 |
Tue Mar 16 2010 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Departments Election Issues Cuyahoga's witch hunt by Victoria Lovegren, Ph.D. October 13, 2008 On Tuesday, Oct 7th, I attended a Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (CCBOE) meeting. I wanted to make sure absentee-vote totals were going to be separated from election-day vote totals. What I observed was a witch hunt. This is what I, and many others, believe: The GOP is applying pressure to the county board of elections to "sniff out" questionable voter-registration cards, especially those by very effective and successful voter-registration projects, and call it "Voter Fraud." Probably like the pressure on 9 fired U.S. Attorneys (Google "Iglesias Voter Fraud"). ACORN, a highly respected community organizing agency, was called in to answer questions about "fishy" and duplicate voter-registration cards. During the increasingly hostile interrogation, ACORN admitted "we don't have the resources to catch every fraudulent voter-registration card". (Brings back memories of Bob Bennett's "No election is perfect!" as he and Vu pushed e-voting down our throats!) The next day's Plain Dealer: "ACORN: Possible Fraud"--"ACORN admitted to the BOE they can't eliminate fraud from their operation." Fox News and the conveyor-belt media ran with it, adding to the "ACORN bonfire" being stoked around the country. Within minutes, blogs and GOP sites were linking Obama (e.g. "Obama ACORN Truths Proven") and Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner (e.g. "Activist Group Advising Brunner Admits to Ohio Election Fraud") to this "shady organization." The Truth ACORN is required, by law, to turn in all registration forms, lest they be accused of partisan filtering. Of the tens of thousands (65,000 to 80,000) new registrations in Cuyahoga, the occurrence of duplications is marginal. ACORN's quality control process involves calling voters, to try to assess the legitimacy of the cards. They evaluate the cards, and group them into "verified", "unable to verify", and "problematic registrations". ACORN employs many canvassers. They do not have a sophisticated voter-registration database that tracks change transactions, nor signature-recognition technology. During the "interrogation", ACORN described the response from one man submitting multiple voter-registration cards: "I was only trying to help the kids!" (At first I thought he meant the Iraq veterans who are fighting an unnecessary war, but later concluded that he was probably referring to the young canvassers who are engaging in a meaningful civic activity.) I heard ACORN say numerous times that they wanted to work WITH the BOE--who HAS the resources, to catch questionable registration cards. CCBOE's Diebold DIMS voter-registration is supposed to catch those duplicates! The Irony The hostile board members (not you, InaJo) demanded ACORN eliminate duplicate voter-registration cards and turn over suspect employees to the county prosecutor, without benefit of the board's resources. Mr. Frost even suggested ACORN's attorney was "in contempt." It was extremely unsettling, given the "questionable things" CCBOE did, or important things they did NOT do over the past four years. Voter-registration/DIMS problems are documented in a slew of reports, by a number of people, including myself. Researchers found "an error rate of 6.2%, 5.1% of which was due to apparent BOE clerical errors, and 1.1% to apparent voter error" and projected "19,000 voter registrations ... at low to high or absolute risk of disqualification, mostly due to BOE entry errors." (http://www.clevelandvotes.org/news/reports/Report_to_ElectionComm.pdf) I recall DIMS permitted entry of bad addresses, e.g. misspelled street name, yet later, kicked out the voter as "fatal pending", thus unable to vote." DIMS was implemented TWO MONTHS prior to that historic election of Nov 2004. Could that explain the hundreds of un-entered, "gone missing", erroneously entered registrations? Or was it the people in the data-entry department that were RIF'd before that election? Can anyone remember the bogus "Recount of 2004", in which hundreds of people, many coming in from other states, THOUGHT they were participating in Democracy? Does anyone remember the recent primary election, March 2008, in which hundreds of Republicans "crossed over" to vote against Dennis Kucinich and Hillary Clinton? Apparently, Limbaugh-sanctioned tomfoolery is okay. Does it bother people that Bob Bennett and Michael Vu are walking the streets after clearly committing fraud, orders of magnitude more serious than some poor kind-hearted guy, trying to "help out the kids!" Does anyone remember the mocking tone exhibited by the board when concerned citizens, trying to make sense of the strange happenings at the board, brought issue after issue to the board's attention? Will the Real Fraud stand up! Just think about it. Who, in their right mind, would vote twice, risking severe punishment, to change the election outcome by one? The more likely possibility, one that voters do worry about, is one programmer, without detection, changing the outcome of an entire election through e-voting technology. Why wouldn't they? People "get it", but some organizations: both political parties and virtually all of the media, even the "left" media, are in denial. (Google "RoveCyberGate") There are OVERT and serious efforts to subvert the will of the people: voter purging, caging, and suppression abound. (http://www.truthout.org/) If for no other reason, these REAL problems will serve as rational for another middle-of-the-night surprise. Shock Doctrine and Ohio House Bill 3 Those familiar with Naomi Klein's book, The Shock Doctrine and Ohio's "infamous" House Bill 3, know how "Voter Fraud" hysteria was used to usher in draconian regulations, most notably, Ohio's restrictive Voter ID Laws. The LWV letter to Republican legislative leaders stated "the purported purpose (of House Bill 3) of preventing voting fraud is based on the fallacy that there