12/26 Election/Fraud/Recount thread

[MelissaB]

In order to organize and document I thought it would be a good idea to have a daily thread to place items related to the recounts/fraud. This also make it easier to "catch up" when we are away from the computer for a while.

Please help us. If you see something that isn't here post it with a link to the thread and a thanks to the author. Thanks to everyone who is helping in this project.


Link to the thread from yesterday here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x195322

[dzika]

1. Saturday 12/25 Highlights

Recap of stories from Saturday 12/25
(and a few from previous days)


12/23 - Kerry to Enter Ohio Recount Fray
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122404Y.shtml

12/23 - MORE: Video Supporting Ohio Vote Fraud Claim Revealed
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x190727

12/23 - Video Clip of Kerry Ohio Filing news on Countdown
http://www.edwardsdavid.com/BushVideos/Obermann_041223-01.rm (Real Media Video)

12/24 - BreakForNews: Kerry Preparing Grounds to Unconcede
http://www.breakfornews.com/articles/KerryPreparing%20GroundsToUnconcede.htm

Protesters seek more inauguration permits
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/12/25/protesters_seek_more_inauguration_permits/

Washington Governor's Race May Not Be Over
http://www.indiadaily.com/breaking_news/18191.asp

Candidate asks federal court to preserve evidence
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?Category=13&ID=199514&r=1&external=&newCookie=yes&userID=176029

Editor for Canadian TV Observing Elec. Nite from ABC Headquarters
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1103937048108_3

INVALID EXIT POLLS? BLAME THE BLOGGERS
http://progressivetrail.org/articles/041104Nimmo.shtml

Best Of 2004: Election Irregularities
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/best_of_2004_election_irregularities.php

2004 Retrospective on What We've Learned About How an Election was Stolen
http://nashuaadvocate.blogspot.com/2004/12/news-election-2004-as-year-ends.html

Resolutions Passed By Electors in VT, MA
http://guvwurld.blogspot.com/2004/12/resolutions-passed-by-electors-in-vt.html

Calendar of Upcoming Events
http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/calendar-of-upcoming-events.html

More Washington Ballots – In Alaska
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/8549

Mathematics and Elections
http://www.mathforum.org/t2t/faq/election.html

Video - The Myth of a Divided America
http://colorado.indymedia.org/feature/display/9777/index.php

Kerry backer questions Cuyahoga recount
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/110379794240050.xml

Tell Dino Rossi to Concede - Use this email form
http://involve.progressivemajority.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=23586

A Smoking Gun? Operatives in FL Suddenly Avoided Poll Challenges; Why?
http://nashuaadvocate.blogspot.com/2004/12/news-election-2004-smoking-gun.html

An Open Letter to All Prospective Triad, Diebold, and ES&S Whistleblowers
http://nashuaadvocate.blogspot.com/2004/12/editorial-election-2004-on-christmas.html

FreePress: Another third rate burglary - at Ohio Dem Offices
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/1037

Prosecuting The Election Fraud Conspiracy
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=61858

NYT: Recounts and Partisan Bickering Tire Washington Voters
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/26/national/26gov.html

Nation gets better at vote counts
http://www.courierpress.com/ecp/news/article/0,1626,ECP_734_3425406,00.html

FreePress: Hacking the vote in Miami County
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/1038

Stolen Election - A brief introduction to the facts...
http://www.solarbus.org/stealyourelection/stolen-election-intro.html

[dzika]

2. It's not easy beingblue: Buck up, liberal weenies; we're all Americans

Sunday, December 26, 2004

It's not easy beingblue: Buck up, you liberal weenies; we're all Americans -- right?

By Chuck Sigars
Special to The Times

Guest columnist

-snip-
You gather the trash, the wrappings and the packaging and what stray tinsel the dog didn't eat, and you pile it all into the garbage can on top of those Kerry-Edwards bumper stickers you finally peeled off the Prius because other drivers were making fun of you. It's not so easy being blue.

-snip-
You note that 46 percent of the Washington electorate voted for George W. Bush. So did 40 percent of Massachusetts voters, right there smack dab in the middle of liberal land, home to Kerrys and Kennedys. And nearly the same percentage of Texans voted for the Dems. I mean, really. Texans.

"C'mon, guys," you say with a weak smile. "We're not blue or red. We're purple people, just like the rest of the country," but Oklahoma, Alabama, Ohio and Kentucky are having none of it.

-snip-
Sure, you may be a sushi-eating liberal Seattle weenie and they may be red-necked hillbilly reactionaries, but we're all Americans, right? Red and blue and purple mountains' majesty. Can't we just toss the maps and get along?

OK, maybe I'm too optimistic. Maybe we'll just stay mad. But, hey: At least we finally know who our next governor is.

All right. Never mind.

link:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002129503_sigars26.html

[dzika]

3. Don't ignore voting irregularities

December 26. 2004

Don't ignore voting irregularities

Joe Simonetta | Sarasota, FL

The irony is thick. Mainstream U.S. media are in an uproar over fraud in the Ukrainian election. Hardly a peep do we hear from them as evidence mounts of widespread fraud in our Nov. 2 election:

-snip-
Democracy -- our way of life -- is at stake. Why is this not front-page news?


Link:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041226/OPINION/412261013/1029

[dzika]

4. Letters - Fight to the depth (in King County)

Fight to the depth

Seattle Times Letters to the Editor
Editorials & Opinion: Sunday, December 26, 2004

-snip-
Lowest level conquered

Ballots were found behind every stump and under every rock. The magic markers of election workers changed the result even before the first recount. This election was stolen. King County now ranks right up there with Cook County, Ill., for its brazen corruption.

-snip-
Checkpoint chary

If it is possible for votes to fall into in interior of a machine, all machines must be inspected before anyone goes home. If there is a stack of boxes, every box must be inspected before anyone goes home. If there is a pile of ballots, segregated for whatever reason, that pile should be inspected by at least two people before any votes leave the polling place. There should be no drawers or file cabinets, but if there are, they must be checked out before anyone goes home.


-snip-
Don't overestimate strengths

Frankly, based on the impressive list of screw-ups the county elections division has accomplished in recent years, I'm not convinced anyone there has the smarts to pull off something of that magnitude


Link:
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=sunlets26&date=20041226
(see letters near the bottom of the page)

[dzika]

5. Jan 3: Defend Democracy in Columbus, Ohio

Sunday 26th December 2004 (16h03) :
Jan 3: Defend Democracy in Columbus, Ohio

UFPJ joins Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in organizing Jan. 3 Pro-Democracy/Count Every Vote Rally

-snip-
Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. has initiated a call for a Pro-Democracy - Count Every Vote Rally to be held in Columbus, Ohio (the state capital) on Monday, January, 3, 2005. The rally will pull together people from all around Ohio, as well as others who can make the trip.

