 |
Mon May 12 2008 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Departments Election Issues My report from Hocking County, July 5, 2005: An update on Sherole Eaton's unfolding Story by Victoria Parks, Ohio Backbone Campaign July 7, 2005 The uproar of applause at attorney Cliff Arnebeck's serving the Hocking County Board of Elections with a court order not to make any decision regarding the firing of Hocking County BOE whistleblower Sherole Eaton, was in the very least, memorable. It shall be treasured by the present Eaton, who blew the whistle on a Triad GSI Technician who was witnessed by Eaton early last December, illegally switching out hard drives on an election machine involved in last year's election recount in Hocking County, Ohio. Sherole Eaton's decision to stand up for election integrity was an easy decision for this slight woman who most people would not immediately think of as "courageous." Her thought at the moment was that what she was doing the right thing. Now, she is in a fight to keep her job with the Hocking County Board of elections who voted to fire her in May 2005. Weeks before this incident, immediately following the election, Ms. Eaton was commended by Hocking BOE Board member, Gerry Robinette (D), for her outstanding performance in executing her duties as Asst. BOE Director. After Lisa Schwartze (R) left her duties as Hocking BOE Director for her maternity leave last October, Eaton, nearly single-handedly, oversaw the 2004 election in Hocking County, winning the diminuitive Eaton praise from her superiors. Yesterday, in this most recent meeting of the Hocking County BOE, another side of the board members who elected to fire Eaton, was revealed. The serious matter of Hocking BOE Director, Lisa Schwartze's abusing her office of the Hocking County Board of Elections by engaging in Republican fundraising from the Hocking BOE offices, raised eyebrows from the 25 cloistered people who crowded this meeting. Apparently, Schwartze planned and executed a Silent Chinese Auction, a Republican Party fundraiser, from the offices of the Hocking County Board of Elections. The auction was admitted as part of a meeting agenda item. When questioned regarding Schwartze's activities regarding this, she became quite defensive in response, claiming that she did not deserve to be "attacked." Ohio Backbone Campaign, organizer Dave Hickman wrote in his recent report on this meeting: "Upon hearing Schwartze's admission, concerned citizens called for investigation. Schwartze dismissed accusations as "personal attacks" but was countered by Evan Davis who stated expectations for BOE officials to uphold the law should not be defined as personal attacks." That was indeed a dramatic moment as a bigger picture of the affairs of the Hocking County Board of elections emerged. A decision to "discuss" this matter was carried over as an agenda item for their next meeting of the board. Meanwhile, we wait with bated breath in anticipation. The other shining moment in the meeting that will stick with me, is when everyone in the room shouted in rebuttal to Gerry Robinette's flimsy retort that there was "no evidence" that any such thing as an illegal Republican fundraiser "had taken place." Mocking laughter could then be heard erupting from the crowd. The meeting record will reveal that Lisa had just admitted there WAS a silent Chinese Auction having been carried out through the Hocking County BOE offices. Robinette's retort was surprising considering Schwartze's statements were already a matter of record. Gerry Robinette must not be a very good listener. Lame attempts to obfuscate the truth, at this point, seemed "after the fact", at best. I agree though, with Hocking County Director Gerry Robinette's (D) statement that "all politics should stop at the door" at the Board of Elections offices in Hocking County. Yes, not only is this recommended, it is the law. If I had had the chance to speak at this meeting, I would have made sure to comment that not only was partisan politics invited into the Hocking County BOE with a red carpet, it was enabled in a grand way. The fact that it is ILLEGAL for BOE Directors to engage in partisan political fundraising while on the job, must have eluded Hocking County BOE Director Lisa Schwartze, who felt comfortable breaking the law in her decision to initiate this type of activity out of a Board of Elections office. Other things were brought to my attention regarding things Eaton witnessed while serving as Asst. Hocking BOE Director. Schwartze is alleged to have paid the said auction's caterer with a check, right from the office of the Hocking BOE, according to Eaton. Also, it should be noted that the Hocking BOE was being used to "store items being auctioned off" for the fundraiser. According to sources, it should be noted the Hocking County Republican Party has some ninety-thousand dollars in its coffers presently. In addition, meeting minutes from May 19, being public record, reveal the board violated the Health Insurance Accountability Act in disclosing Eaton's private medical information within these meeting minutes. Furthermore, off the $1928.03 In the invoice expense totals listed in these May 19 minutes, reveal that $900 dollars was owed to Triad GSI. My question is, what did The Hocking County Board of Elections actually get for the money? The phrase I would use to describe the modus operandi of the Hocking