was widespread fraud perpetrated by voters in Ohio. In fact, the fraud was committed against Ohio voters by inadequate preparation that suppressed the votes of those whose registrations were not recorded correctly, those who could not wait for hours to vote or those whose votes were not counted because of misdirection or mishandling." Kevin Coughlin, the main proponent of H.B. 3, could only cite a few cartoon characters and celebrities on voting registration forms' that were easily weeded out by county election boards, as the reason for his repressive legislation. (In fact, several "fake" voting rights organizations, including the American Center for Voting Rights (ACVR), were created specifically to spread the disinformation about the extent of voter fraud.) (http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2005/1289) I was there on that sad day, and, though I was forbidden from bringing into the chamber hall my camera, I did take a picture of a sign placed in the rotunda saying, simply, "Democracy Died Today." Do your own research Check out "The Politics of Voter Fraud" (http://www.projectvote.org) ...at the federal level, records show that only 24 people were convicted of or pleaded guilty to illegal voting between 2002 and 2005. ... The available state-level evidence of voter fraud, culled from interviews, reviews of newspaper coverage and court proceedings, while not definitive, is also negligible. and There is a long history in America of elites using voter fraud allegations to restrict and shape the electorate....Today, the success of voter registration drives among minorities and low income people in recent years threatens Republicans. Consequently, the use of baseless voter fraud allegations for partisan advantage has become the exclusive domain of Republican party activists. Cuyahoga Stamping out "Fraud" Today, the board interrogated several young black men, shaming them publicly for trying to "help the kids". I'm sure they will be smeared, along with ACORN. And along with me...for I had the nerve to follow the first "victim" out into the hall and tell him, "Don't worry. This is a witch hunt. They're going after ACORN", while a white man told him not to listen to me. The rest...well you'll see on Fox News, I'm sure. I'll tell my son to "brace himself" when he walks in the door today. I think the only thing being held in contempt here is our democracy! Email this article to a friend |
Don't forget to check out articles from 2009 and 2010
"Why Al Franken should NOT be riding private planes"
December 23, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"The suspicious, disturbing death of election rigger Michael Connell"
December 20, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Last US House seat filled on grave of stolen 2004 election"
December 9, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"What happened this year in Ohio"
December 1, 2008
Pete Johnson
"Imaginary numbers persist in our presidential elections"
November 22, 2008
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"The GOP attack on democracy continues in Ohio"
November 19, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"The 2008 Presidential election: a preliminary analysis"
November 19, 2008
Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D.
"Election protection in Ohio (and America) isn't over"
November 17, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Recount fictions in Virginia's Fifth"
November 9, 2008
David Swanson
"The Pits: Georgia's GOP swipes the Peach State"
November 6, 2008
Greg Palast
"Grant Park on Election Night"
November 5, 2008
Joan Brunwasser
"Can the grassroots Internet-based election protection movement win the White House?"
November 3, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"How and why I just voted"
November 2, 2008
David Swanson
"No time for Nader: A letter to Nader McKinney voters"
November 2, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"'Vote stealing imperils democracy': former Montague resident charges election manipulation"
November 2, 2008
Richie Davis
"Will this Presidential election be stolen? It didn’t happen by chance..."
November 2, 2008
Channing Redditt and Amy Maldonado
"The time has come"
October 30, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Beware the Twin Towers of electronic election theft "
October 30, 2008
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Sarah Palin and the new Apostolic reformation"
October 28, 2008
Russ Bellant
"Antidotes to complacency: four reasons to act"
October 28, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Redesigning democracy"
October 22, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"A McCain "win" will be theft: resistance is planned"
October 21, 2008
David Swanson
"Critical US Supreme Court ruling against Rovian GOP vote meddling may prove temporary"
October 20, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Our national juncture"
October 17, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Suppression"
October 17, 2008
Joe Rothstein
"Cuyahoga's witch hunt"
October 13, 2008
Victoria Lovegren, Ph.D.
"Videos from Ohio Election Protection Conference"
October 12, 2008
Free Press Staff
"The Palin-Biden debate: high time to move beyond clichés"
October 11, 2008
Ramzy Baroud
"Struggle: A Documentary"
October 10, 2008
Roger Hill
"GOP attacks on American voters turn desperate, ugly and dangerous"
October 10, 2008
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Warming to Palin"
October 8, 2008
David Swanson
"Brace yourself"
October 8, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Cindy, Charlotte, and our Constitution"
October 8, 2008
David Swanson
"Rainbow PUSH Coalition registers 2090 new voters this week"
October 6, 2008
Lauren Love
"Big presidential vote count error found and fixed in New Mexico"
October 6, 2008
Steven Rosenfeld
"Ohio 2008 opens with a subpoena, a surge and calls for election protection"
October 1, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"North Carolina: The new Ohio?"
