Shelley staffer just told me supportive emails are very helpful !

[Amaryllis]

I just called and talked to a staff person in Shelley's executive office. He said supportive emails are definitely helpful, even from out of state voters! I specifically asked if emails from those of us outside CA are helpful, and he said yes.

Supportive emails can be used to show:

1. That Shelley has support
2. That WE ARE WATCHING this, all over the nation.
3. That we know this is a smear campaing and it's about Shelley standing up to Diebold.

He said BE SURE TO PUT IN SUBJECT LINE something that indicates the email is in support of Shelley. Tell why you support him and why you object to the charges brought against him.

[e-mail]

This is a link for a group in CA that has formed to help
Shelley:
http://www.banthemachine.com/

If anyone needs more info on this or on ideas for what to say, go here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic
&forum=203&topic_id=321070

This is from an email I got from someone who knows a lot more than I do about the details:

This is a witch hunt. There is no question that this is retaliation for decertifying Diebold, and just like Kerry who didn't first realize the magnitude of the Swift Boat liars, before he knew it this whole thing escalated out of proportion. Shelley's attorneys told him to not remark, because every time he did it it was met with retaliation of more charges.

The partisan allegations against Shelley totaled less than $2,000.

This is no longer just the RNC v. Shelley, it is the RNC vs U.S. voters and how they can use their HAVA money, i.e. funnel it into republican beholden vendors, or lose it.

The new EAC appointment Gracia Hillman is a good
friend of Patty McCormack (the Ventura County election official who is
leading the charge in retracting Shelley's 2006 paper trail on the
grounds that it was a "fake crisis.")

[Pacifist Patriot]

1. If someone will give me a template to work with...

I'll be happy to send one. I've been working on a term paper this past week and a half and am mildly in the dark on the details here.

[Amaryllis]

3. BAD link above for more info; go here for more specifics :

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=321070

Sorry, I messed up on the link to Peace Patriot's action letter thread on Shelley, which has lots of good info.

[NV Whino]

2. Thanks for the e-mail address

Couldn't find a way to e-mail from the gov web page.

[Amaryllis]

4. Got if from his staffer.

[EFerrari]

5. Yahoooooooooo! Thanks, Amaryllis. n/t

[Amaryllis]

6. I was so glad to hear that we from out of state can help. I've watched the

Shelley-Diebold battle since last summer, and have been so grateful for what he has done. My SOS, who is great, told me at a fundraiser where I talked to him about voting machines that Shelley had done some great work against great political opposition. I've been really bummed ever since I found out about this.

Please help keep this thread kicked!

[EFerrari]

10. Will do. And, there is no "out of staters" any more. We ALL count,

we all can help. Upside of globalization. :)

[Amaryllis]

12. There is still the thing about congress people wanting to hear from

constituents but the Shelley staffer I talked to said it would be good for them to have emails indicating the eyes of the nation were watching!

[EFerrari]

15. Sure, but if you think about how much support we can drum up

on the net, the whole idea of only responding to your "constituents" goes right out the window. I worked, for example, with Ohioans after the election in all kinds of ways. Woe to the elected official that turns anyone away anymore.

On edit: Because they don't know how many votes we can swing through our on line networks.

[Amaryllis]

16. Interesting point about swinging votes through online networks. Do you

think they know this?

[EFerrari]

21. They're coming around. But, we were here FIRST! LOL

[Amaryllis]

14. What about contacting Boxer? I started another thread on that; have any of

you CA folks followed up on that? She needs to know how serious this is,not only for the future of CA, but the future of the entire country. If CA goes, we all go with you.

[Eric J in MN]

7. I just emailed.

I included the sentence "I hope Kevin Shelley does NOT resign."

[JDPriestly]

8. What, precisely, are the accusations against Shelley?

I know he is under investigation at both state and federal levels, but for exactly what?

I cannot access the DU link.