County Board of Elections is "sloppy ineptitude." For example, also, never been properly addressed by this self-ruling body of the Hocking County Board of Elections, is the matter of Susan Hughes (D) "rehiring" herself without the board's approval. This move by Mrs. Hughes might be construed as an attempt by Hughes to maintain her health insurance as a legitimate employee of the Hocking County BOE. If Hughes did not follow protocol in the act of rehiring herself without board approval while "retired", should any decisions she has made since her "rehiring" be considered legally binding? That is the sixty-four-thousand dollar question. I editorialize: An investigation is in order into the actions of the Hocking County BOE, I would say. In my humble opinion, the Hocking County BOE's misdirected effort to fire Sherole Eaton should backfire on the lot of them. Where incompetence and such corruption is enabled and rewarded to those who stray from the law, knowingly or not, how can we expect justice to be served for Sherole Eaton in such an environment? It is time for Secretary of State Blackwell to answer to the illegal actions of Lisa Schwartze, and the abuse of her office, according to the rule of law. My overall impression of the Hocking County Board of Elections is that they look as thick as thieves, and exhibit a glaring incompetence in managing the simplest of tasks such as following the rule of law. Even an effort as simple as taking legible meeting notes, and following rules of order, seems beyond the leadership capabilities of this board. It appears as if they are simply accustomed to doing things in their own way, rule of law be damned. Heaven help Ohio voters if this conduct is allowed in our Ohio Boards of Elections. In all reasonable assessment, Sherole Eaton might seem the ONLY employee on this board worth retaining. She alone has acted with honesty and integrity in assisting the electors of Hocking County. Sherole Eaton should be reinstated in her former position with the Hocking County Board of Elections, while the lot of the rest of them should be fired. In the least, that is my considered opinion. Email this article to a friend |
Don't forget to check out articles from 2007 and 2008
"An open letter to the Election Assistance Commission"
December 25, 2005
John Gideon, Executive Director of VotersUnite.Org and Information Manager for VoteTrustUSA.Org
"Diebold hack proven in county test!"
December 17, 2005
Glenn Yeagley
"Diebold Inc. in a tailspin after resignation of CEO and filing of a class action fraud lawsuit"
December 17, 2005
VelvetRevolution.us
"Orr thinks machines make voting simpler, more secure "
December 17, 2005
Mario Bartoletti
"Diebold "hack test" - Sec. State / Black Box Lawyer square off"
December 10, 2005
Black Box Voting
"With new legislation, Ohio Republicans plan holiday burial for American Democracy"
December 6, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Important daily voting news"
December 4, 2005
John Gideon
"Poll shock"
November 24, 2005
Robert C. Koehler, Tribune Media Services
"Ohio's Diebold Debacle: New machines call election results into question"
November 24, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Diebold attempts to evade election transparency laws"
November 20, 2005
Matt Zimmerman
"Supreme Court stabs another GOP knife into US democracy by upholding ex-felon vote ban"
November 16, 2005
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Has American Democracy died an electronic death in Ohio 2005's referenda defeats?"
November 11, 2005
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"What John Kerry definitely said about 2004’s stolen election and why it's killing American democracy"
November 10, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Scrap the "secret" ballot - return to open voting"
November 5, 2005
Lynn Landes
"Clarification of NEDA's withdrawal of Ohio exit poll paper"
November 5, 2005
Kathy Dopp
"Clarification of NEDA's withdrawal of Ohio exit poll paper"
November 3, 2005
Kathy Dopp, National Election Data Archive
"Watergate-style money laundering indictments stoke Ohio's stolen election fires"
October 28, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Powerful Government Accountability Office report confirms key 2004 stolen election findings"
October 26, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Did you erase your own vote?"
October 25, 2005
Warren Stewart, Director of Legislative Issues and Policy, www.VoteTrustUSA.org
"Why can't the left face the Stolen Elections of 2004 & 2008?"
October 18, 2005
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Carter/Baker Report can't face how the GOP stole America's 2004 election & is rigging 2008"
September 20, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Two Steps Forward, One Step Back"
September 20, 2005
Warren Stewart, Director of Legislative Issues and Policy, VoteTrustUSA
"FEMA Chief Brown Paid Millions in False Claims to Help Bush Win Fla. Votes"
September 19, 2005
Jason Leopold
"Ohio recount lawsuit set for trial; election workers indicted"
September 4, 2005
Blair Bobier
"Ohio Governor's ethics violations expose money trail to stolen 2004 election"
August 30, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Diebold's failure in California"
August 7, 2005
John Gideon, Information Manager, www.VotersUnite.Org and www.VoteTrustUSA.Org
"Did the GOP steal another Ohio Election?"
