Blackwell Orders Voter Records on Lockdown Until AFTER Recount

[rehema]

Greene County elections board scrutinized

Office containing ballots found unlocked overnight

<snip>
Election observers examining Greene County voter records were told Friday the records were to be sealed after Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell ordered county boards of election to consider all election-related records as falling within a "canvassing period."

<snip>
This period usually lasts about 10 days after the election, but was being extended because an official recount is under way in the state, according to Blackwell spokesman Carlo LoParo

<snip>
LoParo said the records are to be treated with the "utmost care" until the recount is over.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localnews/daily/1212greene.html

[checks-n-balances]

1. Why are we not surprised?

I'd like to see this get some air time over the MSM, but I'm not holding my breath.

[ebayfool]

2. records are to be treated with the "utmost care" ?

<snip>

"But Quinn and her colleagues say that when they entered the unlocked building, voting machines and voter records had been left in the open."

So now Blackwell is beginning the damage control.

[rehema]

4. Blackwell has changed the rules once again

Re: Poll Books story Nov. 28th

Local activist the Rev. Werner Lange of Newton Falls sued the county elections board after it refused to let him inspect the books. The books show who voted. Elections officials said the books are not available to the public until after the official recount is complete, which is expected to be on Monday. The suit was filed nearly two weeks ago.

Blackwell backed up the elections board and cited a section of state law that reads, "The board shall carefully preserve the poll book, poll list or signature poll book, and tally sheet delivered to it form each polling place until it has completed the official canvass of the election returns.''

So is Blackwell saying Ohio votes are not 'official' as yet??

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:bHEMKvtmwPIJ:www.tribune-chronicle.com/editorial/story/1128202004_edi01edit28.asp+Poll+books+are+public+record+&hl=en

[eowyn_of_rohan]

3. Oh B.S.

He has been an obstructionist in every way he could think of throughout this ordeal, after delaying the certification, having people arrested for trying to deliver a letter, or trying to protest (peacefully) outside his office... and probably more things that I cant remember right now. There is no reason to believe he is being any different now. I AM scared though that he and his band of crooks have destroyed evidence and/or replaced real ballots with fake... I HOPE WE CAN GET HIM ON SOMETHING!

[rehema]

6. Blackwell has allegiance to Bush Family

"Blackwell, a former Cincinnati mayor, toiled with the younger Bush on his father's 1988 campaign and worked for President Bush as an undersecretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and as U.N. human rights ambassador."

http://www.cincypost.com/news/black022400.html

In addition, Blackwell has no fear because the MSM will not expose him or the other 'thugs'

[eowyn_of_rohan]

7. Gee, I wonder how old Blackheart got elected...

Seems Ohio is rather controlled by these types, doesn't it?

[Junkdrawer]

5. Typical. They do something outrageous...THEN use it as an excuse...

to do something even more outrageous.

[Twist_U_Up]

8. Has Rep. Conyers Got a room to hold conf. ?

The last I knew they where going to have to have it on the steps . Any word on whats up with that ?

[henslee]

9. Do they have Shakeys pizza in Ohio?

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. This guy is a Bush goon!

Uneffing believable! Call the media in the Soviet Union! We need a real free press to report this!

[Red State Blues]

12. SOS! SOS! SOS! n/t

[Red State Blues]

11. MotherF* !

I read "Manufacturing Consent" years ago and have had to (painfully) chuckle when I've read "Where's the Main Stream Media?", but really, WTF!!?

[farmbo]

13. Note!! Greene County/ Triad connection (home of central tabulators)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=130512&mesg_id=130512&page=

[dzika]

14. Send this story to the Media

If you aren't able to go to a rally today then please take some time to email the story that started this thread to the media.

Thank You!!!

There have been a lot of great suggestions. Please excuse me for not mentioning the author of each suggestion.


