Kerry campaign issues letter to Ohio Secretary of State demanding recount

[rockedthevoteinMA]

Senator Kerry's and Senator Edwards' state counsel for Ohio has issued a letter to Ohio Republican Secretary of State and Bush-Cheney '04 chair Kenneth Blackwell demanding an official investigation into voting machine tampering in Hocking County, RAW STORY has learned.

The letter, which was sent Wednesday, also asks that Blackwell require hand counts in any county where machines have been compromised, or have an independent expert inspect the machines. Hocking County elections official Sherole Eaton alleged that a Triad Election Systems representative disabled a machine and tried to plant unverified information into the recount at the House Judiciary Committee's election hearing Monday.

more...

http://rawstory.com/exclusives/kerry_1216.php

[SueZhope]

1. Randi Rhodes is reading this I think n/t

[fryguy]

2. was there a strategic/legal reason to wait

until the ohio secretary of state certified the election? seems to me that it would have made sense to call for the re-count before, but maybe there is a legal or strategic reason for not doing so....

[RC]

7. If they,Ohio certified without investigating any

discrepancies, they then don't have a legal leg to stand on when the wholesale election fraud is laid bare. They resisted any and all requests, demands, etc. to check and they did not.

[regularjoe]

15. The Greens and Libs tried to get a recount before certification but...

the court wouldn't force it and the law says you can ask for a recount after the certification.

regularjoe

[marylanddem]

30. He's NOT letting us down.

Go, Johnny, go. Go Go Go go go JOhnny go. Go - Johnny be GOOD

[stepnw1f]

51. Remember All That Money He and Edwards Didn't Spend?

hmmmmmmm.

[Leilani]

3. This sounds like Florida all over again.

Cherry picking!

Why not a full-state recount?

[Im with Rosey]

8. I still have confidence

I think everything that is going on with Kerry Edwards has been well thought-out, well-planned and hopefully will be well executed. I can't believe that two incrediably smart attorneys would not have thought of every possible scenario, would not have been receiving the best possible legal advice and has everything strategically potted and planned out.

[catnhatnh]

16. Me Too....

....I LOVE todays unfolding events and will also get Strategically potted....Yea!

[renaissanceguy]

42. Yes, we have to keep up hope.

There's till time to overturn this election.

------------------------
Buy liberal, anti-Bush, and outspoken political merchandise at www.cafepress.com/liberalissues

[Turn CO Blue]

37. Well, I'm thinking

that the Glibs have already requested a full recount which covers all counties - but that Kerry is requesting a "hand recount" in the tampered-with counties...

Thoughts?

[Shalom]

4. THIS IS VERY VERY SIGNIFICANT !!! KERRY HAS MADE HIS MOVE...

The baton has been passed (very effectively, and at the right moment) to the Kerry-Edwards campaign.

From now one, this issue belongs to them.

Those who complained about Kerry moving sooner can still do so, but IMHO, the timing is perfect: this does not look like a sore loser, but in fact someone who held back until he had no other choice. In a paradoxical way, the complaints within our own ranks about Kerry holding back reflect the political cover he now has.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

12. Aren't you glad you didn't express doubts in him? I am.

"In a paradoxical way, the complaints within our own ranks about Kerry holding back reflect the political cover he now has.

I have had the feeling that "we" were part of the plan. We had to raise the issues, and help to expose the fraud. If he would have done it, we can only imagine how this would have gone. This is a very exciting development.

[kerry2win]

18. agree it's now or never

the way the courts are himhawing around the green party

[operafred]

46. kick

ditto

it may add to the snowball starting to roll and roll and roll

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. Sorry, dupe

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x169157

[catnhatnh]

6. Seems to me they led Kenneth....

....down the garden path....Ok Darling,we'll wait till you're good and certified.....Certainly Sweetheart,we,ll do the recount any way you say....Poor virginal Ken sets up the kind of recount he's always wanted (very few observers but plenty of techs to prepare for the act) and Whammo-John jumps him with this "full handcount demand" and yanks innocent Ken's knickers to his ankles.Soon now Kerry will start thrusting the will of the people into....OH,Oh I can't go on ....I'll swoon...