August 5, 2005
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Conyers-Kaptur seek special counsel for Noe probe"
August 4, 2005
John Conyers, Jr. and Marcy Kaptur
"Dramatic new charges deepen link between Ohio's "Coingate," Voinovich mob connections, and the theft of the 2004 election"
July 29, 2005
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"None dare call it stolen - Ohio, the election, and America's servile press"
July 24, 2005
Mark Crispin Miller, summarized by Mary Anne Saucier, Columbus, Ohio
"Civic Engagement and the Restoration of Community from a voter activist’s view"
July 19, 2005
Terri Zins
"My report from Hocking County, July 5, 2005: An update on Sherole Eaton's unfolding Story"
July 7, 2005
Victoria Parks, Ohio Backbone Campaign
"Handbook for Ohio Voter Activists, Version 2.0"
July 7, 2005
Various activists
"Direct testimony: Presented to Election Assessment Hearing"
July 4, 2005
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Log Cabin Republicans in Ohio"
July 4, 2005
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"With a limp election theft report, Dems prove why they're unworthy"
June 28, 2005
Harvey Wasserman and Bob Fitrakis
"Voting problems and uncounted votes in Lucas County, Ohio"
June 28, 2005
Justine Smith
"The DNC 2004 Election Report: An indictment of incompetence"
June 25, 2005
Steven Rosenfeld and Bob Fitrakis
"Corporate control of the election process"
June 22, 2005
John Gideon
"Introduction: Did George W. Bush steal America's 2004 election?"
June 16, 2005
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Voter Confidence Committee Calls For Rejection of CA Special Election"
June 16, 2005
Dave Berman
"Activists from 25 states lobby for paper ballots on June 9 and 10"
June 10, 2005
VoteTrustUSA.org
"Fear of riffraff"
June 10, 2005
Robert C. Koehler, Tribune Media Services
"Electoral Politics and the War: Lessons from 2004 and What the Anti-War Movement Should do in 2006"
June 8, 2005
Kevin Zeese
"Optical scan machines hacked in Florida"
June 2, 2005
Black Box Voting
"Does ES&S really want to sell the Automark machines?"
May 28, 2005
John Gideon
"Attack on election board whistleblower and leaked Blackwell threats re-fire Ohio's election theft scandal"
May 23, 2005
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Franklin County, Ohio Election Procedures – April and May 2005"
May 6, 2005
Paddy Shaffer
"Carter Gets It – But Will His Electoral Commission?"
April 24, 2005
Kevin Zeese and Linda Schade
"Voter Perceptions and Political Deceptions: Federal, Ohio and Knox"
April 24, 2005
Mike Swinford
"Electoral reform groups call for James Baker's resignation from electoral reform commission"
April 17, 2005
Ilene Proctor
"National Conference on Election Reform Opens with Civil Rights Panel"
April 13, 2005
Abigail Thorton
"View from Another Planet"
April 13, 2005
Josh Mitteldorf
"Democrats! Paper “Trails” Aren’t Good Enough. Count The Damn Ballots!"
April 12, 2005
Lynn Landes
"Democrats, Paper ‘Trails’ Aren’t Good Enough; Count The Damn Ballots!"
April 1, 2005
Lynn Landes, Online Journal Contributing Writer
"Scientific Analysis Suggests Presidential Vote Counts May Have Been Altered"
March 30, 2005
US Vote Counts
"As Blackwell Says, Ohio’s in 2004 was a National Model"
March 24, 2005
Steve Rosenfeld, Bob Fitrakis, and Harvey Wasserman
"Understanding the difference between paper ballots and paper audit trails"
March 20, 2005
Gary Beckwith
"Save Our Democracy"
March 16, 2005
John Irwin
"Republicans maneuvering to get Voting Rights Act killed"
March 10, 2005
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
"Legal filing highlights Blackwell's hypocrisy in Ohio recount case"
March 7, 2005
Blair Bobier
"Selma 40 Years Later"
March 6, 2005
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
"Exit Poll Madness - Analyst Steve Freeman & Company Offer False Choice"
March 4, 2005
Lynn Landes
"Libertarians To Testify in Ohio House: Modernize Ohio's Election Laws"
March 3, 2005
Robert Butler
"The New Voting Rights Movement Begins Here Today"
March 2, 2005
Steven Rosenfeld
"Voting in America"
February 28, 2005
Bob Babson
"The Mighty Texas Strike Force"
February 28, 2005
Nick Mottern - Documentary News Service
"Blackwell presidential election sanctions briefs"
February 22, 2005
Various individuals
"Representative Conyers and others file amicus brief in Ohio Supreme Court"
February 17, 2005
Dena Graziano
"Congresswoman Tubbs Jones Outraged at Blackwell's Failure to Appear During House Administration Hearing"
February 12, 2005
Office of Rep. Tubbs Jones
"Ohio Attorney-General's attack on election protection attorneys draws mountain of documentation on state's stolen election, including new study on exit polls"
February 3, 2005
Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Prominent Statisticians Refute 'Explanation' of 2004 U.S. Exit Poll Discrepancies in New Edison/Mitofsky Report and Urge Investigation of U.S. Presidential Election Results"
January 31, 2005
Bruce O'Dell
"The last man to concede..."