United for Peace and Justice is one of several national coalitions and organizations lending support to this effort. We call on everyone who can to join this important rally, just days before the U.S. Congress will convene to accept the results of the votes cast by the Electoral College delegates on Dec. 13th.

Link:
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=4882

[dzika]

6. Editorial: Ensure votes count but there's no call for recall expense

Web posted December 26, 2004

Empire editorial: It's important to ensure votes count, but there's no call for recall expense


The standard for financial accountability in Alaska's election recounts needs a little tightening.

Democratic government has no more basic calling than to ensure that votes count and that outcomes are fair. When an election is in question, it is the state's duty to pore over the results and make sure they're right. This is why there are provisions allowing for government expense when a victory is whisker-thin or when the recount actually changes the result. Ideally, anyone who wishes to challenge an outcome must either meet those requirements or pay the bill...


Link:
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/122604/opi_20041226013.shtml

[dzika]

7. When recounts count

"...the protracted gubernatorial recount shows not only how important it is for citizens to vote, but also how important it is that every vote be counted... "


Article published Sunday, December 26, 2004

When recounts count


One of these days the mightiest democracy in the world may have to go back to school to learn how to conduct elections. In a closely divided electorate, flaws in the process that once could have been shrugged off no longer can be.

-snip-
We have said repeatedly on these pages that fixing the election system is vital to the functioning of democracy. In Ohio there are still unexplained anomalies in the Nov. 2 election results, allegations that minority voters in some polling places were forced to wait long periods of time to exercise their right to vote, and numerous instances of scanner machine breakdowns that delayed the count.

The latest shake-up of the board of elections staff in Lucas County has never been adequately explained, which means, in effect, that past errors may simply be repeated in future election cycles.

Too much error is creeping into a cumbersome and complex election system. As a result, many observers at home and abroad are beginning to believe and sometimes slyly suggest that the United States, like many Third World countries with little experience in democratic elections, may need the help of foreign observers. At any rate, there simply is no excuse for the miserable performance of much of the American electoral system.


Link:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041226/OPINION02/412260348/-1/OPINION

[dzika]

8. End to governor's race first step in recovery

End to governor's race first step in recovery

This story was published Sunday, December 26th, 2004


For the Democrats, the shifting fortunes of Christine Gregoire may seem to justify the pursuit of a hand recount of statewide ballots.

By now, the applause of partisans has surely drowned out any lingering echoes of those who called for Gregoire to concede defeat after the earlier machine counts in the governor's race.

Our voice was part of the chorus. We figured the best interests of the state dictated that the Democrats give up the fight, and we argued that point in our Dec. 3 editorial.

"The more embroiled the fight over ballots becomes, the longer and more difficult that healing process will be," the column concluded.

Hindsight hasn't changed our view...

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/opinions/story/5949676p-5855288c.html

[dzika]

9. U.S. Presidential Election Fraud Inquiry Request To Consider

U.S. Presidential Election Fraud Inquiry Request To Consider

Saturday, December 25th 2004
7:19 PMU.S. Presidential Election Fraud Inquiry Request To Consider

From: Roger Harkness

To: The Honorable Barbara Boxer, [phone], [e-mail]
The Honorable Senator Dick Durbin, [phone], [e-mail]
The Honorable Senator Russ Feingold, [phone], [e-mail]
The Honorable Senator Tom Harkin, [phone], [e-mail]
The Honorable Senator Jim Jeffords, [phone], [e-mail]
The Honorable Senator Edward Kennedy, 202/224-4543, [e-mail]
The Honorable Senator Patrick Leahy, [phone], [e-mail]

Subj: U.S. Presidential Election Fraud Inquiry Request To Consider

1. An email message from Code Pink, Women For Peace, had given me your names, believing and trusting that you would be willing to consider the subject inquiry, should it be asked of you. Asking that I express support for same, giving cause, to help encourage you.

2. I served in the Navy for 14 years, and when it was asked of me to take early retirement to help with current budget deficits, I volunteered. My country is worth it, learning the value of freedom, to this day, I will fight to protect it. What do we have if we do not have fair elections? We no longer have the country I served for.

3. It is odd that paper receipts were requested for the electronic vote counters and gone ignored after this happened in 2000. All attempts for recounts and contesting are challenged at every avenue. If this was a fair election, wouldn't we want to prove it? If this was not a fair election, wouldn't we want to hide it? Were the exit polls wrong? Didn't Mr. Bush loose the debates? Why did the vote count in Ohio first come in for Bush, then much later, votes from areas supporting Kerry began to come in last? Shouldn't we ask for expert opinion and or analysis to determine if these anomalies are common in a U.S. Presidential Election?

4. Conclusion - Taking a simple eye view of the situation, the possibility of fraud is not difficult to see. I'm not asking that you make Mr. Kerry president or that you impeach Mr. Bush. If however this should be the result of such inquiry, I will support it. I am simply asking for an inquiry, and should fraud be found, parties found guilty be punished, to include future checks and balances put in place to prevent future fraud. Should the inquiry come to not, then faith in the U.S. election will only be renewed, driving up the moral of our country. In a time of war, moral is important, there is no room for doubts.

Very Respectfully,

Roger Harkness

Link:
http://okcitykid.bravejournal.com/entry/8940/

[dzika]

10. Democracy’s unbound when the media fails

Regarding an article published in the New York Times:
12/25 - Recounts and Partisan Bickering Tire Washington Voters
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/26/national/26gov.html

December 26, 2004

Democracy’s unbound when the media fails

...That’s it for their evidence of what ‘Washington voters from other countries’ thought: the cabdriver. One voter becomes many. Did they add that while returning to the office in the cab, to file the story?

-snip-
The bottom line is the process has been long and tiresome. The reporters didn’t even delve into the major glitches that were suspicious, like found batches of ballots. They only cited ballots challenged for what seems - on the surface - to be standard reasons for ballots to be challenged. They also neglected to mention that the recounting process has actually increased the accuracy of the counting process and that it has done so because there was a verifiable paper trail that permitted a more accurate count.

The doubt and skepticism of voters is a perfectly reasonable outcome, and it’s understandable that the delay in ascertaining who won is tiring to folks who yearn for finality. But the reality at this point is that there’s only two ways for that to occur. Any remaining ballots that were challenged and left uncounted will gain the review of judges who must determine if the challenges and decisions were done in accordance with election law, and if not, more will get counted.

