. I hope they are able to collect damages. The RNC has poured big bucks into fighting this case.

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Ummm...did the Cons stiff the phone jammers or something?

Seems to me they would have already paid the bill to the providers on that operation.

It's time for them to pony up on all legal fees and pay some serious punitive damage money.

[SpiralHawk]

2. republicons: "It's ok for us to violate the law, we are 'elite'"

They think they are special.

Bwaaaa ha ha ha ha.

Lock up deviant criminal republicons now. Make America safe for law-abiding, democracy loving cititizens.

[EST]

3. Imo, the republican party, in it's authorization of this criminal

enterprise, destroyed something irreplaceable and priceless-democracy.
That party of crooks and liars should be disbanded and its members enjoined from ever associating with each other in a political context, or else, the offending members lose their franchises-since they denied that right to others-for life plus never being allowed to work or play in the political arena, under penalty of life imprisonment.

The voting franchise is a right, an enormously important one, and is to be protected accordingly.

[Demeter]

6. We're Working on It

Democracy will never be safe, until the GOP fascism is destroyed!

Cato, updated by Demeter!

[bluestateguy]

4. Let's make them a deal

The GOP doesn't have to pay a cent, and Senator Sununu resigns and a new election is held. Takers?

[Botany]

5. "They" hacked into phone lines in Ohio in 04 too.

After seeing a Republican Challenger working with a precinct judge i tried to
call a fraud protection hot line. When you got through it put you on a long
hold, played crazy music, and you never got to talk to anybody. The block was
replaced with a fast busy signal with in minutes of Kerry's concession speech.

Time to put some real teeth into the laws and lock up these shits.

BTW

<A national GOP campaign official, James Tobin of Bangor, Maine, was convicted by a jury and
sentenced to 10 months in prison, but is appealing.>

Tobin did this in 2002 and was given a raise and promotion by the Ken Mehlmen & Rove
after he was charged with his crime.

[yellowcanine]

7. Will there be punitive damages also? This shit needs to be discouraged.

A nice fat punitive damage assessment on top of actual damages should do it.

[williesgirl]

8. Put them in fucking jail for election tampering. Forget the fine.