[EFerrari]

11. They're accusing him of

being an abusive boss, of mishandling HAVA funds, and of giving preferential treatment to contributors. Someone sicced the Chronicle and the Bee to do hit pieces for months -- since August, since he DECERTIFIED DIEBOLD. And the press is what has driven this witch hunt.

And it's about a half inch deep. The point is, they're driving him out of office before there's even a HEARING. Is he guilty? How can I know? But, isn't our system founded on the presumption of innocence?

Compare to the WA SOS. Rossi has petitions and death threats going, but the Republicans won't fall for it. We shouldn't either.

They've been dismantling the Dems in California, starting with Enron removing Davis from office, essentially, because Davis was going after them.

Shelley was the logical next step.

[JDPriestly]

17. They can't "run him out of office" unless he is willing to go.

What does he say about the accusations? Has he denied them, or is he staying silent? And, again, what, in more detail, are the accusations?

[EFerrari]

23. Alternately, he can decide to leave because the smear is too

damaging to himself and to his family.

Haven't you ever met someone who was arrested wrongfully and didn't sue?

Check out www.sfgate.com and search Kevin Shelley. But read carefully, because the Chron has been on a mission to get rid of him.

Notice how flabby the accusations are. You won't find anything more detailed and concrete. It's a smear, for pete's sake.

[Amaryllis]

26. See this: Shelley victim of brutal media campaign:

Feb. 7, 2005
Dear friends,

The corporations who control the media powerfully shape public opinion.
The below New York Times article describes how four major TV networks
refused to run "controversial" advertisements opposing the limitation of rewards in medical malpractice lawsuits. Both through limiting
advertisements and through biased reporting on critical issues, corporate ownership of the media can sway public opinion to promote their own agenda. See http://www.wanttoknow.info/mediacover-up
for numerous stories by award-winning reporters detailing blatant media manipulation and censoring.

Another important example of which few people are aware is the recent
media targeting of California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. In May of 2004, Shelley called for a criminal investigation of voting machine
behemoth Diebold because the company had lied to state officials. "There was a wholesale breakdown in the election last March," he said.
"Untold thousands of individuals were turned away and denied their right to vote because the voting equipment couldn't start." So many of the machines malfunctioned or ran unapproved software that Shelley took the extraordinary step of decertifying them. (See CBS report on this at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/28/sunday/main632436.shtml>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/28/sunday/main632436.shtml
.

In early August,
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/05/MNGC2B6LOC1.DTL
click here and scroll down about 3/4 of the page to see the SF Chronicle's timeline and accusations), this man who should have been a hero for championing electronic voting machines which are fully accountable, instead became the target of a brutal media campaign accusing him of allegations which could be applied to many politicians. He recently resigned as a result of the almost continual barrage of negative headline stories in the California media. Is it possible that powerful Diebold and the money interests behind them wanted to teach Shelley and others a lesson? Could they have wielded their influence to manipulate his departure? Read the summary at
http://www.wanttoknow.info/votingproblems
to see just how much power Diebold holds. Please help to play the role at
which the media is sadly failing by spreading this message.

With very best wishes,
http://www.wanttoknow.info/aboutus
WantToKnow.info team

[kitkat65]

56. URL not found

I'm trying to get to these listed sites and they are not working.

[JDPriestly]

27. But, Gloria Romero asked him to leave according to the Chron.

Why?

[EFerrari]

31. That's a really good question, given that no one can nail him

on any thing for sure.

Let alone, that here's been no trail, no process. It sure looks like they more or less threatened him enough to leave.

Who among us is invulnerable to these tactics?

[K3RRY1]

29. Shelley may be a crook

but he's OUR crook. I'm mailing a check.

[Der Blaue Engel]

35. That's an unfortunate way to put it

The freeps love to take this sort of quote out of context.

I won't support a crook, Dem or otherwise. But the more I've read of this, the more convinced I am that this is a case of taking a grain of truth and inflating it into a totally unwarranted smear campaign.