-snip-
As the model of near perfection it should have been employed in Florida in 2000: a hand recount and one or two layers of judicial review. Unfortunately, multiple errors occurred in Florida. Those errors were preceded by layers of deceit and partisanship, by the disenfranchisement of voters (making it impossible to determine their votes ), and by election officials refusing to count due to direct intimidation. The only way forward for a just court then would have called for a fresh election for that state.


Link:
http://www.reachm.com/amstreet/archives/2004/12/26/democracys-unbound-when-the-media-fails/

[dzika]

11. Laying the groundwork for electoral reform in Ohio

Sat Dec 25th, 2004

Laying the groundwork for electoral reform in Ohio

by Jerome Armstrong

The work that FreePress.org has been doing in Columbus, Ohio is remarkable. Richard Hayes Phillips doesn't seem to take a break from researching the vote tabulation of Ohio votes. I'm agnostic as to whether Kerry really won Ohio, but that's missing the point that the deeper one looks the more irregularities one finds.
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19

In terms of the raw ongoings of the election in Ohio, was the burglary of computers with sensitive voter information from Lucas County Democratic headquarters in Toledo partisan politics? In terms of the votes cast on election day, is it fathomable that Concord South West precinct in Miami County showed a 98.55% (679 of 689 RV's casting votes) turnout in a precinct that favored Bush over Kerry by a 520-157 margin; or that 19.27% (90 of 557), in the Cleveland 6-M precinct didn't vote for a Presidential candidate, in a precinct that favored Kerry over Bush by 367-9 votes?

At the least, the last few months have proven that Ohio (and don't forget New Mexico) needs electoral reform. The "strategic machine shortages in largely Democratic precincts" is the 'biggest deal since Selma', especially given Blackwell's continued stonewalling of the recount (and look, he's the GOP frontrunner for Governor in '06). Upcoming, OHIO'S STOLEN ELECTION: VOICES OF THE DISENFRANCHISED, in January of 2005, is sure to shine the light under more than a few stones that have been turned over.

continued...
http://www.mydd.com/story/2004/12/25/221715/36

[dzika]

12. 11/5 Article - FOOTPRINTS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD

(thanks to TruthIsAll)

Footprints of Electoral Fraud:
The November 2 Exit Poll Scam
by Michael Keefer

Republican electoral fraud in the 2004 presidential election was widely anticipated by informed observers--whose warnings about the opportunities for fraud offered by "black box" voting machines supplied and serviced by corporations closely aligned with Republican interests (and used to tally nearly a third of the votes cast on November 2) have been amply borne out by the results.1

One of the clear indicators of massive electoral fraud was the wide divergence, both nationally and in swing states, between exit poll results and the reported vote tallies. The major villains, it would seem, were the suppliers of touch-screen voting machines. There appears to be evidence, however, that the corporations responsible for assembling vote-counting and exit poll information may also have been complicit in the fraud.

Until recently, the major American corporate infomedia networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox, and AP) relied on a consortium known as the Voter News Service for vote-counting and exit poll information. But following the scandals and consequent embarrassments of the 2000 and 2002 elections, this consortium was disbanded. It was replaced in 2004 by a partnership of Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International known as the National Election Pool.

The National Election Pool’s own data—as transmitted by CNN on the evening of November 2 and the early morning of November 3—suggest very strongly that the results of the exit polls were themselves fiddled late on November 2 in order to make their numbers conform with the tabulated vote tallies.

MORE...
http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/KEE411A.html

DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x196802

[dzika]

13. GOP to fight Gregoire victory

Friday, December 24, 2004

GOP to fight Gregoire victory
Democrat wins second recount by 130 votes

By CHRIS McGANN AND LEWIS KAMB
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTERS

-snip-
"I know many Washingtonians are hoping this will end soon," Rossi said in a statement. "But I'm also sure that people across this state want a clean election and a legitimate governor-elect. At this point, we have neither."

Rossi and the state Republican Party said they'd gathered 300 affidavits from legal voters whose ballots were wrongfully rejected.

-snip-
"I believe that we have accurately counted the votes in King County," said Dwight Pelz, a canvassing board member and Democratic county councilman. He added that he was proud of the way King County had handled the trying election and ensuing recount process.

Rossi spokeswoman Mary Lane called Pelz's comments "a joke."

She said Republicans had gathered at least 96 affidavits in King County -- part of about 300 affidavits collected statewide -- from legally registered voters for Rossi whose ballots were rejected because of what Republicans say were mistakes by elections workers.


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/205149_governor24.html

[dzika]

14. In Our View - Governor Gregoire

In Our View - Governor Gregoire

Sunday, December 26, 2004
Columbian editorial writers

Dino Rossi was our choice for governor. The former budget-writing state senator, with a career in the private sector, is experienced, likeable, intelligent and both mentally tough and open-minded. We gave him an excellent chance to succeed as the first Republican governor in 20 years and predicted he would bring a fresh view and some good fiscal reforms to a state where "budget crisis" has become a common term.

Now, the counting, the recounting and the re-recounting finally have ended. Barring some as-yet unknown major legal development, Rossi has lost to Democrat Christine Gregoire by a mere 130 votes out of 2.9 million ballots.

It is time to move on.

The cliche that "It's all over but the shouting" seems apt. As Western Washington University political scientist Ken Hoover told The Associated Press, it would now require the courts to find some kind of misdeed for the outcome to be reversed. Republicans, he said, "would have to prove fraud. In all the rhetoric ... I haven't heard anyone indicate they have evidence that would stand up in court."

Nor have we.


continued...
http://www.columbian.com/12262004/clark_co/226085.html

[dzika]

15. Opinion - Our election: Something to brag about

Opinion - Our election: Something to brag about

Sunday, December 26, 2004
JOHN LAIRD Columbian editorial page editor

...I prefer to look at our gubernatorial race from a glass-half-full perspective. Perhaps I'm limited by the naivete of a newcomer to the state, but I simply cannot see this as a problem or an embarrassment. Many people from other states don't see our gubernatorial election as a negative. They see it for what it is: a mathematical peculiarity, a "What are the odds?" type of story. Indeed, what are the odds of one person receiving 1.3731 million votes while her opponent receives 1.3730 million votes?

That's not a political story. It's a numerical stupefaction!

As for taking seven weeks to decide, I submit that's something to brag about. I figure no state has ever worked harder and longer at trying to properly conduct an accurate election. Why try so hard? Because the decision is crucial. The National Football League felt the same way several years ago when it spent $10 million to implement the instant-replay system. In the 256 games of the 2003 regular season, 294 officials' calls were reviewed via instant replay, and 94 were reversed. That's 94 times the NFL got it right only because it took a second look, conducted a "recount" if you will.

