Bean spill one: Over the last 3 weeks I have lost so much...

Andy_Stephenson

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Thu Dec-23-04 07:53 PM
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Bean spill one: Over the last 3 weeks I have lost so much...

Edited on Thu Dec-23-04 07:57 PM by God_bush_n_cheney

It began with the loss of my dear sister Janice...Before I go much further...let me tell you about courage. Janice died from a disease called sarcoidosis. Her lungs were scarred horribly from this disease and she had about 20% lung capacity. Everyday was a challenge for her to merely breathe. Through the man many years of her illness she never once complained...and in fact the day she died she was in her kitchen doing the one thing she loved the most. Cooking dinner for her husband. Janice and I never saw eye to eye on politics but she was my sister and I loved her.

When she was hospitalized in early November I wanted to go home but the issue of voting fraud and voter disenfranchisement was about to hit big time on November 2nd...Bev asked me at that time to stay because as she put it "We have worked for this moment for the last 2 years". I did not complain because the cause was too important and I figured I would be able to go home either Thanksgiving or Christmas to see her. But then Florida came up and off we went chasing down the fraud that was in Florida.

Now about the fraud in Florida. What a long involved story that was...We arrived in Orlando Nov 12th and immediately (after a red-eye flight) to visit several of the counties we had sent FOIA requests to. One of them being Volusia. Kathleen and I went in the first day and were politely rebuffed. At that point since it was Friday we decided to stay the weekend and return on Monday...After meeting with Deanie Lowe and her reluctant production of records...we discovered that the poll tapes provided were printed on the 15th of November. This was not acceptable...returning to the office Deanie told us to "go to the warehouse the next morning" Lana Hires was not amused and told Deanie we should come back to the office. Bev made the decision that we would return to the warehouse the next morning.

In the meantime...Ellen Brodsky of Broward county called and said she had evidence she wanted us to see. She drove to Orlando but got in very late...after Bev had gone to bed so Bev decided that Ellen should stay the night in Orland and that I would interview her the next morning. So That is what I did. Now about 9:30 am Bev called and said she was being accosted by the police...and I should come right away. Which is precisely what I did. Ellen Brodsky drove me as we followed Russell Michaels and Andy ???? who were filming the votergate movie. No keep in Mind DeLand is at least 45 minutes from Orlando Ellen B is elderly and was afraid to drive much over 70 but bless her she was giving her it all. Along the way...Bev was calling insisting it only took her "20 minutes this morning" unless she was doing 100 mph I don't see how this was possible. Never-the-less I assured her I was on the way and would be there soon...soon was not soon enough. The police were done "accosting" her by this time and I was informed to meet her at the elections office. For the remainder of the day I was berated...told I was "dropping the ball" that "I was working for the other side" (the term she uses if you are against her) and that the board was going to hear about this.

Well things calmed down and we got back to the business of auditing Volusia's records. Now I can say without a doubt there were problems of a huge magnitude. how do I know? I found them...I was the one who for the divergent totals on the tapes printed on the 2nd and the 15th. I was the one who discovered that there were no poll worker signatures...I was the one who saw there were missing totals and zero tapes. Yes Bev fished some of the tapes out of the trash and was the one making a big bluster...I found the problems.

Now fast forward to the day we served Ms LePore her papers. We had been given the location of and a schedule for the Florida Supervisors of Elections meeting in Orlando. The decision was made to serve Theresa there since we had had a hard time getting a response to the FOIA's. We decided that we would give her service while she was giving her speech on records retention. Despite what the press has said this was not billed as a retirement party. Kathleen Bev and I entered through a door in the back of the room which was where the podium was...There sat Ms LePore...Bev sauntered up on the stage and told her this was a courtesy service of a lawsuit which had already been filed in West Palm. I said "And for you counties that have not complied...we have more of these coming to you". After we ran (literally) back to the hotel room...there were high fives and Bev was congratulating us (Kathleen and I) on a job well done. She was very happy whit what had transpired and her assertion that I made public officials "uncomfortable" well that was what she had planned from the start. I merely played the part I was instructed to do. Now keep in mind this was the day after I was told Janice had died.

Wed morning at 6:30 I flew home to be with my family...I thought I had the time off to grieve. I was wrong. Bev as her habit has me as her point of contact if her voice mail was full or if she did not answer her phone (which was almost always...and let me say...she has caller ID but in the months on the road with her she never once looked at it when someone was calling in). From the time I arrived home I was getting calls from everyone in the world asking about BBV. I would not have minded had it not been for my sisters death. Bev even was calling me asking me work related questions. I was not really happy about this situation but tolerated it for the cause.

Now when I returned to Seattle...I was relayed information about certain things Bev had said regarding my sisters death. The person that told me not to relay this information and I will keep his name and what was said private...But trust me it was vile and reprehensible. So disturbing in fact I decided then and there to leave the movement. I spoke to Randi Rhodes on the phone and informed her I was looking for a new situation. She was disturbed that I was not working with Bev any longer and it is very funny Bev said she did not know because I was informed today that she had already made the decision to "fire" me. How do you fire someone who has left?

Now, I need to back up a moment and relay what I know about the Keith Olberman story. While I was at home, I received a page on my cell phone regarding the KO story on his blog. I called Bev and informed her about it and she literally flew into a rage. Now I cannot say for sure whether or not KO's people called her or not but I can relay that I never received a call from them. But if they did call I can guarantee that Bev A. Did not pick up the phone and B. They were unable to leave a message. I can also confirm that on more than one occasion that I took calls from reporters that told me that Bev was "the rudest woman they had ever talked to". I can attest to her handling of many phone calls...she has been rude and has berated people just as she has berated me. Her standard excuse is "I am tired and this line is for tips and media calls". Ummm excuse me...that was the media calling Bev. I am amazed that she has not garnered more bad press than she has due to her handling of phone calls. What I find funny is her accusation that I mishandle phone communications when she herself is very guilty of it.

Now I know this thread is not much of a major bean spilling...but I am just getting started the next few installments are going to be far more informative and will include some documents...as well as information on people Bev has now effectively "left out hanging to dry" a phrase she used when she told me I had to defend her actions here at DU. She told me if I had to get tombstoned defending her then so be it. After hearing what she said about my sister I was unwilling to do that...again she threatened to tell the board of my actions. I said go ahead. Basically she was looking for a loyalty oath. Apparently taking myself and Termite to the edge of financial ruin was not enough of a loyalty test for her. More on that in the next installments. I started with Florida but I am going to go farther back and move forward in the next few installments. I will be talking about David Dill, Avi Rubin, Roxanne Jekot, Eloriel and several others that have been deemed to be "working for the other side" .

Fasten your seatbelts...it's going to be a bumpy night.

Andy