I sat back and watched this develop over the last few weeks, and felt really heartsick about it all, unable to decide whether I should support him. But I've made my decision, thanks to the diligence of people like Peace Patriot and sfexpat2000 (among others) to keep on this and keep telling it like it is. I'm about to start mail-blasting.

[EFerrari]

36. Thanks, DBE. Due process is all I'm after!

If the guy is a crook, fine. Let him be tried.

But notice, they never say he stole anything or that funds are missing.

What they say is he "mishandled" the HAVA funds. Translation: He didn't buy the machines that he knew were not to be trusted. Or, that's my take.

If I'm wrong, fine. But, I sure wouldn't want to be sentenced before I get my day in court.

[NationalEnquirer]

61. Agreed, grain of truth, WAY overblown.

You could find dirt like this about anybody.
They just needed a convenient excuse to get rid of him.
The worst part?
The way the DEMS totally CAVED.
I thought Cali Dems had balls?
What the f*##@ is up with that?

[Amaryllis]

28. Here's more info. And they can make his life so miserable that he leaves.

From: http://www.wanttoknow.info/votingproblems

California's Secretary of State Kevin Shelley called for a criminal investigation of Diebold, saying the company had lied to state officials. "There was a wholesale breakdown in the election last March. Untold thousands of individuals were turned away and denied their right to vote because the voting equipment couldn't start." So many of the machines malfunctioned or ran unapproved software that Shelley took the extraordinary step of decertifying them.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/28/sunday/main632436.shtml - CBS website

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4874190 - MSNBC website

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2004-05-01-e-voting_x.htm - USA Today website

[SaveAmerica]

33. They're like water dripping on limestone, trying to wear him down

I'm reading Molly Ivins book Shrub (I know a little behind in my reading) and in the chapter about GW running against Ann Richards she mentions that while Richards was governor Karen hughes and Fredy Myers "put out press releases attacking Richards almost daily and filed open-records requests on state agencies constantly, looking for ammunition." I consider Ann Richards a very strong woman but what I'm reading in here even she was worn down by the constant attacks, I can't imagine what that would be like, to be the target for such a vendetta. I wonder if the source of the articles or new releases about Shelley can be traced back to anyone in specific? Meanwhile, the letters of support have got to be helpful to provide a shield between the water and the rock and this message should get out to as many people as possible to send in an e-mail and follow it up with a snail mail letter to be on the record.

[EFerrari]

37. I know it's the Cabal because of the 3 pronged attack

1. He's unstable (yelling boss) 2. He mishandled money (thief) 3. He's unpatriotic (disloyal to his party and to his constituents.).

It's the same old song. And if you push on ANY of these allegations, there's no hard facts just Dems backing off because we CARE about stability, civility, honesty and loyalty. They're using our own values to make us back off.

[Amaryllis]

39. Please help keep this kicked!

[SaveAmerica]

40. Will also post in my state forum n/t

[Amaryllis]

13. See post #3; link for more info. I messed up link in main thread.

[EFerrari]

9. Contact Info for Conny McCormack, L.A. Registrar of Voters

[e-mail]

800-815-2666
562-462-2716

Let her know how you feel about paperless evoting and her attacks on Kevin Shelley.

[yurbud]

18. retracting Shelley's 2006 paper trail? Can they do that?

retracting Shelley's 2006 paper trail on the grounds that it was a "fake crisis."

[EFerrari]

32. They can, if we let them. nt

[yurbud]

19. can these activists for retracting be investigated for racketeering?

and connection to the voting machine companies?

[Peace Patriot]

20. See this thread for more info. on Shelley, sample letters and...

...contact info. to CA legislators. This post has the new revised LETTER OF THE WEEK (and also has Ojai Person's great version of the new letter). It has additional contact info for Shelley including his Legal Defense Fund, all CA Senators' emails, and other useful stuff:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x321070

The following thread has links to all the other DU discussions about this, including posts of news articles (see Comment #7 for DU links). This post has the old version of this LETTER OF THE WEEK (since revised, at the post above):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x319613

[Amaryllis]

25. I posted your thread in the main post but messed up the link, so

corrected it a couple posts down. I wanted people to have your thread as a reference because you have a lot of good info there.