So let's think twice about mocking the capable and neutral elections officials who, guided by law and court rulings, try a little harder to get it right. It could be argued that Washington state has just completed the most microscopically precise election in U.S. history.

It's a sloppy, but beautiful system


Link:
http://www.columbian.com/12262004/clark_co/226082.html

[dzika]

16. Washington's near tie: Vote - and then count every vote

December 26, 2004

Washington's near tie: Vote - and then count every vote

A Register-Guard Editorial

Washington's astonishingly close gubernatorial race is making people in other states nervous: Could it happen here? Any election in which the leading candidate has a margin of 0.009 percent, then 0.003 percent, then 0.001 percent, and then 0.004 percent out of 2.9 million votes cast is bound to be subject to close scrutiny. Every vote really does count, and supporters of both candidates will use all legal means at their disposal to ensure that every vote is counted.

continued...
http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/12/26/ed.edit.washington.1226.html

[dzika]

17. Voting rights groups attack provisional ballot process

Posted on Sun, Dec. 26, 2004

Voting rights groups attack provisional ballot process

By James Dao, Ford Fessenden and Tom Zeller Jr.

NEW YORK TIMES


COLUMBUS, Ohio - William Shambora, 53, is the kind of diligent voter who once assumed that his ballot always counted. He got a rude awakening this year.

Shambora, an economics professor at Ohio University, moved during the summer but failed to notify the Athens County Board of Elections until the day before the election. An official told him to use a provisional ballot.

But under Ohio law, provisional ballots are valid only when cast from a voter's correct precinct. Shambora was given a ballot for the wrong precinct. Two weeks later, the board discarded his vote, adding him to a list of more than 300 provisional ballots that were rejected in that heavily Democratic county.

"It seems like such a confused system," said Shambora, a John Kerry supporter who blames himself for the mistake. "Maybe if enough people's votes had counted, the election might have turned out differently."


continued...
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/10501551.htm

[dzika]

18. Recap on NM Recount Saga

From: Democracy for New Mexico

Saturday, December 25, 2004
Recap on NM Recount Saga

A diary at Daily Kos provides a top-notch recap of what has gone on in the continuing saga of the Green and Libertarian Party efforts to obtain a legally required recount of the presidential vote in New Mexico. The diary is written by Claude Hayward of Anton Chico, whom I was pleased to break bread (well, actually pizza) with at Il Vicinco recently at a gathering of New Mexico's Kossians.

The lastest twists in this story of Gov. Richardson's refusal to follow the law, in collusion with Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Griron and other high-ranking Democrats, is revealed in a 12/24 Albuquerque Journal story detailing a high percentage of so-called overvotes and "phantom" votes in New Mexico.

Green Party candidate David Cobb said he may take this case to the U.S. Supreme Court and Cobb's lawyer said they may still post the $1.4 million "deposit" required by the NM Canvassing Board for the recount. A lawyer for the state, however, says the deadline for that is long past and the state will not reconsider.

Cobb's attorney, Lowell Finley, says in the article, "As far as we're concerned, this is not over. And we are going to continue pursuing every reasonable, available option to see that there's a meaningful audit of this election."


Link to above article:
http://www.democracyfornewmexico.com/democracy_for_new_mexico/2004/12/recap_on_nm_rec.html

NM recount status report at Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/12/24/154944/47

[dzika]

19. Iraqi Elections - As Good As American Democracy

As Good As American Democracy

Mister-E
2004-12-26

I've just come across an interesting article this morning which I suppose is kind of reassuring in a way. It is an article that goes to show that at least the Iraqi elections will be as honest and real as the American elections.
(see: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C5ABB0EF-3402-4E1C-95BA-B889CEE99623.htm)

That is to say, they will be as much of a complete farce of democracy as the American elections.

It seems that the American administration has decided that it is best that certain candidates be guaranteed "high-level jobs in the future of the Iraqi government regardless of the 30 January elections." So no matter who is actually voted for in the election, the American administration wants to put other people into office. The spokesman for Iraq's Independent Election Commission has called the American's actions as "unacceptable interference". I would just call it as I recognize it, for what we've all seen before in 2000 and again in 2004: A shining example of the new version of American-style democracy. Let the citizens think that they are actually voting on who the leaders of the country will be, have all the ballots and ballot counting and officials and the big publicly broadcast event ... but then just have a committee determine who the winners are regardless of what the citizens have voted.

Why even bother having a vote then at all..? Well ... in the States, it is simply a matter of traditional beliefs, I think. Americans still believe they have a democracy, so the leaders of their country continue to let them believe that. However, in Iraq, where the Americans have gone in to (among other things) "bring the freedom of democracy to the people of Iraq" ... then there has to at least be an appearance of a democracy before they can leave, right..? Even if it is just an elaborate theatrical event, right?

My point is (in case it is not abundantly clear)...

continued...
http://www.livejournal.com/users/deadwords/6523.html

[dzika]

20. Three exit polls project Yushchenko presidential victory by a large margin

Three exit polls project Yushchenko presidential victory by a large margin

JUDITH INGRAM, Associated Press Writer
Sunday, December 26, 2004


Exit polls projected an easy victory Sunday for opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko in a bitter campaign that required an unprecedented three ballots and Supreme Court intervention to pick a new Ukrainian leader.

-snip-
The state-funded Ukrainian Institute of Social Research and Social Monitoring Center showed Yushchenko winning with 58.1 percent of the vote and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych garnering 38.4 percent. The margin of error was 2 percentage points.

The Western-funded Razumkov Center of Political Studies and Kiev International Institute of Sociology showed Yushchenko winning with 56.5 percent and Yanukovych collecting 41.3 percent of the vote, with no margin of error given.

A third exit poll, by Frank Luntz, a pollster for the U.S. Republican Party, and Douglas Schoen, of the Washington-based market research company Penn, Schoen & Berland, showed Yushchenko winning with 56 to Yanukovych's 41 percent, Schoen said. The margin of error was 2 percentage points.

With the vote counted in 10.47 percent of precincts, the Central Electoral Commission showed Yushchenko collecting 61.27 percent of the vote and Yanukovych 35.32 percent.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/12/26/international1732EST0527.DTL

[dzika]

21. Overview of news stories, MSM et al on Ohio

(thanks to Danish Reporter)

Dear DU'ers

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?name=Ohio+Recount

This link provides links to news sites, blogs etc. and their coverage of the Ohio Recount. Excellent overview.