DU MEDIA BLASTER:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cu/cu.php?az=blaster

and this is a large list of national media sources http://www.rumormillnews.com/MEDIA_EMAIL_ADDRESSES.htm


INTERNATIONAL MONITORS:
Tell them we need for them to issue a strong statement to the international and US press.
Tell them:
1) The issue is not over because Kerry conceded; we, the citizens of the US, have a right for the world to know that our election was fraudulent.
2) The Bush administration is stonewalling our efforts to get at the truth.
Beg them!!!!
[e-mail]
[e-mail]

and write Danish Reporter because he has access to some of them:
[e-mail]

Mention the connection between Greene County and Triad if it is something you know about.


CONTACT BLACKWELL:
I have just updated Blackwell action to reflect this new info
http://www.stolenelection2004.com/alerts.html#blackwell

Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone] (New)Fax: [phone]
TOLL FREE: 1 877 767 3453

You can also contact Ohio media
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/?command=state_search&state=oh

C. You can contact the Ohio Governor at http://governor.ohio.gov/contactinfopage.asp phone: [phone]

[proudtobeadem]

17. If you can

compose a basic email for me, I can blast the media with it. I really have a hard time composing and will spend 2 hours and a lot of stress to compose one. The work I do never requires that I write letters.
I just need help with the content not the spelling/punctuation.

[JoMama49]

28. Done!

[mattclearing]

15. This reminds me of the Freepers being afraid of after election tampering

eom.

[Amaryllis]

16. Recommended ACTION item on lockdown and Ohio recount

http://www.stolenelection2004.com/alerts.html

This site has recommended action items on the lockdown,and the Ohio recout, including a sample letter to Blackwell, contact info, etc. The site is a bit disorganized and you have to kind of poke around but the info is updated several times a day and is a great place for updates on what's happening in Ohio as well as being the best action page I have seen.

Also, please note this CRUCIAL information from the same site. WE MUST MAKE SURE THERE IS A HAND RECOUNT IN OHIO! Please spread this all over DU.

"The Green party is demanding a FULL recount and the Democrats are not sure if they will make that request yet. They might be satisfied with a 3% hand count and let the rest run through the same faulty machines! The local Ohio Boards of Elections different counties which makes the final decision will get "cover" if the Democrats are satisfied with 3%. For more info click here.

Tell the Dems that a full manual recount--and a full investigation of the voting machines-- is the only way to make sure every vote will count!

Contact: Contact the Ohio Dems 614-221-6563 (voice) 614-221-0721 (fax) email [e-mail];
The DNC: Phone [phone] and http://www.democrats.org/contact
and Kerry Campaign (phone) 202-712-3000, try ext.5377;

Kerry's Senate fax [phone] and Email http://kerry.senate.gov/bandwidth/contact/email.html Note: When People have called Kerry's office they are told that Kerry cannot conduct election business from his Senate office and they are referred to the DNC, so any messages sent to his Senate office may be forward to the DNC."

Also see http://www.votecobb.org/recount/daily_update/
for daily updates.

[rehema]

18. I will send article to Keith O as well n/t

[Amaryllis]

19. Did Blackwell say on Countdown he wouldn't impede recount?

This is from Keith's blog but I can't find the show transcript for that day. They are only posted for a week. Anyone else have it?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6533008/
Bloggerman
November 29

"Last week, the incoming president of the association of county election officials mused out loud about a suit to stop the Glibs, so I asked Blackwell if he was saying that his office would take no step to try to prevent the recount. “Once they ask for a recount, we will provide them with a recount… we will regard this as yet another audit of the voting process."

Guess he doesn't consider the voting records relevant to the recount, or part of the audit of the voting process.

I emailed Keith last night with the Beckerman blogspot article and asked him to talk about this Monday.

[dzika]

21. I think that this is the transcript your are looking for

'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Nov. 29
Read the transcript to the 8 p.m. ET showUpdated: 2:06 p.m. ET Nov. 30, 2004
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6620799/

-snip-
BLACKWELL: We are, in fact, abiding by the law, which basically
that, once there is a certification, you have five days to ask for a
recount. I would anticipate that they will ask for a recount, the
two minor-party candidates, and they will get it.

