GOP Will Pay $135K To Settle Phone-Jamming Suit...

[rodeodance]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/12/02/gop-will-pay-135k-to-set_n_35422.html

GOP Will Pay $135K To Settle Phone-Jamming Suit...

Associated Press | DAVID TIRRELL-WYSOCKI | Posted December 2, 2006 07:16 PM
phonejamweb.jpg

From lostnation.tv

State and national Republicans will pay $135,000 to settle a suit involving a scheme to jam Democratic get-out-the-vote calls on Election Day 2002, officials said Saturday.

"Although we believed our case was very strong, the cost of the trial as well as expected appeals by the New Hampshire Democratic Party would have easily matched or exceeded the present value of the settlement," state Republican Chairman Wayne Semprini said..........

[marmar]

1. "Although we believed our case was very strong"

Anyone need some fertilizer?

[WestHoustonDem]

2. That's all? That's disgusting. n/t

[pocoloco]

3. Wonder what happened to all those "millions"

they were going to sue for??

[papau]

4. Total campaign costs of $4 million was ruled not recoverable by the judge - only

costs associated with efforts tied to the use of the phones - the get out the vote effort - costs could be recovered.

[drm604]

5. Actually the ruling was just the opposite.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2834835

[papau]

6. Nope - that headline can fool one - they get more than the $4k phone rental but don't get

total compaign costs.

"judge has ruled New Hampshire Democrats can go after more than just the cost of renting and using telephones that were jammed by Republicans on Election Day four years ago.

The ruling offers the Democrats the right to argue the GOP jamming in 2002 HINDERED THEIR ATTEMPT TO BOOST VOTER TURNOUT"

SO THE JUDGE ALLOWED RECOVERY OF THE GET OUT THE VOTE EFFORT THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE PHONE JAMING ONLY.


"Republicans wanted Judge Philip Mangones to rule the Democrats could only claim $4,974 in damages -- the cost of renting and using phones for the get-out-the-vote campaign. Democrats argued they should be able to go after more than $4 million in damages -- the cost of seven months of work for the get-out-the-vote effort.

That's nearly half of what Democrats spent on their effort, which was disrupted for nearly two hours the day it was supposed to pay off."

[drm604]

7. Hmm, I guess that article is a little unclear about exactly what the judge was allowing.

The phrase "connected to the phone jamming" can be interpreted a number of ways.

Your post was in response to pocoloco's question about where the millions are. That would seem to imply that he was incorrect about the amount being in the millions (at least that's how I took it). You did say 4 million so you may have meant that a lesser 7 figure sum was still possible, but that's not how I took it.

State Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Sullivan stated that "There is still a significant liability facing these defendants. I would say that seven figures is not unreasonable" so apparently the Democrats understood the ruling to mean that they could conceivably collect at least a million.

[Katzenjammer]

15. Exactly. $135K is trivial. It should be $135M, divvied out to the people who were blocked.

[Trillo]

8. Why isn't this a criminal case?

So no one need go to jail?

It's just a debit. Like a tax. Cost of biz.
Whoopie.

[MaineDem]

10. There already have been criminal cases

People have been, are, and will be in jail.

[Trillo]

11. Confirmed. But my question went unaswered.

It was a simple question: Why isn't this a criminal case?

[MaineDem]

12. I thought it was answered

But I guess I can't give you the legal reason. There already have been criminal cases. Just like in the OJ case, after the criminal case a civil suit can be undertaken. I'm sure there are legal differences. I don't think it's a simple question unless one happens to be a lawyer.

[Trillo]

13. My apologies, didn't mean to force you in particular to feel compelled to

answer. And thanks for attempting to answer to the best of your ability, it is appreciated. (I'm reasonably used to being ignored :-)

My guess is that the the GOP is organized as a corporation, and a

corporation probably cannot be sent to jail.

[Katzenjammer]

16. Basically because we don't live in a real democracy.

If we lived in a real democracy, dicking around with elections would be on a par with armed robbery at least: 5-20 in the big house, PLUS crushing fines.

[MaineDem]

17. People are already in jail for this. n/t

[Katzenjammer]

18. But I bet it's for light time and no fines, right? (nt)

[Vinca]

9. More important than the money is the ongoing investigation.

All I want for Christmas is a Republican perp walk - preferably starting with Kenny-boy Mehlman.

[Demeter]

14. NH Judges Are Notoriously Stingy

Stingy with money, and stingy with justice.