Yours
Bo Elkjaer, Denmark

DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x197294

[dzika]

22. Lytel: "The End is Near: The Coming Constitutional Insurrection"

(thanks to Carolab)

The End is Near: The Coming Constitutional Insurrection
© 2004 By David Lytel

If it is true that wisdom grows only from truth then the newspaper-reading public in the nation’s capital is being starved of the food they need to be wise citizens. After more than a month of avoiding the single most urgent question before the American people – whether the presidential election was conducted lawfully and the actual winner awarded with the victory – the Washington Post has taken up the issue with appalling results, lending what credibility it has left as an objective news source to the White House’s cover up of crimes against democracy. In an effort to appear “even-handed,” which is to say to not provoke Bush and his cabal from damaging the company’s ability to get government approval for its mergers, acquisitions and license renewals, the Post hides the most salient fact: There are considerably more reported cases of vote suppression, fraudulent vote casting and fraudulent vote counting than George W. Bush’s margin of victory in Ohio. In all likelihood the surveys of voters as they left the polling places are accurate and considerably more people went to the polls that day to vote for John Kerry both in Ohio and nationwide. Should he be re-inaugurated on January 20th Bush will once again be securing the greatest prize the American political system has to offer, the presidency, through fraud, deception and illegal activity aided by a willfully ignorant press.

posted by Ray Beckerman @ 4:04 PM
http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/end-is-nearthe-coming-constitutional.html

DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=197273#197290

[dzika]

23. A Call for 47 "Faithful" Presidential Electors to Democracy

December 26, 2004

A Proposal by Asa Gordon
I received this in my email box. I don't know if it's accurate or not, but if any readers know, I would appreciate your input
---------------------------------------------------------
The Douglass Institute of Government:
A Call for 47 "Faithful" Presidential Electors to Democracy

"This is the most amazing proposition that has ever been brought forward by a non-lawyer and it will, and if it is accurate it could change the whole outcome of the voting process in the United States, and we will take that under consideration ... we, we eagerly embrace your suggestion."
_ Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Dec. 8th, 2004, Congressional Hearings on Ohio Voting Irregularities.

47 "Faithful" Presidential Electors Who Can Make History
Asa Gordon
Exe.Dir. DIG

There are 47 Democratic Presidential electors in 15 red states (states where Bush received the popular vote) who can elect Kerry president "by the rule of law", without a recount in any state, and in the bargain democratize the Electoral College. There is no constitutional provision or federal law requiring electors to vote in accordance with the popular vote in their states. Some states have such requirements, others do not. There are 15 unbound red states that have no such requirements in state law.

continued...
http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/proposal-by-asa-gordon.html

[MelissaB]

24. President of Triad Present During Montgomery Co. Recount

December 22, 2004

President of Triad Present During Montgomery Co. Recount; "Handled Glitches"; Recount Precincts Pre-Selected by BOE Staff
Report by Recount Volunteer:
Note: Brent Rapp, Pres. of Triad, was present at the Mont. County recount on Tuesday and personally handled any "glitches" that occurred in the computer recount of the county's punch card votes. Whether he had advance knowledge of which precincts were to be hand counted, I cannot say. BOE staff had selected the 21 precints to be hand counted prior to our arrival. The hand count did produce a change of 8 total votes.

I asked for Mr. Rapp's card and he advised he didn't have any, so I requested he write down his tel.# which he did, plus address.

Dep. Dir. Harsman advised that Triad is a small family firm that maintains all of Mont. Co.'s election equipment and does the programming for each election for less than $25,000/yrs. He further advised the county plans to pay Diebold over ten times that when it switches to electronic voting equipment within the next two years. (Conspiratorial minds might wonder how or why Triad could do this so cheaply.)

I called to Mr. Rapp's attention Congressman Conyer's previous concerns, and asked him if, hypothetically, a program could be developed that would change a program's vote totals and be undetectable. He acknowledged it could, but pointed out that it took two keys to access the software in the server, one held by a D and one by an R. He also said the programmer must sign in each time a change is made in the program and indicate the purpose of the change, and then sign out when the change is complete. (Again, conspiratorial minds might wonder, if someone was going so far as to rig the system, would they have any qualms about falsifying their reason for changing it.)

As some of us watched all of the voters' ballots being carted about during the recount, each precinct separated only by a rubber band, we came to the conclusion that that was about all there was holding our democracy together -- rubber bands.


Permanent Link to this Post posted by Ray Beckerman @ 12:04 AM


Link to article here: http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/president-of-triad-present-during.html


Thanks to Carolab here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x197175

[dzika]

25. IN ONE SPOT: RECENT HORROR STORIES - A series of posts by DU's TruthIsAll

(thanks to TruthIsAll for writing these excellent posts and putting this digest together)

TruthIsAll (1000+ posts) Sun Dec-26-04 10:20 PM
Original message
IN ONE SPOT: RECENT HORROR STORIES

• I. THE NEW MEDIA: TRUTHSEEKERS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE
  
  
  
  • DEJA VU: WAS IT ALL A DREAM? FLASHBACK TO NOV. 2
    
  • FOOTPRINTS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD
    
  • The SCOOP/Simon exit poll breakthrough - more true than ever.
    
  • INVALID EXIT POLLS? BLAME THE BLOGGERS
    
  • WHY DID THE EXIT POLLS SAY KERRY GOT MORE VOTES? BECAUSE HE DID.
    
  • WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT THE NET?
    
  
  
• II. EXIT POLL NUMBER CRUNCHING
  
  
  
  • VERY STRANGE, VERY STRANGE....
    
  • MY TINFOIL HAT IS GETTING HEAVY: CNN 2000 Exit Poll Site is INCOMPLETE
    
  • THE SMOKING GRAPH: GORE (tight) VS. KERRY (wide) EXIT POLL DEVIATIONS
    
  • EXIT POLLS: THE LATEST MYSTERY POLLSTER BLOG - AND MY COMMENTS
    
  • THE ODDS: TAKING THE EXIT POLL "CLUSTER" FACTOR INTO EFFECT
    
  • CLUSTER AROUND, FOLKS. CHOOSE YOUR OWN MOE.
    
  • PROBABILITY TABLES: YOUR OWN EXIT POLL FRAUD DETECTION KIT
    
  • CLUES? Exit Poll Deviations weighted by EV; Voting Machine Mix by state
    
  
  
• III. TO SUM IT UP
  
  
  
  • THESE ARE THE FACTS SO FAR
    
  • WHY REPUBLICANS BELIEVE THERE WAS NO FRAUD: From A to Z
    
  • PART III: To believe that Bush won the election, you must also believe:
    
  
  
• Programming 101:
  
  
  
  • SUB SCAM – A Tiny Visual Basic Program
    
  
  

DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x197278

[dzika]

26. Ukraine Exit Polls Leave No Doubt that John Kerry Would Have Won

(thanks to myschkin)

Better than Freeman

Don't know if anyone posted this before - but it was a big highlight for me...