September 30, 2008
Christopher Bifani
"Foreign policy debate all about war"
September 29, 2008
David Swanson
"Be a poll worker and save American democracy"
September 26, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Why hurricane Ike demands paper ballots on November 4"
September 17, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Death becomes her: let's make her our president"
September 15, 2008
Jason Miller
"Ten ways the McCain/Palin GOP is now stealing the Ohio vote"
September 9, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"John McCain: Morally, mentally, and emotionally unfit"
September 8, 2008
Jim Fetzer
"Logical consequences"
September 4, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Rovian politics chose Sarah Palin"
September 3, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Shocking choice by John McCain "
August 31, 2008
Robert Dewey
"Ron Paul endorsement of Don Young "shocking and disappointing""
August 27, 2008
Richard A. Viguerie
"The DNC platform: belief you can change in"
August 10, 2008
David Swanson
"Obama doesn't sweat. He should."
July 29, 2008
Greg Palast
"Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. applauds Sen. Obama’s speech before the NAACP"
July 16, 2008
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
"Three key ways YOU can help protect the 2008 election"
July 3, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Colleges, voter registration, and a historic opportunity: a more detailed proposal"
June 19, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Obama must learn from Kucinich's election theft impeachment"
June 11, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Clinton only needs 153% of remaining delegates"
June 1, 2008
David Swanson
"The buried Florida story: why campaigning matters"
May 31, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"The myth of Clinton's popular vote lead"
May 29, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Did the Limbaugh effect also flip Michigan?"
May 29, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Edwards just put Obama over the top"
May 15, 2008
David Swanson
"Did the Limbaugh effect also flip Michigan?"
May 14, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Obama-Clinton funny math: Guam update"
May 4, 2008
David Swanson
"Did the US Supreme Court deliver the Indiana Primary to Hillary Clinton?"
May 2, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Did the US Supreme Court just elect John McCain?"
April 30, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"The 2008 election will be stolen"
April 19, 2008
David Swanson
"The done deal"
April 18, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Letter to Hillary: remember when John McCain slimed your daughter"
April 17, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Fire and race"
April 3, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Keep the Republic"
March 27, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"What it's all about..."
March 25, 2008
Sheila Samples
"Can SuperDelegates stop the scorched earth campaigning?"
March 24, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"An election without meaning"
March 23, 2008
Peter Phillips
"We have a dream"
March 23, 2008
Phil Tajitsu Nash
"Hope, change, and pissing in the wind: "Of Obama, Democrats, and the Power Elite""
March 19, 2008
Patrice Greanville and Jason Miller
"Ohio's voting machines are now an official crime scene"
March 17, 2008
Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Did Republicans give Hillary her victory in Ohio?"
March 8, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Primary day at the polls in Columbus, Ohio"
March 5, 2008
David S. Lewis, National Affairs Editor
"Obama & Clinton: who's more likely to confront global warming?"
March 4, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"If you think Karl Rove is evil, make phone calls today"
March 4, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Obama's talking points"
March 1, 2008
Gregg Gordon
"Adventures in inaudible audio with Senator Barack Obama"
February 27, 2008
David S. Lewis, National Affairs Editor
"Attention all voters: this is a must-see video"
February 26, 2008
Free Press staff
"On the campaign trail in the Buckeye State stalking the candidates: John McCain"
February 24, 2008
David S. Lewis, National Affairs Editor
"Will Clinton's advisors tell her the hard truths?"
February 22, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"How much damage will Clinton do before she folds?"
February 22, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"The Hillary nutcracker"
February 21, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Behind Obama's wave of victories: the more they know him….."
February 17, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Hillary's hawks -- How Obama's and Clinton's advisors mirror their stands on the war"
February 11, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb, introducing a Stephen Zunes article
"Poll shows John McCain faces tough road in gaining conservative support"
February 11, 2008
Richard A. Viguerie
"The Obama Factors"
February 11, 2008
Todd Huffman
"Vote against Clinton"
February 4, 2008
David Swanson
"Why this Edwards voter Is now backing Obama"
February 2, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Liveblogging Obama v. Clinton v. CNN"
February 1, 2008
David Swanson
"It's all about Hillary, not her party"
January 29, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"The South Carolina you won't see on CNN - South Carolina primary colors: black and white?"
January 26, 2008
Greg Palast
"The South Carolina you won't see on CNN - South Carolina primary colors: black and white?"
January 26, 2008
Greg Palast
"Conspiracy theorist"
January 24, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Hillary Clinton's sleaze parade "
January 20, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Bob & Harvey's 3-Step "Ohio Plan" for fair and reliable voting and vote counts"
January 16, 2008
Bob Fitrakis & Harvey Wasserman
"Media misses story: Obedwards wins New Hampshire"
January 11, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Primary concerns"
January 10, 2008
Robert C. Koehler
"Clear evidence of widespread vote fraud in New Hampshire"
January 10, 2008
Paul Joseph Watson
"The Kudzu Effect: The Voting-Industrial Complex chokes our democracy"
January 6, 2008
Sheri Myers, Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
"Still true to ObEdwards: Why I keep donating to both Edwards and Obama"
January 6, 2008
Paul Rogat Loeb
"Clinton campaign office re-occupied by peace activists on day of Iowa voting"
January 4, 2008
Mike Ferner
Read Articles by Year:
2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
All content © 1970-2010
The Columbus Free Press
Disclaimer