Man who assaulted woman is key player behind CA initiative on electoral votes

[Tom Joad]

Now he wants to assault the democratic system.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/09/27/MNNCSDUH6.DTL
Mystery man's key role in move to change Electoral College rules
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Thursday, September 27, 2007


(09-26) 17:38 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Until this week, Missouri attorney Charles "Chep" Hurth III was best known for a headline-grabbing incident a decade ago in which he bit a young female law student on the butt in a bar.

Now Hurth, the city attorney for New Haven, Mo. (population 1,800), is the agent for a deep-pocketed group that donated $175,000 to fund a Republican-backed effort that would reshape the landscape of presidential politics in California.

Hurth has emerged as an unlikely lead player in connection with the ballot measure that seeks to change the way California allocates its Electoral College votes in the presidential election. His actions on behalf of the group Take Initiative America are being examined by the state's Fair Political Practices Commission after accusations from Democrats that the group is hiding the source of its money.

It's not the first time Hurth has been part of an effort that Democrats say has been aimed at changing the outcome of a presidential election. In 2004, he was the legal agent behind a GOP-funded group called Choices for America, which solicited donations from Republicans for another controversial signature drive - to help independent candidate Ralph Nader get on the presidential election ballot in key states, documents show.

[mod mom]

1. Oh this has Countdown's "Worst Person" written all over it. Is there anyone in the GOP

that doesn't have serious issues?

I sent this to Keith!

[mod mom]

3. If you'd like to join me in sending this to Keith, here is his email:

[e-mail]

Let's get this guy a little publicity!

[bleever]

8. Thanks, mod mom!

We'll know who to thank when he does the story.

:thumbsup:

[BrklynLib at work]

2. ..but..but..but George Soros is funding Media Matters!!!!

amd MoveOn.Org is trying to undermine the government!!!

and nevermind who funded the SwiftBoatLiars!!!!

:sarcasm:

What a teeming, slimy, stomach-turning bucket of disgusting creatures lurk in the background of the Republican party!!!! Of course that does not mean that there are not some pretty horrifying creatures right up front too!!!

[Tom Joad]

4. I truly think this is going to come back and bite the republican party on the ass, so to speak.

[Gregorian]

5. I wish people would stop giving me a reason to HATE them!

I'm getting really tired of shitty people.

[rateyes]

6. Does this initiative have a chance in CA?

I'm asking because I don't know. And, if this passes, welcome President Giuliani.

[Downtown Hound]

7. No, it ain't gonna pass

Both the CA legislature and the CA population are controlled by Dems. This initiative has zero chance of passing. It's merely a sign of Republican desperation and hypocrisy that it was presented at all. The CA Republicans are a bunch of frustrated folks. They can't win shit in this state. They thought they had a champion in Arnold but when all of his special election measures went down in flames he became a centrist and now they have no one. This is an example of them trying to rig the game because they can't win anything else and now their voting machines are being kicked out of the state.

[Tom Joad]

9. I don't think it's going to pass either. People will see through this

while some for awhile may be attracted to changing the electoral system, this makes it even more unfair. Because rather than just allocating electoral votes based on percentage of popular vote, it makes it based on cong. districts. and when they see a dem candidate that gets 55% of the popular vote in California may end up with 45% of the electoral vote, i think people will reject it.

It is more unfair that only a majority Dem state is doing this, and not a state like Alabama or Idaho.

of course, making an ass-biter a key campaign player can't help the republicans either.

[rateyes]

13. Good. I hope it backfires, and the Dems get even more votes.

[BadgerLaw2010]

12. No, and it's unconstitutional as well. US Constitution requires the Legislature.

[mulsh]

10. I haven't run itnto anyone collecting signitures of course,

I live in scary, very blue Oakland, so maybe I'm in the wrong place. Still I can't wait to be asked. he he he.

[Tom Joad]

11. Yep, the bay area is a nice place to be. In Berkeley in the year 2000

Bush did not come in first.
He did not come in second.
But a distant third place, way behind Gore and even behind Nader.

[Tom Joad]

14. the initiative already is dead. dead, dead. They gave up. late breaking news.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2007/09/breaking-news-e.html