The United States of Ukraine?: Exit Polls Leave Little Doubt that in a Free and Fair Election John Kerry Would Have Won both the Electoral College and the Popular Vote
by Ron Baiman

December 19, 2004

Much ink has been spilled over the exit poll/actual result mismatch in the 2004 U.S.Presidential election. The most important statistical studies have been those of Freeman(2004) and CalTech/MIT (2004). Another, less academic, study has been done by Simon(2004).

Whereas Simon and Freeman are based on relatively unadjusted late evening exit pollnumbers, as reported and collected by Simon, CalTech/MIT and journalistic reports suchas Corn (2004) and Levin (2004) compare with final “exit poll” numbers.

The final “official” exit poll numbers, however, cannot be seen as independent predictorsas they have been adjusted to match the actual reported outcome. The “final” numbers arenot meant to be independent predictors of the outcome but rather a data source on whovoted and why.

Link to Free Press:
http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2004/997

PDF:
http://www.freepress.org/images/departments/997.pdf

HTML:
http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:YAe2zF4wOfIJ:www.freepress.org/images/departments/997.pdf++site:www.freepress.org+filetype:pdf&hl=en

DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x197353

[dzika]

27. Kerry's Counsel Makes Statement Questioning The Legitimacy Of Election

Major Development: Kerry's Counsel Makes Public Statement Questioning The Legitimacy Of Election -- Papers To Be Filed In Ohio Court Tomorrow

This is from the December 22, 2004 program of
Countdown With Keith Olbermann.

The clip is only 47 seconds long, but it means a hell of a lot. I've transcribed the entire thing below, and Video and an MP3 file is also available.

I'll be posting more about the details of this tonight and all day tomorrow, along with an article that puts everything together in one cohesive post.

I'm doing this for everyone, of course, but I'm also doing it to make it easier for press folks in the mainstream media to cover these developments over this upcoming, critical week.

The situation seems a bit complicated, at first, and I found myself having to print out all of the articles and lay them out on my desk and read them over a couple of times to understand which names kept coming up, and why, and what seemed to be the important story to tell, which, as it turns out, is actually quite simple:

The Ohio Recount has been totally invalidated due to a combination of factors, most notably the obvious and incontestable recount machine tampering by a Triad employee.

continued...
http://www.onlisareinsradar.com/archives/002359.php

[dzika]

28. Evidence of Fraud and Disenfranchisement in Ohio: A Partial List

(although Ray Beckerman calls this "A Partial List", it is quite comprehensive)

December 26, 2004

Evidence of Fraud and Disenfranchisement in Ohio: A Partial List

This post is intended as a resource tool for those doing factual research on Ohio election 2004 (a) fraud, (b) disenfranchisment, (c) voter suppression, (d) recount obstruction, and (e) vote machine tampering. It makes no pretense at comprehensiveness, but is merely an attempt to compile links which have been posted on this site which are primary sources of evidence, or which summarize, analyze, or point to, such sources. They are listed in reverse chronological order of posting. The permanent link to this post is
http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/evidence-of-fraud-and.html

-snip-
Numerous other web sites and blogs provide additional valuable primary sources. Many are listed in the left hand column under "Important Links". Two which I have found especially helpful are
Election 2004 (http://shadowbox.i8.com/stolen.htm) and
MiaMedia Votergate Resource Center (http://miamedia.com/votergate)


Link:
http://fairnessbybeckerman.blogspot.com/2004/12/evidence-of-fraud-and.html

[dzika]

29. truthout Editorial: The Emperor-in-Chief

The Emperor-in-Chief
By Marjorie Cohn
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Monday 27 December 2004

Rumor has it that George W. Bush's tailor is busily stitching a royal blue cloak to go with the gold crown that will adorn the president as he takes the oath of office on January 20. Now that Bush has secured a second term, it is no longer necessary to hide behind the subtle flight suit that bedecked him on the deck of the aircraft carrier declaring "Mission Accomplished" in May 2003. He can now come out of the closet as full-fledged Emperor of the World.

Notwithstanding the United States Constitution and the United Nations Charter, Bush nicely qualifies as "the male sovereign or supreme ruler of an empire," as required by Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary.

Bush wasn't always riding high. Shortly before 9/11, his ratings were falling. It was a mere two weeks after the September 11 attacks that a secret memo prepared for Alberto Gonzales's office concluded Bush had the power to use military force "preemptively" against any terrorist organizations or countries that supported them. Any link to the attacks on the World Trade Center or the Pentagon was unnecessary, said the memo, even though Congress had so limited its license for the president to use force.

continued...
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/122704A.shtml

[dzika]

30. Even Non-Partisan Commission Cannot State the Election Was Not Stolen

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Even the Non-Partisan National Research Commission on Elections and Voting Cannot Conclusively State the Election Was Not Stolen

By ADVOCATE STAFF

While finding "no current evidence of irregularities of sufficient magnitude or scope to change the popular vote or Electoral College winner," the non-partisan National Research Commission on Elections and Voting, which released its interim report on December 22nd, 2004, nevertheless could make no "conclusive statement regarding the accuracy or fairness of specific <2004 election> results at this time." .

The Advocate believes the above news bears repeating, as you won't hear it a single time -- let alone repeated -- from any mainstream media source, and the report itself makes great effort to bury this headline in its mountain of academic/statistical verbiage: the non-partisan National Research Commission on Elections and Voting has studied the 2004 election and cannot conclusively state that the results of the election are accurate. The Commission does little to hide the fact that blame for the lack of a conclusive determination as to the fairness of the presidential election lies squarely with all those who currently hold or control vital election data, but for whatever reason (partisan or otherwise) will not release it.

continued...
http://nashuaadvocate.blogspot.com/2004/12/news-election-2004-even-non-partisan.html

[dzika]

31. G.O.P. Officials Try to Squelch Recount Efforts in Ohio, Washington

Sunday, December 26, 2004

G.O.P. Officials Exhume Talking Points from 2000 Presidential Election to Try to Squelch Recount Efforts in Ohio, Washington

By ADVOCATE STAFF

-snip-
In a Christmas Eve article in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell tells the influential paper that present recount procedures are "too inviting of mischief." In a separate interview, State Representative Kevin DeWine (R-Fairborn), cousin of prominent Bush supporter U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), alleges that the parties seeking a recount in Ohio -- Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb and Libertarian Party presidential candidate Michael Badnarik -- may have "mischief on their mind(s)."

Washington state Republicans filing a lawsuit on behalf of defeated Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi have alleged, in court filings, that to allow the King County (WA) Canvassing Board to review previously discarded ballots would "invite mischief." And an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief filed in support of Rossi by former Republican State Attorney General Ken Eikenberry alleges that the recount offers Democrats an "opportunity for mischief."