-snip-
OLBERMANN: Then again, as your law gives you the right to certify
under the conditions that you mentioned, your laws also say how much
a candidate is charged per precinct. It‘s not like these are the
prices...

(CROSSTALK)

BLACKWELL: Oh, absolutely. And that‘s what I said. They are
entitled to it under the law.

-snip-
OLBERMANN: As it plays into the recount, though, sir, are you
saying that your office does not anticipate taking any steps to try
to prevent a recount in Ohio?

BLACKWELL: No, we haven‘t. We‘ve told the two officials candidates
that have—the candidates that have asked for a recount that, once we
certify on December 6, they have five days to certify, I mean, to
ask for a recount.

Once they ask for a recount, we will provide them with a recount.
And that‘s what I‘ve said from the very first indication that they
were interested in a recount. Once it was established that they
were statewide candidates withstanding, our law says that they can
ask for a recount. We will regard this as yet another audit of the
voting process.

PS - Blackwell is a liar.

[tinfoil_beret]

20. Why hasn't anyone stated the obvious?

An accurate recount requires examination of all election records.

Sealing the records until the completion of the recount makes it impossible to validate and reconcile the ballots counted, which thereby prevents an accurate recount. Especially because independent investigators have identified a failure to reconcile the poll books with the official counts, the recount process must require this reconciliation, and this reconciliation entails examination of relevant records.

By sealing the records, Mr. Blackwell assumes a separation of the recount process and investigation process, where no separation of the two aspects of determining an accurate count can exist.

[skids]

23. A recount isn't an audit. n/t

[rehema]

25. The recount is not an "official" canvass --Blackwell stinks

Blackwell backed up the elections board and cited a section of state law that reads, "The board shall carefully preserve the poll book, poll list or signature poll book, and tally sheet delivered to it form each polling place until it has completed the official canvass of the election returns.''

The State of Ohio did not call for the recount so it is not considered the "official canvass of the election returns."

If Blackwell is calling the recount "official" the state of Ohio should refund filing fees to Glibs in my opinion.

[pointsoflight]

27. Yes, the vote has been certified, so it is official.

These actions are ridiculous and I suspect will be dealt with in court tommorrow.

[ValleyGirl]

22. "Canvassing Period"?

Can someone tell me what that means?

[jamboi]

24. Doh! n/t

[Patsy Stone]

26. Theory

What the hell are they doing? I mean really, if you want to look guilty in addition to probably being guilty, wouldn't you do something like this? This is almost as stupid as the guy that went to get the deposit on the van back after the first WTC bombing. !*%$# Darwin Award candidates. WTF?

I have a theory:

All of this BS is about getting JK to come out of the corner. The BFEE is not going to waste its time fighting the small fish. They are going to do everything they can to stall and block until the only recourse is for JK himself to come out and make a public request for the recount. Then, the gloves are off. Thoughts?

[rehema]

29. Kerry would be slaughtered by MSM if he unconcedes n/t

[regularjoe]

30. This calls for a lawsuit. Contact anyone who might be willing to

move forward with this. It is my understanding that Blackwell's reason is invalid because as an earlier poster mentioned the State of Ohio did
not call for the recount so it should not be considered the "official
canvass of the election returns."

The law we use to sue him is something another DUer posted in another thread.

ORC Title XXXV Sec. 3599.161 makes it a crime for any
employee of the Board of Elections to knowingly prevent or prohibit
any person from inspecting the public records filed in the office of
the Board of Elections. ORC Sec. 3599.42 clearly states: "A violation
of any provision of Title XXXV (35) of the Revised Code constitutes a
prima facie case of election fraud within the purview of such Title."

§ 3599.16. Misconduct of members or employees of board of elections.
"Whoever violates this section shall be dismissed from his position as a member or employee of the board and is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree."
source: <http://onlinedocs.andersonpublishing.com/oh/lpExt.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&cp=PORC>

So, felony, dismissal, and election fraud all in one. Any lawyers ready to take care of this? Anyone have lawyer friends they want to contact? Spread the word.


regularjoe