Campaign staffers charged in Mich. probe of fake petition signatures for former Rep. McCotter

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

DETROIT — Michigan’s attorney general has charged four of former U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter’s campaign staffers in an investigation into fake and duplicate signatures on nominating petitions.

Attorney General Bill Schuette announced charges Thursday ranging from forgery and conspiracy to falsely signing election documents.

McCotter isn’t charged. Schuette says there’s no direct evidence of McCotter’s involvement but he says the congressman was “asleep at the switch.” Schuette wouldn’t rule out more charges in the future.

The petition scandal knocked the congressman off the ballot and led to his resignation July 6.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/campaign-staff-charged-in-mccotter-petitions-probe/2012/08/09/077cd380-e23a-11e1-89f7-76e23a982d06_story.html

[gopiscrap]

1. This is just typical

the fucking republicans charge the Dems with electoral fraud...figures, they are engaged in it knee deep!!!!

[rfranklin]

2. Well, yeah, because McCotter is a Republican...

I looked it up...

Four staffers of former U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter, R-Livonia were charged today in connection with the false nominating petitions that led to McCotter's departure from Congress.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette described the four as "not simply Keystone Kops running amok ... criminal acts were committed."
http://www.freep.com/article/20120809/NEWS15/120809030/State-charges-4-McCotter-ex-staffers-forging-petitions-faking-signatures-election-fiasco?odyssey=nav%7Chead

[tanyev]

3. To be fair, McCotter was very preoccupied with his presidential run during that time period.

http://www.4president.us/websites/2012/mccotter070211website.htm

[Festivito]

4. Current memes: McCotter "resigned in disgrace" and "Asleep at the switch"

I'm thinking that's a: he's gone through enough defense.

His area was just gerrymandered by Republicans just for him.

110 out of 130 petitions falsified (Those numbers are not correct, but it is a majority of the petitions)
Needed 1000 names, turned in 2000, 80% falsified

Cut and pasted from prior year petitions
Not sure if pages were duplicated with same names in same petitions, or if all were unique names, but from other petitions.
Duplications occurred on McCotter's offices Federal office copier in Livonia, MI.
Felonies charged.

McCotter’s former deputy district director Don Yowchuang (17 charges), district director Paul Seewald (10 charges), district representative Mary Melissa Turnbull (2 charges) and staffer Lorianne O’Brady (5 counts) face charges ranging from forgery and conspiracy to falsely signing election documents.

Interesting race coming up.

[Bozita]

5. That seat is now in play.

The Dem is an MD, head of a major regional hospital, Muslim, and not nuts.

This is gonna be one of the most watched races as election day nears.

[Festivito]

6. An northeast India-born doctor who attends mosque.

There's a good chance here.

The results of this race will be as interesting as the race itself.

[Canuckistanian]

7. Ah, the old "It was those darned staffers!" gambit

Staffers do what they're told. That's why they're called "staffers", not "campaign directors" or "strategists".

I wonder how much it cost to buy their silence? Probably not enough. They'll be singing in front of a judge.