Could it be that not only Democrats, but prominent Republicans as well are beginning to see Ohio and Washington as the Floridas of 2004?

continued...
http://nashuaadvocate.blogspot.com/2004/12/news-election-2004-gop-officials.html

[dzika]

32. What's next in WA Gov Race? - Q&A from The Seattle Times

Votes tallied for governor, but what's next is unclear

By David Postman

Seattle Times chief political reporter

Here are some of the many questions remaining about what is being called the closest governor's race in the nation's history:


Q: Was this expected to be such a tight race?

Q: Were mistakes found?

Q: Who paid for the recount?

Q: What can Rossi and the Republicans do now?

Q: Can Republicans go back to court?

Q: Is a new election possible?

Q: Who can contest an election?

Q: Has there ever been an election set aside under the contested-election law?


Read the article for answers (you might be surprised)...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002130814_recount26m.html

[dzika]

33. The Republican Leadership’s Problem With Democracy

Written by: Stephen Crockett (co-host, Democratic Talk Radio www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com)


The Republican Leadership’s Problem With Democracy
By Stephen Crockett
Dec 26, 2004, 13:39

The Republican Party leadership in the era of George W. Bush seems to be demonstrating a serious problem with the basic concepts of American Democracy. Our Founding Fathers started this nation on the path of greatness by establishing a growing citizen control of our government by use of the vote. For most of our history, our national political story has been one of greater and greater democracy. The greatness of the American experience was historically defined by our democratic processes instead of our military or economic power.

The United States of America was a great nation long before it achieved our current world military and economic dominance. Our military and economic power arose from our true strength which was the commitment of our citizens to our national purposes - because of the power of the vote! Voting gave the average American a strong personal stake in government policy and national success. The Bush Republican leadership is putting this citizen commitment to our national destiny at serious risk, as they threaten to manipulate our right to self-rule, by playing games with the voting process.

In the last two Presidential elections, Republican Secretaries of State in key swing states (Florida in 2000 and Ohio, Florida, etc. in 2004) have seemingly manipulated voting rolls and regulations before Election Day. They seemed to have sabotaged legal vote recounts after Election Day in the 2000 Florida and 2004 Ohio races. In those two situations, the Republican Secretaries of State were serving as Bush statewide campaign officials while they were seemingly twisting voting regulations to benefit Republicans seeking office.

continued...
http://magic-city-news.com/article_2627.shtml

[dzika]

34. More fuel to recount fire

More fuel to recount fire

by Chris Graham
[e-mail]

Those who have raised issue with the administration of the 2004 presidential election in Ohio have more fuel for their fire.

A civil-rights group last week released a 25-minute video exposing what it claims were widespread voter abuses in Franklin County, Ohio, on Election Day.

"We hope this footage will serve as a wake-up call to all Americans that the fundamental principles upon which our country was founded like democracy and equal rights are being systematically dismantled by a small group of Republicans who are concerned with keeping power, not preserving liberty," said Zack Kaldveer, communications director of the nonprofit organization We Do Not Concede.

continued...
http://www.augustafreepress.com/stories/storyReader$30089

Also see: GROUP RELEASES VIDEO FOOTAGE OF ‘JIM CROW LIKE’ CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN OHIO ON ELECTION DAY
http://www.thefreespeechzone.net/html/Ohio_Suppression_Video.html

[dzika]

35. Vigil at John Kerry's house ...Coalition Against Election Fraud

(thanks to NVMojo)

NVMojo (1000+ posts) Mon Dec-27-04 04:49 AM
Original message
Vigil at John Kerry's house ...Coalition Against Election Fraud


in case I buried it under the wrong caption ...for those of you interested in putting your actions behind your mouths with Kerry ...

Daily Vigil at Senator John Kerry's House, 12/28 - 1/5
Coalition Against Election Fraud

There will be a daily vigil from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at Senator John Kerry's
house at Louisburg Square on Beacon Hill in Boston, starting Tuesday,
December 28 - Wednesday, January 5. On New Year's Eve only the vigil will
be from 4:00-5:00 p.m.

- We are asking Senator Kerry not to certify the electoral college vote on
January 6, 2005 and to encourage other Senators and Representatives not to
certify.

- We are asking Senator Kerry to support any other Senators and
Representatives who are planning not to certify.

This vigil is sponsored by the Coalition Against Election Fraud
You can direct questions to us at [e-mail]
Contact: Sheila Parks, Coalition Against Election Fraud
617-524-2223
cell: 617-512-5529


Continued at DU Thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x197758

See Also:
http://www.caef.us/
and
http://nostolendemocracy.typepad.com/

[dzika]

36. Electoral college can provide some news

Published - Monday, December 27, 2004

Electoral college can provide some news

By TOM SHEEHAN / Tribune Capitol bureau

What if 10 political activists were able to get together in a room every four years and cast your vote for president? Sound Orwellian? Well they do. And, they did. On top of that, they picked the loser from the Nov. 2 popular election, and in the process, ignored the wishes of nearly half of Wisconsin voters.

Of course, that's what Wisconsin's 10 presidential electors, who make up part of the nation's electoral college, were supposed to do Dec. 13 at the state Capitol. The electoral college process, which technically determines who becomes president, takes place once every four years after the November popular vote for president

-snip-
While there's not much room for individual expression, electors occasionally try something innovative or are asked to rebel. A Wisconsin elector once proposed a motion to eliminate the electoral process but wasn't able to pull it off, Kennedy said. Four years ago, Kennedy said, reporters crowded the governor's conference room after suggestions a Democrat might go red at the last minute. Didn't happen. And this year, a couple Democrats from Massachusetts and a Madison area activist encouraged Wisconsin electors to cast a "provisional ballot" while Democrats mounted legal challenges in Ohio.

-snip-
In the end, Wisconsin electors, which included one Democrat from each of the state's congressional districts and two at-large members, took about 15 minutes to vote 10-0 in favor of Kerry and Edwards.

In traditional fashion, all Wisconsin's electors were invited to the inauguration ceremonies Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C. It's unlikely any will attend.

Link:
http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2004/12/27/news/sheehan_27.txt

[dzika]

37. The Year Of Blogging Dangerously -

The Year Of Blogging Dangerously

By Edward B. Driscoll, Jr. Published 12/27/2004

-snip-
So…from the home office in San Jose, California, allow me to present, via my 1972 IBM Selectric and my jammies, the top ten events that ricocheted through the Blogosphere in 2004. They're presented in order of importance, not chronologically; no doubt, you'd assemble a very different list; but I trust you'll agree with at least some of these choices.