[Peace Patriot]

22. KICK! n/t

[corbett]

24. Less Than $2,000? I Didn't Know That! Maria?

Generally, I don't care to have a governor's wife meddling in state affairs but where's Maria on this one? She's been an active first lady. Write to her, too, at her official fax number of 916-445-4633.

[Amaryllis]

30. Has she been active on anything that opposes Arnold?

[corbett]

42. Word Is That She Laid Down The Law

Word is that she laid down the law after Arnie was a bit too chummy and right-leaning with his rhetoric at the RNC convenion in NYC. Remember, to paraphrase John Kerry, "RNC stands for 'Really Not Compassionate.'"

In terms of California policy, it's my understanding that she's been more out front than other gubernatorial spouses but not too far.

[Helga Scow Stern]

51. Good! I will write her tomorrow. n/t

[Al-CIAda]

34. kick

[loudsue]

38. I just sent this info to my family in California....

And I just e-mailed Shelley to offer support.

Kicking in support of Kevin Shelley!!

:kick::kick::kick:

[Eloriel]

41. This is important -- thank you n/t

:kick:

[Freddie Stubbs]

43. Did he say why Kelley

isn't saying that Diebold is behind the smear? :shrug:

[Amaryllis]

44. Who is Kelley?

[Freddie Stubbs]

45. D'oh! Kevin Shelley

I guess I merged the two names , kind of like like with Cruzamante.

[Amaryllis]

47. Got it. One of those dyslexic slips.

[Amaryllis]

48. Did you see the part in the original post where the attys told him not to

say anything because every time he tries to defend himself, they just attack him more? If he said it was about Diebold, they'd no doubt label him a conspiracy theorist, right?

[noamnety]

46. emailed, kick! (nt)

[Spiffarino]

49. Done!

Dear Secretary Shelley,

As a resident of North Carolina, I am well aware of the disaster that awaits us all if we continue voting on blackbox machines. The 2004 NC election should be held up as a model of what can go wrong with e-voting in the absence of verifiable paper receipts: Machines counting backwards, candidates being flipped, non-votes defaulting to a candidate, and on and on.

You have become a hero in the fight against blackbox voting in this country. You are the tip of the spear, and what you have done so far has contributed mightily to the cause of electoral fairness. To give up now could mean the end of democracy, and in it's place something akin to Russia elections under the Communists.

Please continue your fight against BBV. Don't succumb to these fascists. Rescind your resignation and fight! If there is anything I can do to help you stand against these people who are trying to railroad you, just tell me. I'll do whatever I can.

All the best,
---

[chrisclub]

50. Dear Mr. Shelley, Don't Quit!

Mr. Shelley,

There is overwhelming evidence that Diebold/ESS, etc machines stole the last election.

The machines and software need to be independently verified. The actual machines that made bogus counts in the last election need to be examined.

You are on the right track.

Do not quit.

Sincerely,

Chris

San Jose, CA

[SaveAmerica]

52. I second that emotion!! Everyone write Mr. Shelley a letter of support!

[Peace Patriot]

53. KICK! VERY IMPORTANT! n/t

[rigel99]

54. Georgia Wants to Ban The Machine..

will have my activist network send Shelley Extremely supportive emails..

Hey, Kevin, how'd you like to sue Diebold in Georgia???? We could sure use your help..... I've been collecting open records data (and doing all my own discovery) and preparing for a legal battle....

don't let them usher you out of california... go to another state and get all Diebold machines banned... look, the presence of stolen equipment and no serial #'s (see www.countpaperballots.com for a copy of stolen diebold equip. and what that means to all future diebold related elections) is our ticket...