January 29, 2005
Sheila Samples
"Report on Washington DC, January 6, 2005"
January 25, 2005
Avram Friedman
"Arkansas in 2004: Did Bush Really Win?"
January 24, 2005
Max Standridge
"New links"
January 23, 2005
Free Press staff
"Voting Problems and Uncounted Votes in Lucas County, Ohio"
January 23, 2005
Justine Smith
"Plan B: Parallel Elections & Signed Ballots"
January 20, 2005
Lynn Landes
"Open Letter to Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro from Representative John Conyers, Jr."
January 20, 2005
Representative John Conyers, Jr.
"Open Letter to Warren Mitofsky and Larry Rosin from Representative John Conyers, Jr."
January 20, 2005
Representative John Conyers, Jr.
"Ohio's GOP Attorney General launches revenge attack on Election Protection legal team"
January 19, 2005
Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"What are they hiding in New Mexico?"
January 18, 2005
Warren Stewart, National Ballot Integrity Project
"In the Shadow of Dr. King, counting the vote remains a civil rights issue"
January 17, 2005
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Did the “Liberal Media” Get the 2004 Election All Wrong?
"
January 16, 2005
Gene C. Gerard
"'COUNT EVERY VOTE. EVERY VOTE COUNTS'"
January 16, 2005
Mary Anne Saucier
"Moss v. Bush moves on and movement continues"
January 13, 2005
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Rally Continues Drive for Democracy"
January 9, 2005
Mark Huntress
"Estimated vote count in Ohio"
January 8, 2005
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"January 6 Washington, D.C. rally report"
January 8, 2005
Nick Mottern
"Together, we moved three mountains"
January 8, 2005
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"What the election challenge means"
January 8, 2005
David Swanson, ILCA
"Progressive Democrats lead historic voting rights protest as Congress ratifies flawed 2004 Electoral College tally"
January 7, 2005
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Arnebeck letter to Congress re Presidential Electoral Challenge"
January 6, 2005
Clifford O. Arnebeck, Jr.
"Senator Barbara Boxer, D-CA and Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-OH contested the election"
January 6, 2005
Free Press staff
"The "Crime of November 2": The human side of how Bush stole Ohio, and why Congress must investigate rather than ratify the Electoral College (Part Two of Two)"
January 5, 2005
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Status Report of the House Judiciary Committee Democratic Staff"
January 5, 2005
U.S. Rep. John Conyers and staff
"Seven key reasons why the vote must be challenged at the electoral college"
January 3, 2005
Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition
"Ten preliminary reasons why the Bush vote does not compute, and why Congress must investigate rather than certify the Electoral College (Part One of Two)"
January 3, 2005
Bob Fitrakis, Steve Rosenfeld and Harvey Wasserman
"Verified election contest petitions and documents in Ohio Supreme Court "
January 2, 2005
The undersigned
"Distribution of voting machines by county in Ohio"
January 1, 2005
Andy Shifflette
"Did We Bounce An Election?"
January 1, 2005
Warren Stewart, votersunite.org
"Presidential election congressional hearing transcript"
January 1, 2005
Congresspeople Waters, Tubbs-Jones and Conyers and others
Selected articles from 2004
"Ohio's official non-recount ends amidst new evidence of fraud, theft and judicial contempt mirrored in New Mexico"
December 31, 2004
"Impossible Phantom Votes in New Mexico
"
December 30, 2004
"The 2004 Presidential Election: Who Won The Popular Vote? An Examination of the Comparative Validity of Exit Poll and Vote Count Data"
December 29, 2004
"Ohio GOP election officials ducking notices of deposition as Kerry enters stolen vote fray"
December 28, 2004
"Another third rate burglary"
December 25, 2004
"Hacking the vote in Miami County"
December 25, 2004
"Update from the Ohio Frontlines"
December 24, 2004
"Lawsuit Before the Ohio Supreme Court"
December 24, 2004
"Kerry votes switched to Bush and ballots pre-punched for Bush"
December 24, 2004
"Uncounted votes in Cuyahoga County"
December 24, 2004
"GAO report documents how easy it is to hack the vote"
November 15, 2005
"J30 Election Reform Coalition"
March 21, 2005
"The Un-mighty New Hampshire Jam Force"
March 21, 2005
"Petro sanctions democracy"
March 21, 2005
"Progressives helped concede election by conceding the moral high ground"
March 21, 2005
"We will not concede, or get over it, but we shall overcome"
January 23, 2005
"From Selma to Palm Beach to Columbus"
January 23, 2005
"Movement Heroes"
January 23, 2005
Read Articles by Year:
2007 2006 2005 2004
2003 2002 2001 2000
All content © 1970-2008
The Columbus Free Press
Disclaimer