-snip-
6. The Exit Polls: On Election Tuesday, depending on whom you want to believe, either the networks or the Kerry camp released mid-afternoon polling data to several extremely prominent Websites, including Matt Drudge on the right, and Anna Marie Cox's Wonkette Weblog on the left. The result added even more of a roller coaster quality to an already manic day, leaving Kerry voters temporarily euphoric, and Bush supporters in a state of sullen disillusionment.

After the election, the legacy media tried to use those polls to discredit the same bloggers that they previously built-up, particularly Ana Marie Cox's Wonkette site. But as Blogger N.Z. Bear noted, Wonkette carefully indicated that all those poll numbers come with "grains of salt. Huge tablespoons of salt", and reminded her readers they still had time to vote. As Bear wrote:

"Other than simply publishing the poll numbers under a banner which screamed 'PACK OF LIES', what more could possibly be expected to warn readers that the information they were receiving had not been fact-checked to death and should be viewed as potentially suspect?"
(see: http://billhobbs.com/hobbsonline/cat_voter_fraud.html)
(see: http://www.truthlaidbear.com/archives/2004/11/18/blogs_and_old_media_a_spectrum_of_standards.php)
(see: http://www.wonkette.com/politics/campaigning/a-little-birdie-told-us-024776.php)


-snip-
4. Campaign Violence: While the Websites of individual newspapers and TV stations posted stories about break-ins and campaign violence, few seemed able to put the pieces together and notice that the vast, vast majority of violence was directed from the left to the right, as shootings, break-ins, and even "spontaneous" riots occurred in numerous GOP headquarters across the country. In October, Frank Martin noticed that it smacked of desperation tactics: a campaign that's sure of victory usually battens down the hatches and runs a tight ship (to mix maritime metaphors). The prior month, Nashville-based Bill Hobbs assembled a section on his blog that tracked all of voter fraud, as soon stories were spotted occurring. He ended up with over 60 entries in a month and a half.
(see: http://varifrank.com/archives/2004/10/_what_do_winner_1.php )
(see: http://billhobbs.com/hobbsonline/cat_voter_fraud.html )


Link:
http://www.techcentralstation.com/122704A.html

[gmoses]

38. The Texas Election Scandal You Have Not Heard About

By Greg Moses

The Texas Civil Rights Review

"As I look back over the General Election held on Nov. 2, 2004, I know that voting is a 'right' that is being taken away everyday," writes Brenda Denson-Prince. But she is not writing about far away places like Ohio or Florida. She is writing about her own attempt to become the first woman in Kaufman County, Texas to sit on the County Commissioners Court. On the day after Christmas, Denson-Prince faxes me forty pages.

http://www.texascivilrightsreview.org/phpnuke/

PS: Mirror Sites Welcome for story and pdf files--gm

[dzika]

40. gmoss - I really appreciate your post!

[dzika]

39. Make voting machines, vote deprivation illegal

Make voting machines, vote deprivation illegal

December 26, 2004

Let's add a couple of things to your list of how to improve future elections.

1. Intentionally depriving legitimate voters of their right to vote should be a crime punishable by up to life in prison. A country whose elections are suspect is a poor excuse for a democracy, and a few swift kicks would eliminate much of the hanky-panky.

2. Using an electronic voting machine should be illegal unless its computer code is totally accessible to the public. A good programmer can knock out the code for counting votes in a few days. To protect the computer code from scrutiny by claiming it to be a trade secret is absurd.

If a company insists on making that claim, simply eliminate its product from consideration. Only the nefarious or the foolish would allow the purchase and use of vote-counting machines whose inner workings are kept secret.

-- George Adkins, Salem

Link:
http://statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041226/OPINION/412260314&SearchID=7319425366198

[dzika]

41. PDX Group in Forefront of Overturning Electoral College Vote Jan. 6

author: Barbara Ellis

PDX group is helping to overturn Ohio's electoral vote Jan. 6 and force a 'clean' election


Don't give up hope yet that Bush's coronation is inevitable, Folks!!!

To update you on what's happening about overturning Ohio's Electors' vote on Jan. 6 in Congress, a Portland group that's part of the Multnomah County Democratic Central Committee??CleanVote??has been working on what happens next should members of the House and Senate agree that voting irregularities in that state are so prevalent that its 20 votes will not count. Without them, Bush hasn't won the election. In the 2000 presidential election, several House members contested the votes, but not one senator was willing to do the same??a scene familiar to anyone who has seen the film Fahrenheit 9/11.

Senators told producer Michael Moore that "nobody asked them." That's not true this time! And you can join the barrage of letters being sent to Wyden/Smith or to senators such as Kerry, Edwards, Byrd, Kennedy, Boxer, et al.

Possibilities for Congressional action immediately following the contesting of the Ohio votes include mandating a revote in Ohio counties??which the Portland group is actively seeking??or the appointment of a 15-member Electoral Commission as was done in 1874 when massive irregularities occurred in five states (Oregon, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina) when thousands of Democratic votes were tossed. Another distinct possibility is the appointment an acting president while the Ohio situation is rectified in counties with flagrant violations of the 14th Amendment in general and the 1965 Voter Rights Act in particular.


continued...
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/12/306862.shtml

[dzika]

42. OH R*s aren't the only ones hindering recounts; Recount Roadblocks in NM

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Elections! Here...

Ohio Republicans aren't the only ones trying to hinder recounts of election results. The Green and Libertarian parties have also filed for a recount in New Mexico, and the Democratic administration there is throwing up as many roadblocks as it can, with support from state courts, which are no more eager than are those in Ohio to deal with these upstart outsiders eager to disturb the established order.

The State Canvassing Board demanded that Cobb and Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik pay the full estimated cost of the recount in advance, even though there is no legal requirement for the campaigns to do so. On Wednesday, the state Supreme Court upheld that decision. In a December 23 press release, Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb called that
an insult to the democratic process and the citizens of New Mexico.

"We are seeking a recount in New Mexico to protect the right to vote and ensure that all votes are counted. We came here expecting cooperation, or at least compliance with the law, from New Mexico's Governor and Secretary of State. However, despite broad support across the political spectrum for an honest audit of New Mexico's voting system, we have been stonewalled and obstructed at every step by the Democratic Party leadership of this state," said Cobb.

"The New Mexico Supreme Court has apparently decided it is more interested in protecting the rights of corporations who make electronic voting machines than the rights of citizens to ensure that their votes are counted accurately. To call this a travesty of justice is understating the nature of the outcome," said Rick Lass, New Mexico coordinator for the recount effort.

continued...
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2004/12/elections-here.html