[EFerrari]

14. lol!. Enough rope, Kenny?

And now we also have that video where Mr. Blackwell jokes about the fraud during the elector's vote. Too, too good. More tea? Another cookie?

Hope you're right.

[zann725]

20. And now that they've Certified, their Fraud is in black-and-white...

now they're entrapped!

JK is a strong 'finisher,' we know that. Trust and believe!
And Arnebeck (and Bonifaz) is awesome.

Go Johnny, go!

[IAMREALITY]

9. That Is FUCKING awesome

Day by Day, Kerry is gonna get more pissed at the hijinxs down there.

Just watch...

[libertypirate]

13. If he shows that he is angry that americans

got fucked, people will be lining up behind him...

[hangloose]

10. One piece of good news, keep it coming

[EFerrari]

11. awesome n/t

[seito]

38. Glad to see you here.

I agree.

[EFerrari]

43. Seito, sorry, not taking the bait. I've got work to do

Hey, I can now start an ignore list. Feel confirmed. Good.

[seito]

45. I totally did not mean to offend

My deepest appologies if that is how it was interpreted. :eyes:

[angrydemocrat]

47. Seito

Is this not what we been telling people all along LOL. Have we not said that he hadn't quit anything and when he got ready and the time was right he would make his move. Have we not been saying he was working on this behind the scenes. Well at least we can feel good for knowing we were right and never doubted the man to start with!

KERRY :yourock:

[seito]

48. Damn Straight AngryDemocrat

Not that we would ever RUB IT IN or anything. :bounce:

Of course, when the excitement wears off, we the faithful, will be called upon once again to to Kerry the banner forth in battle lol!!!


No Retreat No Surrender

[mdb]

17. And is Blackwell going to respond in a timely manner?

Or will we see a response similar to the Conyers response of Blackwell taking almost two weeks to respond and then once he responded not one question was answered.

[zann725]

24. Wonder who Hannity will have on now to scream at?!

He totally lost it with Arnebeck. Yet they're gonna have to spin this quick!

[mdb]

28. Hannity and all Repubs can "get over it"over Ukraine as well. n/t

[RaulVB]

19. Major, major development!

Now we are getting serious!

[happynewyear]

21. wow great news!

I hope that this all works out the way it should work out.

KERRY/EDWARDS 2004 may not be a lost dream and hope!

HELP IS ON THE WAY (I hope!!) :D

:kick:

[budkin]

22. Nice, but I want more!

Come out swinging!

[politicasista]

23. I do too.

:kick:

[zann725]

26. Me, three!

n/t :bounce:

[mdb]

25. It's not just a "recount'?

It's a "hand recount".

[buzzard]

27. How do you know it's a "hand recount"? n/t

[rockedthevoteinMA]

29. buzzard

"The letter, which was sent Wednesday, also asks that Blackwell require hand counts in any county where machines have been compromised, or have an independent expert inspect the machines."

From the post above...

[buzzard]

32. Thank You I should have read that. n/t

[rockedthevoteinMA]

35. No problem!

:hi:

[shraby]

33. Kerry has got them coming and going

"hand count or inspect the machines" BWaaahhhahahahahahah

Katherine is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Kerry let Kathy dig the hole deep then took away the shovel.

on edit..

Didn't the head of Triad say that they had to recalibrate all of their machines because of the recount? Something like 41 or 43 of them? Seems I read it on dailykos.

another edit...
Another BOE employee signed an affadavit about Diebold "fixing" their machine in her county too. Saw that one today.

[mbee]

44. Maybe 60,000,000 voters (that would be Kerry voters) should

just show up in Ohio and Blackwell can just count them and be done with it!