Look, we can turn this around, but fighting nationally, and using Dean's 'hammer' style, we can make this a big problem for Diebold. Let's work together and follow Lehto's lead in WA and ask every state, every activist in every state, have you started your lawsuits yet? it's time for punitive action. legislative will only get us so far... it's time for some serious action....

Kevin, your work has inspired us ... we have so much gratitude and don't let it bother you, there is a position in the DNC for you somewhere.. just call Dean up.. he's got a job for you... seriously....Dean said he'd consider withholding Dem. funds for sec. of state that do not follow strict guidelines for elections in their state....

come on... let's go... like Dean says, let's all just SHOW UP!

[Peace Patriot]

59. rigel99: What a fabulous email to Shelley! That's the ticket!

Buck him up! He's a good man who got chewed up by truly foul players. He could go on the lecture circuit, too, and make a living exposing Diebold and the rest of the BushCon criminals. People are dying for real information! WE ARE THE MAJORITY! We want decent, honest, good government. We voted this Oil Cartel out, and we cannot get our will enforced--and we need to know how they try to destroy good people, and to learn how to fight back!

Go, Kevin! Do not give up! We're with you! I am so heartened by Dean's statement. I hadn't heard that one. I knew he was onto the fact that this is a state by state fight, to restore our right to vote. (Congress ain't gonna do it.) But this is great. He really knows what's what! And I'm sure Shelley does, too. We all suffered a similar blow on election night. We didn't get our faces smashed in, like Shelley has--but it was similar, emotionally. We will recover. We ARE recovering. And we're going to win this!

[Amaryllis]

60. Anyone have that quote from Dean?

[rigel99]

62. actually I have the video... of Dean saying this..

When Dean came to GA, I shot some video...
he was on fire about election fraud....

I'll try to fish it up and put it online... till then, the referendum quote is pretty strong... he knows as I do this thing will end up in won lawsuits, no MSM press about it and citizen based recalls..

we are still and always have been the majority... Bush's minority is so tiny, even moderate republicans are getting angry they are not the pig invited to the trough...

in the meanwhile, there is a snippet where he directly says we need to pursue referendums states by state.. I don't know why I can't find it.. but will keep loooking.....

[Amaryllis]

63. This is the quote I was wondering about:

The one you said about
"Dean said he'd consider withholding Dem. funds for sec. of state that do not follow strict guidelines for elections in their state...." I would love to hear that. But wouldn't the repubs just love it if he withheld dem funds? Don't get it.

I read in an article interviewing Dean about pursuing it state by state.

[rigel99]

64. strategy to field progressive dem.

candidates who support Dean's policies.. that means the official taking over of the dem. party (old school, or even GA's oldschool dems who look alot like repubs anyway) by Dean's witholding support and money from nonprogressive candidates..

it makes sense, Dean has a big pot and the ability to make it much bigger.. so his strategy will be to activate the grassroots again and get the funds flowing so we can officially demand democrats follow their
sworn identities as democrats (no more zell miller democrats)....

[McCamy Taylor]

55. Email sent. Has anyone tried to get Olberman on this?

Here's my email:

It was bad enough when the Republicans were a minority party, but now that they are the majority party they are abusing their power in ways I never dreamed possible. If elected officials like Mr Shelley attempt to do their jobs, in this case, keep elections fair by forbidding the use of flawed technology like that of Diebold (suspected of causing massive voting irregularities in other states) the Republican Party attacks them. Worst of all, the Department of Justice has been used as a political tool. Shades of J. Edgar Hoover!

Does California really want its own Katherine Harris or Kenneth Blackwell appointed by its governor? Does California want to join Florida and Ohio as one of the laughing stocks of the nation? In the old days, California set the standards for progress in the US. I can not believe that California is going to sit back and let the RNC force it into the Black Box Voting category.

Mr. Shelley has done nothing wrong except do his job! Continue to let him do his job.

[Peace Patriot]

57. CURRENT DISCUSSION and compilation of all urls on this issue...

at

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=325113#325318

[suffragette]

58. sent email

And thanks Amaryllis for posting this.