[Shalom]

31. IN CASE YOU'D LIKE THE TEXT OF THE LETTER....

(NOTE: The text below was transcribed by hand from the pdf files provided by "Raw Story" (thanks!), so check against original before going out on a limb. It would be nice to get opinions from the attorneys as well as us laymen on this)

December 15, 2004

The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell
Ohio Secretary of State
180 E. Broad Street, 16th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Re: Compromised Hocking County Recount

Dear Secretary Blackwell:

I am writing to you on behalf of John Kerry and John Edwards, the Democratic Party candidates for President and Vice-President of the United States at the November 2, 2004 general election.

Given the information that has come to light regarding activity that occurred on December 10, 2004 at the Hocking County Board of Elections, the integrity of using the Board’s computerized tabulating system to conduct the recount of the presidential election has been seriously compromised. I assume that by now your office is fully aware of the affidavit by the Deputy Director of the Hocking County Board of Elections regarding what she observed and heard. Based upon this affidavit, I hereby request that you conduct a thorough investigation of the matter. In the meantime, the tabulating system should not be used for the recount and I hereby request that you order the Hocking County Board of Elections to conduct a full hand recount of the ballots and not use the tabulating system for the recount. I also request that you immediately impound the tabulating equipment and programming, and preserve it in its present state, and prohibit access to the same.

I also request that your office immediately review with all other boards of elections whether representatives of any company that may have been employed to program or prepare their tabulating equipment for the recount were made aware of the precinct or precincts that would be included in the three percent hand count. If such is the case, I request that you take corrective action, including ordering full hand recounts or allowing the candidates to have the systems tested by outside independent experts.

As the state’s Chief Elections Official, you have both the authority and responsibility to take these actions. Time is of the essence and your immediate attention is required. I look forward to your response.

Very truly yours,

Donald J. McTigue


Cc: Daniel J. Hoffheimer
Kerry-Edwards State Counsel, Ohio

[henslee]

34. I read the letter at RAW. I beleive this subject line is misleading, nt

[ClassWarrior]

36. But... but he can't be... he wants to destroy democracy ITSELF!!!

LMAO

Great news.

NGU.

[seito]

40. The Destroyer of Democracy Strikes Again

You know, none of this is true. JK just can't be doing ANYTHING. I haven't seen him on TV. All is lost I tell you. We are DOOMED....DOOMED.... :wow:

ROFLMAO!!!!

No Retreat No Surrender

Not in this lifetime

[angrydemocrat]

50. ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!

Kerry cant be do anything cause he is run like hell and hid under a rock :scared: LMAO! If he was doing anything he would be screaming at the top of his lungs:wow: Why he be dancing a fancy jig :bounce: for all the world to see. LMAO


No Retreat No Surrender
Kerry :yourock:

[pbartch]

39. I just sent this URL and story off to 15 people and

THE MEDIA.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Kerry/Edwards.

Help is on the Way -- So is HOPE!

[Peace Patriot]

41. The Rattlesnake!

A noble creature with a simple, elegant strategy. Coil up. Look like a rock. Wait... wait... wait... wait... wait... shake the rattle a little, to fuzz up their brains, wait....., wait....., wait..., then...

My call, somewhere here in DU. But I wasn't sure. To appearances, he looked ambivalent. But I most definitely had this vivid image arrive in my brain, unbidden, and it felt exactly right. The rattlesnake.

I have Keltic and Native American blood, going way back. We sometimes know these things. But everybody has some root like this to the natural world. Some people are a little more able to let the image arise, intepret it, vet it for Truth, and then find a way to express it. I tend to be too rational, too skeptical, because sometimes such images are wishes wanting to be fulfilled, or images of what should be done, rather than what is. They often get mixed up. Don't want to be caught just wishing, do we? --like a child.

May all the Keltic and Native American Gods, and the real Christian God, and all the Gods everywhere, protect him, and us, and our country's beautiful ideals of justice, truth, peacefulness and generosity!

[seito]

49. Thank you for that wonderful imagery

I will hope, dream and visualize like a child.

No Retreat No Surrender

[bunny planet]

52. I LOVE JOHN KERRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya:
There, I said it. I feel better now.

[angrydemocrat]

53. bunny planet

Nothing wrong with that there are plenty of us around here like that.

NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER!!!